The six-year point
Scottish Government guidance says a trust deed affects your credit rating for six years from the start date. This is different from the usual four-year contribution period.
Keep three dates separate: when you sign, when you are discharged and when a credit-file entry should cease to be reported. Do not assume that one event automatically changes every record on the same day.
Credit files and the public register are different
The Register of Insolvencies is maintained by Accountant in Bankruptcy. Credit reference agencies hold separate records used by lenders.
A public register update is not a personal guarantee about a lender’s decision. Equally, an entry remaining on a credit report does not prove that you are still making trust deed contributions.
Our public register guide explains which confirmation to request from your trustee.
Borrowing during the arrangement
New credit may be difficult to obtain and creates a liability that is not included as an existing trust deed debt. A payment for new borrowing can also make the agreed contribution harder to maintain.
If you need to replace essential equipment or meet an unexpected expense, talk to the trustee before applying for finance. A lender’s willingness to offer credit is not evidence that borrowing fits the arrangement.
Mortgages and other applications
A trust deed can make a mortgage or other credit application harder. Discharge does not guarantee acceptance, a particular rate or a date when every lender will consider you.
Answer application questions accurately, including questions about previous insolvency where asked. An expired credit-file entry is not permission to give an inaccurate answer about your history.
Avoid making repeated speculative applications to test whether the position has changed. Where housing plans are important, explain them to an appropriately qualified adviser.
A practical record-checking routine
After discharge:
- Keep the written discharge confirmation and relevant dates.
- Obtain your credit reports and compare the personal details and accounts.
- Raise factual discrepancies with the reporting organisation and credit reference agency.
- Supply evidence and keep a record of the response.
- Continue to manage ongoing household commitments separately.
This is an accuracy check, not a promise to remove correct adverse history or raise a score by a certain amount. Be cautious about paying anyone who promises to erase an accurate trust deed record.
Consider credit consequences before signing
Compare the effect on credit with the consequences of continuing an unaffordable situation and with other Scottish options. A free debt adviser can help you assess those trade-offs in context.
Sources & further reading
Sources checked for this guide on 6 September 2026. Follow the original guidance for full detail.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 where indicated by the source. No government endorsement is implied.