Hi Stevies1980.

A protected trust deed is a form of personal insolvency (as is bankruptcy) so would generally be viewed as a more serious procedure to enter than a Debt Arrangement Scheme which should result in the debts being fully repaid eventually.

Any credit "event" will appear on your credit file for six years. That would apply to starting a trust deed or DAS.

Creditors might also report to the credit reference agencies, with each report remaining on your file for six years. If you went into a long DAS that might result in evidence of your credit difficulties being apparent on your credit file for longer than they would have been with a trust deed (which might be over after four years).

Generally the advice would be to forget about your credit rating (to some extent at least) if you have debts that you cannot afford to repay. Sadly your credit rating is going to suffer whatever choice you make once you've reached this tipping point (if it hasn't already).

Review each of the options open to you and all of the benefits and drawbacks of each as they'll apply to you. Your credit rating might be one of these factors but it's just one of many and, in reality, often one over which you only have limited control.