Editorial Policy
IVA Online aims to publish clear, useful and balanced UK debt guidance. Our content should help readers understand their options, the risks involved, and where to find official or regulated support.
Debt guidance can affect important financial decisions, so our editorial standard is deliberately conservative. We would rather explain a limitation clearly than make a debt option sound easier, safer or more certain than it is.
Source standards
For legal and debt-solution facts, we prioritise official and established public-interest sources, including:
- GOV.UK and the Insolvency Service
- MoneyHelper
- Citizens Advice
- Financial Conduct Authority information where relevant
- Company websites, Companies House and regulator registers for contact or company details
When a page discusses IVAs, DROs, DMPs, bailiff powers, court action, credit file effects or regulated firms, we aim to include source links directly on the page or in a sources section. Company-specific pages should avoid relying only on marketing copy or unverified third-party summaries.
Review process
High-priority guides are reviewed for:
- factual accuracy against current official sources
- whether the page explains both benefits and risks
- whether eligibility wording avoids overclaiming
- whether the page has a clear next step for readers in difficulty
- whether internal links point to the most relevant comparison guides
- whether the title, meta description, headings and structured data accurately describe the page
Pages with commercial or high-risk intent, such as IVA eligibility, IVA costs, debt solution comparisons, debt collectors and bailiffs, should receive the most careful review.
Updates
Debt rules, eligibility thresholds and official guidance can change. We review high-value guides and pages with search traffic first, especially IVA, DRO, DMP, council tax, bailiff and debt collector pages.
When we update a page, we aim to keep existing URLs stable so readers and search engines can continue to find the same resource.
If an official threshold, fee, regulator process, or debt-solution rule changes, the relevant page should be updated promptly. If only wording or presentation changes, the page may be refreshed without changing the URL.
Corrections
If a page appears incomplete, outdated or unclear, it should be corrected rather than hidden behind marketing claims. Content should avoid presenting any debt option as risk-free.
Corrections should make the page more precise and useful. Examples include clarifying that qualifying debts are written off only after a solution completes, explaining that creditors can reject an IVA proposal, or distinguishing between debt collectors and enforcement agents.
Limits of the guidance
IVA Online is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and does not provide regulated debt advice. Readers should speak with a qualified debt adviser before committing to an IVA, DRO, DMP, bankruptcy or any other formal debt solution.
Content principles
- Keep claims specific, sourced and proportionate.
- Explain the downside of every formal debt option.
- Keep calls to action useful rather than pressuring the reader.
- Use plain English for urgent situations such as bailiff visits, court claims and creditor letters.
- Preserve existing URLs wherever possible to protect readers, links and search visibility.