Debt Arrangement Scheme

Questions & Answers

• What is the Debt Arrangement Scheme?

  DAS was introduced by the Scottish Government and is a statutory debt management tool and has become more popular in recent years with about 4,500 Scots using the facility each year. It allows you to repay your debts in full over a reasonable period of time i.e. removes creditor pressure. Interest is frozen on your debts and the process is designed to protect your house if possible.

• Will DAS advice be expensive?

  You can obtain free, confidential and impartial advice from organisations like the Citizens Advice Bureau or accredited local authority advisers. An initial consultation with a licensed insolvency practitioner is likely to be free.

• How do I apply for DAS?

  DAS is one of several options available to individuals seeking advice on their financial affairs. You are required to meet with an approved money adviser who will conduct an assessment of your financial situation to help establish if you are suitable for a DPP. Details of approved money advisers such as Meston Reid & Co can be found at www.dasscotland.gov.uk .

• Can I seek protection by using DAS?

  Yes. If a creditor is pursuing you for payment of a debt and has written to say they intend to take court action, you may write to the DAS administrator and intimate your intention to apply for a DPP. This is the start of the process to obtain protection under DAS.

• Will entering DAS be public knowledge?

  If you participate in DAS, your details will be recorded on the DAS register which is a public register www.dasscotland.co.uk and can be accessed by anyone free of charge.

• Will the DAS register show anyone who looks all my creditor details, together with my income position?

  No. The DAS register contains your name/address/date of birth/money adviser’s name, the approval date of your DPP, start DPP date and end DPP date.

• What is a debt payment programme “DPP”?

  DPP is the term given to the plan which is approved under DAS. The DPP is the payment regime that you have to follow in order to repay your creditors.