IVA
Updated 13 March 2025
Life after an IVA
Congratulations! You’ve made your final payment and completed your individual voluntary arrangement (IVA).
Find out what to expect now, including the proof you’ll get to show you’ve successfully completed your IVA, how the end of your IVA will affect your credit rating and when you’ll be removed from the IVA register.
Certificate of completion
Your insolvency practitioner (IP) will check all payments have been made in full before sending you a certificate of completion.
This is proof you’ve successfully finished your IVA and are no longer subject to its terms.
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Removal from the IVA register
Your IP will also send a copy of your certificate of completion to the Insolvency Service so your details can be removed from the individual insolvency register. This can take up to three months.
Credit file
Your IVA will stay on your credit file for six years after it begins, even if you pay it off earlier.
If you complete your IVA within six years, the credit reference agencies will update your credit file to reflect this.
Your credit score should improve once your IVA is marked as complete but until it finally drops off your report, you may find mainstream lenders are still reluctant to let you borrow.
Rebuild your credit score
As an IVA restricts what you can borrow, not much information will have been added to your file during this time. This may mean your credit score remains low for a while.
Once your IVA has ended though, you can start to rebuild your credit score.
Written by: Michelle Kight
Financial content writer
Michelle is a qualified journalist who spent over seven years writing for her local online newspaper. Having grown up in some of the North West’s most deprived areas, she has a first-hand and empathetic understanding of what it means to face serious money worries. With a strong interest in mental health issues, she is a keen advocate of boosting the accessibility of financial wellness services.
Financial Promotions Manager
Last updated: 13 March 2025
Written by: Michelle Kight
Financial content writer
Last updated: 13 March 2025