Minimal Asset Process Scotland: What Creditors Need to Know

What the Minimal Asset Process Is

The Minimal Asset Process (MAP) is a simplified form of personal bankruptcy in Scotland for people with total debts of £25,000 or less, limited assets, and no surplus income. It is administered by the Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) rather than going through a court hearing.

If a debtor you have a decree against enters MAP, it changes what you can do to recover your money — substantially.

How MAP Affects Your Enforcement

When MAP is awarded, the debtor's estate vests in the AiB as trustee. All active diligence is stayed immediately. That means any earnings arrestment currently running stops, any bank arrestment funds not yet released are frozen in place, and you cannot instruct new enforcement tools.

You have to lodge a formal claim with the AiB within the statutory window. Because MAP debtors by definition have minimal assets, the practical recovery for unsecured creditors is often zero or a few pence per pound.

The decree itself is not cancelled — it still exists — but you cannot actively enforce it while MAP is in effect. A MAP debtor is normally discharged after six months if they continue to meet the MAP criteria.

Can You Prevent a Debtor Entering MAP?

MAP is a statutory right for eligible debtors, and you cannot block the application. However, the debtor must meet strict eligibility criteria: total debts cannot exceed £25,000 (though the MacDermid Review recommended raising this to £50,000, no legislation has enacted this as of late 2026), they must have received money advice from an approved adviser, and they cannot have significant realisable assets.

If you believe the debtor does not genuinely qualify — for example, they have undisclosed assets or debts exceeding the cap — you can raise this with the AiB after the award is made.

How to Check if Your Debtor Is in MAP

Before instructing a Sheriff Officer, search the Register of Insolvencies (ROI) maintained by the AiB. It is publicly accessible online and shows whether the debtor is subject to sequestration (including MAP), a Protected Trust Deed, or a statutory moratorium under the Debt Arrangement Scheme.

If you have already instructed enforcement and then discover the debtor has entered MAP, notify your Sheriff Officer immediately so they can halt all activity.

What Happens After MAP Ends

After six months, provided the debtor continues to meet the MAP criteria, they are normally discharged. The debts covered by the MAP — including your decree debt — are extinguished. You cannot resume enforcement for the same debt.

This is why acting promptly after winning a decree matters. The four-week statutory wait after the Decision Form is sent, followed by the 14-day Charge for Payment window, are minimum timelines. Once those expire, the sooner you instruct diligence, the better your chances of recovering funds before the debtor enters insolvency.

Practical Takeaway

If the debtor has minimal assets and no regular employment income, MAP may already be on the horizon. The asset tracing steps and public register searches in the enforcement guide help you assess the debtor's financial position before committing to Sheriff Officer fees that may not produce a return.

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