Can a CCJ Be Included in a DRO?

CCJs and DROs: The Short Answer

If a County Court Judgment has been made against someone for an unpaid debt, that debt does not suddenly become ineligible for a Debt Relief Order. In most cases, the underlying debt that led to the CCJ can be included in a DRO — what matters is the nature of the debt itself, not the fact that a judgment has been issued. The CCJ is a court order confirming money is owed; the debt beneath it is what determines whether it qualifies.

This is an important distinction. A CCJ issued for, say, an unsecured personal loan or a credit card balance does not transform that debt into a new legal category. According to GOV.UK, a DRO can cover most types of unsecured debt, and a judgment against that debt does not change its fundamental character for DRO purposes.

That said, there are conditions attached to the DRO itself, and timing matters. The sections below set out what the rules actually state.

What Is a DRO and Who Can Apply?

A Debt Relief Order is a formal insolvency solution available in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is designed for people with relatively low levels of debt, few assets, and little or no surplus income. According to the Insolvency Service, a DRO lasts for 12 months. If the person's circumstances have not improved during that period, the eligible debts listed in the order are written off at the end of it.

Applications are not made directly to the court. They must be submitted through an approved intermediary — a specialist debt adviser authorised to process DRO applications. The application is then reviewed by the Official Receiver, who is part of the Insolvency Service.

Prior to June 2024, the debt ceiling was £30,000. The Insolvency Service raised it to £50,000, which means a significant number of people who previously could not use a DRO — because their debts, including those subject to CCJs, were too high — may now fall within scope. The £90 application fee was also abolished at the same time, making the DRO the lowest-cost formal insolvency route available.

Which Debts Can Be Included in a DRO?

The Insolvency Service describes these as qualifying debts. For a DRO, qualifying debts are unsecured debts that existed at the date of the application. Common examples include:

• Credit card and store card balances
• Unsecured personal loans
• Overdrafts
• Council tax arrears
• Utility bill arrears (gas, electricity, water)
• Rent arrears (to a point — see below)
• Benefit overpayments (in some circumstances)
• Debts to friends or family
• Debts where a County Court Judgment has been issued

The key point for anyone asking about CCJs specifically: a County Court Judgment is a court order that confirms a debt is owed and gives the creditor legal enforcement powers. The debt itself — the loan, the credit card, the unpaid bill — retains its original character. If it was an unsecured qualifying debt before the CCJ, it remains one after.

Debts That Cannot Be Included in a DRO

Not every debt is eligible. According to GOV.UK and the Insolvency Service, certain debts are excluded from a DRO regardless of whether a CCJ has been issued against them. These include:

• Secured debts (such as a mortgage or secured loan)
• Student loans
• Child maintenance arrears
• Magistrates' court fines
• Social fund loans
• Debts arising from personal injury claims where a court order has been made
• Debts incurred through fraud

If a CCJ has been issued for a debt in any of these categories — for example, if a personal injury judgment has been made against someone — that debt cannot be included in a DRO, regardless of its size. The nature of the underlying obligation is what governs eligibility, not whether a CCJ exists.

It is also worth noting that secured debts are excluded even if the creditor has obtained a charging order. A charging order converts an unsecured judgment debt into a debt secured against property. If a charging order has already been registered before a DRO application, that debt may no longer be treatable as an unsecured qualifying debt. This is a specific area where the advice of an approved intermediary is important.

What Happens to a CCJ Once a DRO Is Granted?

Once a DRO is approved and comes into force, there is an automatic moratorium. According to the Insolvency Service, during the 12-month moratorium period, creditors whose debts are listed in the DRO cannot take enforcement action. That includes action under a County Court Judgment.

In practical terms, this means that a creditor who holds a CCJ against the applicant — and whose debt has been included in the DRO — cannot during the moratorium:

• Apply to the court for a warrant of control (to send bailiffs)
• Seek an attachment of earnings order
• Apply for a charging order on property
• Use any other enforcement mechanism linked to that CCJ

If the DRO is completed without revocation — meaning the 12-month period passes and the Official Receiver has not cancelled it — the qualifying debts listed, including those subject to CCJs, are legally written off. The creditor cannot pursue the debt further.

What If Enforcement Has Already Started on a CCJ?

This is a common concern. If bailiffs have already been instructed — or if an attachment of earnings order is already in place — before the DRO application is made, the situation is more complicated. The moratorium applies from the date the DRO is approved, not from the date of application. Any enforcement action taken before the order was granted is not automatically reversed.

If a warrant of control has been issued to an enforcement agent but not yet executed, it is worth speaking to an approved intermediary as quickly as possible about the timing of a DRO application. The rules around what happens to part-executed enforcement at the point a DRO moratorium begins are specific, and an intermediary can assess the individual facts.

Similarly, if a charging order has already been registered against a property before the DRO application is made, that debt has potentially become secured. This could affect whether it qualifies as a DRO eligible debt. Again, approved intermediaries are best placed to assess this on a case-by-case basis.

DRO Restrictions During the Moratorium Period

Applying for a DRO is not without consequences. During the 12-month moratorium, the applicant is subject to a range of restrictions under the Insolvency Act 1986 and associated regulations. These include:

• Cannot borrow more than £500 without disclosing the DRO
• Cannot act as a company director
• Cannot promote or manage a company without court permission
• Cannot open new bank accounts without disclosing the DRO (some banks may decline applications)
• Cannot act as an insolvency practitioner

A DRO will also appear on a person's credit file for six years from the date it is granted, which typically affects the ability to obtain credit during and after that period. The DRO is also recorded on the Individual Insolvency Register, which is publicly searchable via GOV.UK.

If the Official Receiver discovers that a person provided false information on their application, or that their circumstances have materially improved during the moratorium, the DRO can be revoked. In that case, the debts — including the CCJ debts — would no longer be subject to the moratorium or the eventual write-off.

How to Find Out Whether a Specific CCJ Qualifies

The question of whether a particular CCJ debt can be included in a DRO depends on the facts of the individual case — the nature of the original debt, whether any charging order has been registered, the total debt level relative to the £50,000 ceiling, and when enforcement action was taken. There is no single universal answer beyond the general rules set out above.

DRO applications must go through an approved intermediary. These are specialist debt advisers authorised by the Insolvency Service to process applications. They will assess whether the debts — including CCJ debts — meet the qualifying criteria before the application is submitted. Free debt advice is available from StepChange, MoneyHelper, Citizens Advice, and National Debtline, all of which can help establish whether a DRO is likely to be an appropriate route and explain the eligibility conditions in full.

For those who want to explore formal insolvency options — including DROs — with a regulated specialist, UK Debt Team refers enquiries to FCA-regulated debt advice firms on its panel who can carry out a proper assessment of the situation.