{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/insolvency-act-1986/section-385",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/insolvency-act-1986/section-385.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1986/45",
  "legislation_title": "Insolvency Act 1986",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/insolvency-act-1986",
  "path": "section/385",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "385",
  "heading": "Miscellaneous definitions.",
  "text": "(1) The following definitions have effect—\n“ adjudicator ” means a person appointed by the Secretary of State under section 398A;\n“the court”, in relation to any matter, means the court to which, in accordance with section 373 in Part X and the rules, proceedings with respect to that matter are allocated or transferred;\n“ creditors' decision procedure ” has the meaning given by section 379ZA(11);\n“creditor’s petition” means a bankruptcy petition under section 264(1)(a);\n“criminal bankruptcy order” means an order under section 39(1) of the Powers of Criminal Courts Act 1973;\n“debt” is to be construed in accordance with section 382(3);\n“the debtor”—\n(za)in relation to a debt relief order or an application for such an order, has the same meaning as in Part 7A,\n(a)in relation to a proposal for the purposes of Part VIII, means the individual making or intending to make that proposal, and\n(b)in relation to a bankruptcy application or a bankruptcy petition, means the individual to whom the application or petition relates;\n. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n“debt relief order” means an order made by the official receiver under Part 7A;\n“deemed consent procedure” means the deemed consent procedure provided for by section 379ZB;\n“determination period” has the meaning given in section 263K(4);\n“dwelling house” includes any building or part of a building which is occupied as a dwelling and any yard, garden, garage or outhouse belonging to the dwelling house and occupied with it;\n“estate”, in relation to a bankrupt is to be construed in accordance with section 283 in Chapter II of Part IX;\n“family”, in relation to a bankrupt, means the persons (if any) who are living with him and are dependent on him;\n“insolvency administration order” means an order for the administration in bankruptcy of the insolvent estate of a deceased debtor (being an individual at the date of his death);\n“insolvency administration petition” means a petition for an insolvency administration order;\n“secured” and related expressions are to be construed in accordance with section 383;\n“the Rules” means the Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 and\n“the trustee”, in relation to a bankruptcy and the bankrupt, means the trustee of the bankrupt’s estate.\n(2) References in this Group of Parts to a person’s affairs include his business, if any.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 385(1) inserted (6.4.2016) by Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (c. 24), s. 103(3), Sch. 19 para. 55(a); S.I. 2016/191, art. 2 (with art. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 385(1) inserted (26.5.2015 for specified purposes, 6.4.2017 for E.W. in so far as not already in force) by Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (c. 26), ss. 123(4)(a), 164(1); S.I. 2015/1329, reg. 3(d); S.I. 2016/1020, reg. 4(b) (with reg. 5) (as amended by S.I. 2017/363, reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Definition repealed (omitted 1.10.2008 repealed prosp.) by Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33, SIF 39:1), ss. 123, 170, 171, Sch. 8 para. 16, Sch. 16; S.I. 1988/1408, art. 2, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "S. 385(1): para. (za) in definition of \"the debtor\" inserted (24.2.2009 for certain purposes otherwise 6.4.2009) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15), ss. 108(3), 148(5), Sch. 20 para. 5(2); S.I. 2009/382, {art, 2}"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in s. 385(1) inserted (6.4.2016) by Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (c. 24), s. 103(3), Sch. 19 para. 55(b)(i); S.I. 2016/191, art. 2 (with art. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in s. 385(1) inserted (6.4.2016) by Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (c. 24), s. 103(3), Sch. 19 para. 55(b)(ii); S.I. 2016/191, art. 2 (with art. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in s. 385(1) omitted (6.4.2016) by virtue of Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (c. 24), s. 103(3), Sch. 19 para. 55(c); S.I. 2016/191, art. 2 (with art. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "S. 385(1): definition of \"debt relief order\" inserted (24.2.2009 for certain purposes otherwise 6.4.2009) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15), ss. 108(3), 148(5), Sch. 20 para. 5(3); S.I. 2009/382, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Words in s. 385(1) inserted (26.5.2015 for specified purposes, 6.4.2017 for E.W. in so far as not already in force) by Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (c. 26), ss. 123(4)(b), 164(1); S.I. 2015/1329, reg. 3(d); S.I. 2016/1020, reg. 4(b) (with reg. 5) (as amended by S.I. 2017/363, reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Words in s. 385(1) inserted (6.4.2016) by Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (c. 24), s. 103(3), Sch. 19 para. 55(d); S.I. 2016/191, art. 2 (with art. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Definitions added by S.I. 1986/1999, arts. 2, 6"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Words in s. 385(1) substituted (6.4.2017) by The Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 (Consequential Amendments and Savings) Rules 2017 (S.I. 2017/369), rule 1, Sch. 1 para. 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "M",
      "label": "M1",
      "text": "1973 c. 62."
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 385 applied with modifications by S.I. 1986/1999, art. 3, Sch. 1 Pt. II"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1986/45/section/385",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:55:00.443447+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}