Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Proof definition

What does Proof mean? In Scots civil litigation, a proof is the evidential hearing at which parties lead oral and documentary evidence on disputed facts before a judge or sheriff. It is a procedural term found in the Court of Session and sheriff court rules rather than a statutory definition. At proof, witnesses are examined and cross‑examined, productions (documents) are lodged, and the court makes findings in fact leading to decree. Variants include proof before answer (the court hears evidence but reserves legal issues until after findings in fact) and proof in absence (where a party fails to appear). The fixed date for such...

Proofs of Debt in Insolvency Procedures: Requirements, Deadlines, Admission/Rejection, Valuation, Set-off and Reflective Loss (England and Wales)

Published by a LexisNexis Restructuring & Insolvency expert

Practice notes

This Practice Note covers:

the nature of a proof of debt
the steps for proving a debt
valuation/quantification of the debt
creditors and the reflective loss principle

The applicable rules for proving a debt under the insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 (IR 2016), SI 2016/1024 are contained in rr 14.2–14.25 of IR 2016, SI 2016/1024, and apply whether the proof arises in administration, winding-up or bankruptcy proceedings. For leading cases and connected materials, see Practice Note: —key cases.

What is a proof of debt?

A person seeking to recover a debt in a compulsory liquidation, creditors’ voluntary liquidation, administration or bankruptcy must lodge a written claim with the liquidator, administrator or trustee in bankruptcy. A creditor making such a claim is said to be ‘proving’ for the debt, and the document used to establish the claim is the creditor’s proof. The office-holder is not required to issue a proof form to every creditor. In compulsory liquidation, creditors’ voluntary liquidation and bankruptcy, a proof form should be supplied to any creditor who specifically requests one. In practice, an administrator should also do so if...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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