IVA
Updated 27 May 2026
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: James Glynn
Senior financial content writer
James has spent almost 20 years writing news articles, guides and features, with a strong focus on the legal and financial services sectors.
Financial Promotions Manager
Last updated: 27 May 2026
Written by: James Glynn
Senior financial content writer
Last updated: 27 May 2026