Not all that long ago I actually moved to the UK to study the benefits of debt relief options there. There are familiar U.S. based creditors in the UK but they handle debt relief entirely differently.
While the U.S. struggled with disreputable debt settlement providers, the UK required debt relief providers to actually hold a debt relief license and be regulated. The regulations were a pain in the ass but they did protect consumers.
Then there was this very interesting UK option, the Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA). The IVA allowed consumers to put forward a repayment plan based on what they could afford and if a percentage of creditors agreed, it became binding on all creditors.
Think of it like an informal Chapter 13 bankruptcy with all the power that comes with it.
My friends over at ClearDebt in the UK just put out this wonderful graphic that explains the facts about the IVA.

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