Debt Relief Orders and Acts 435

If you have been a supporter or donor of Acts 435 for any length of time you may know that we often support individuals with the fee for a Debt Relief Order (DRO). The fee is £90, and is paid by the individual for the administration of the DRO.

This week the Chancellor announced that the fee for a DRO won't be payable from the 6th April 2024 in England and Wales.

This will have a positive impact for our partner churches and charities who are supporting those in debt, and who will be able to support individuals who need a DRO more quickly.

It will also have a positive impact for us as a charity as in 2023 we helped 1,139 people with DRO fees (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland), which totalled over £102,000. We hope that donors will still go online to donate to other requests for help, which will enable us to help individuals with other needs for basic, every day items, such as white goods, travel costs or clothing.

There will still be a small amount of DRO fee requests on our website, as although many are able to wait for their DRO to be processed at the beginning of April for some this may not be possible, For example, the DRO process might have already begun, or they may be facing further action due to their debt (such as eviction), or they're seeking a DRO in Northern Ireland where the fee hasn't been waived.

As always, Acts 435 will help to provide specific needs for individuals when they need it most.

We know a lot of our regular donors liked to support requests for a Debt Relief Order, as it gave an individual a fresh start, free from debt. However, we would like to encourage our supporters to look at our Fresh Start category, which will similarly enable a fresh start for individuals facing difficult situations.