Bankruptcy and Bank Accounts

[Ermieox]

I understand that when you submit your personal bankruptcy papers to the court (UK) any bank accounts you have are frozen and you have to open a cash account.

I have a cash account which was set up at the end of last year when I went onto a DMP. I am now facing bankruptcy and want to know if this cash account will be frozen and I will have to open another? The problem is that only Barclays and the Co-op see happy to run cash accounts for undischarged bankrupts and as my account is with Barclays if I have to open another I assume I will have to go to the Co-op and the nearest branch is 20 miles away.....

Does anyone know if I would be allowed to keep the account running as it's a cash account and has no cheque books or debit cards or overdraft? Or would Barclays be likely to let me open a second cash account???

Any advice much appreciated thanks.

[Ermieox]

Also, I owe the Electricity Board £250 but they are about to install a key meter which will carry a weekly standing charge until the outstanding amount is cleared. Do I have to list them as a creditor on the bankruptcy paperwork or as an arrangement is in place and they are a utilitly company do I leave them off?

[Ermieox]

Also I need to know whether Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit should be listed as income with the full rent and council tax amounts listed in outgoings or do I ignore them as they cancel each other out and the benefits aren't technically income as the money doesn't come to me????

Sorry, you can tell I'm trying to fill the forms in can't you?!

[Mr Veritas]

Hello there,
This must be a very worrying time for you.
This link:~
http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/
is the Governments Official Insolvency (Bankruptcy) Website,and will (hopefully) tell you all you need to know.
When you are going Bankrupt an official will be appointed to look after you,and help you through this.
Don't worry or panic,a friend of ours has recently gone through this,and she said it was relatively painless.
I wish you well.

[themas]

1. The bank account will be frozen by the OR but then unfrozen when he has determined there is no money in it for him to take. The bank may close it - if you owe any money to Barclays or Barclaycard you should not go on using it anyway.

2. Ring Co-op - you may be able to open their Cashminder a/c by phone & may not have to go into the branch.

3. You must list all debts - including utilities. Whether the OR will insist that the deductions from the key meter stop I don't know, but strictly speaking they should stop as you are prohibited from making any payments to your creditors.

4. Put down HB & CTB as income & rent & CT as expenditure.

[Ermieox]

Thanks. I actually managed to speak to someone at the Insolvency Helpline from the insolvency.gov website and they said that I don't need to list the CT and proportion of rent paid by HB as expenditure and don't need to list CT and HB as income. Have decided to leave it off the primary paperwork being submitted to the Court and can go through the fine detail with the Official Receiver when I have my meeting with them.
Co-op said I would have to attend in person but Barclays said I can open another cash account and just start using it after I've filed the bankruptcy papers.