An IVA or Individual Voluntary Arrangement is a form of personal debt solution.

IVAs are a formal agreement between you and your creditors (the companies you owe money to) which allow you to repay an affordable monthly amount over a typical period of 5 years.

IVAs were introduced by the government to offer people with unmanageable levels of debt a possible alternative to bankruptcy.

An IVA is legally binding on you and your creditors so it's not something you should enter into without first seeking professional debt advice. If you are accepted for an IVA and fail to keep up your monthly repayments, your creditors can petition for your bankruptcy.