Company liquidation

Bankruptcy can be an option for you if you have personal debts that you cannot pay by their due date.

Completion of the bankruptcy petition

To petition for your own bankruptcy you must complete the bankruptcy petition (Form 6.30) along with a statement of affairs (Form 6.31).

Your next step will be to pay a £525 deposit towards the cost of administering your bankruptcy to the Department for the Economy (DfE). This deposit must be paid in all cases and payment may be made in cash or postal orders, or by a cheque from a building society, bank or solicitor. Cheques should be made payable to the 'Official Receiver'.

Alternatively you can pay the deposit online through the Insolvency Service.

You will then need to take the completed forms to the Bankruptcy and Companies Office at the High Court, along with:

• 4 copies of your petition (5 if you are a solicitor)
• 1 copy of your statement of affairs
• the receipt for the deposit paid to DfE

The Court will either hear your petition straight away or arrange a time for the Court to consider it.

For further information see make yourself bankrupt. You can also download DfE's guidance on how to petition for your own bankruptcy (PDF, 252K).