Until the beginning of this month, all student loans were clearable by bankruptcy. Then the Higher Education Act came into force, with a section that was meant to prevent this (it caught a lot of people on the hop: most people expected the Bill to take until September or October to pass through both houses).
However, it seems there's been a blunder, with the result that one type of student loan is still clearable by bankruptcy - but no-one seens to be sure about which one. Somebody at the The Insolvency Service told me that it's only the newer type that's still clearable by bankruptcy, but someone's told me that according to the Department Of Constitutional Affairs (what used to be Lord Chancellor's Office), and the DTI, it's the older 'mortgage type' that's still clearable. I've even heard that both still are.
So, in view of the fact that a statutory instrument is being put together which will exempt both types of loan from bankruptcy, and is due to come into force in a few weeks' time, where would I go for a 'definitive answer'?
Or is it just a case of 'petition and hope for the best? (Not very satisfactory considering it costs at least £450 to do so). And would it make any difference if the loan had become the subject of a CCJ?
Any advice here would be very welcome.