If you are declared (or declared) bankrupt you can apply for credit at anytime. In the first year of bankruptcy, you can only apply for a small amount (think it is up to £500 and you have to tell them that you're bankrupt). Anyone you try to get a loan or credit from will check your credit score anyway and as it will be bad you probably can't get any credit. After six years you are 'free' of your bankruptcy. Going bankrupt is hardly a barrel of laughs - if you have your own house you will probably lose it, etc.