A record number of people took out debt relief orders (DROs) in February across England and Wales, according to Insolvency Service figures.
Some 4,210 DROs were recorded in February, which was a record high in the monthly series going back to their introduction in 2009, topping a previous high of 4,185 recorded in August 2025.
Personal insolvencies are also made up of individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs) and bankruptcies.
In total, 11,609 personal insolvencies were recorded in England and Wales in February, which was 18% higher than in February 2025 and 6% higher than in January 2026.
Tom Russell, president of insolvency…