Mr H, a senior professional, had suffered severe depression and other mental health problems. Now well on the road to recovery, he still cannot remember how he incurred some of his £112,000 debts.

His ClearDebt IVA has seen these reduced by 78%. Creditors constantly threatening legal action had done nothing to help his recovery: Now he knows, as long as he keeps up his £371 monthly payments, they cannot threaten him again.

Mr H’s IVA is part of the process of rebuilding his life. Creditors accepted what he could afford even though he had moved to a less well-paid, but less stressful, job.

He is only paying 22p in the pound to his creditors – usually IVAs with returns this low are difficult to achieve – and most creditors won’t fall for any old sob story.

But, they are sympathetic to those who have had genuine difficulties and hardships (and they respect people who pick themselves up and start again.)