Headline evidence · Personal debt · UK adults aged 18+ · 2025 survey

Nearly 1 in 5 adults often borrow for food or bills when money runs short.

Borrowing can get a household through this month. Interest and repayments can make the next one harder. See who feels the pressure, how it has changed and what could help.

Geography
UK adults aged 18 and over
Evidence period
2025 survey
Evidence status
Survey-based
Editorial review
Reviewed 18 October 2026

The short version

Survey-based evidence
MoneyView 2026Fieldwork: 2025 (MoneyView 2026)Adults aged 18 and over living in the UK. 12,647 respondents. Weighted online quota and face-to-face survey.

19%

Often borrowing for food or bills because the money runs short.

UK adults aged 18 and over · surveyed in 2025 · includes credit cards, overdrafts and other borrowing

This is borrowing to cover everyday life. Interest can leave next month’s income paying for things already used.

Show the question, sample and workings

How this measure is defined: Use a credit card, overdraft or borrow money to buy food or pay bills because run short of money

Adults aged 18 and over living in the UK · 12,647 respondents. Weighted online quota and face-to-face survey.

  • Combines credit cards, overdrafts and other borrowing. It is not a credit-card-only result.
  • NORB10 is the published indicator statement; the full question stem and frequency coding are not reproduced in the retained technical extract.
  • MoneyView 2026 gives 19% for both 2024 and 2025, so the figure does not depend on the year. The main report dates the 2025 fieldwork August–October 2025; the technical report says 31 July–29 September 2025.
  • Survey estimates are subject to sampling and non-response uncertainty. These figures do not establish cause and effect.
Source and release details

The UK’s credit-card balance

£83.3 billion

United Kingdom · Aug 2026

This includes cards cleared before interest is charged. It cannot all be multiplied by one interest rate to work out the country’s interest bill.

Source

The June 2025 balance per resident

£1,080 per resident

United Kingdom · Jun 2025

This uses the June 2025 card balance and population, including children and people who owe nothing. It shows the scale; it is not a typical cardholder’s debt.

See this over time →

The evidence

Are we carrying more debt—or finding it harder to pay?

For every £100 households have to live on over a year, they owe about £117.

That was about £157 at the high point in Jul–Sep 2008. The national debt pile is smaller beside income than it was then. That does not mean every household is finding repayments easier.

Apr–Jun 2026 · all UK households combined, with income counted after taxes and benefits. This is the total owed—not how much is repaid each year.

Jul–Sep 1996–Apr–Jun 2026 · United Kingdom · £ owed per £100 of yearly household income

Debt for every £100 of yearly household income
Debt beside the money households have to live on: Jul–Sep 1996–Apr–Jun 2026Select a date with the slider below for exact values, or open the complete data table. Lines break where observations are missing.£0£85£169Jul–Sep 1996Apr–Jun 2026
Apr–Jun 2026
Debt for every £100 of yearly household income:
£117
Show the figures and workings

Debt for every £100 of yearly household income · United Kingdom

  • An economy-wide household-sector ratio, not the debt of a typical person or the share of income paid in repayments.
  • Income is what the household sector has available after taxes and benefits. This ratio is different from the G7 debt-to-GDP comparison below.
  • The latest release revises earlier periods; the whole history uses one downloaded release.
Source and release details
All available observations · £ owed per £100 of yearly household income
DateValue
Jan–Mar 198776.8
Apr–Jun 198778.8
Jul–Sep 198780.8
Oct–Dec 198783.1
Jan–Mar 198884
Apr–Jun 198886.3
Jul–Sep 198889.1
Oct–Dec 198890.6
Jan–Mar 198991.3
Apr–Jun 198992.6
Jul–Sep 198993.3
Oct–Dec 198993.8
Jan–Mar 199093.5
Apr–Jun 199094.7
Jul–Sep 199095
Oct–Dec 199094.4
Jan–Mar 199193.2
Apr–Jun 199193.5
Jul–Sep 199192.9
Oct–Dec 199191.8
Jan–Mar 199290.5
Apr–Jun 199289.6
Jul–Sep 199290
Oct–Dec 199289.3
Jan–Mar 199388.5
Apr–Jun 199388.1
Jul–Sep 199388.1
Oct–Dec 199388.1
Jan–Mar 199488
Apr–Jun 199488.4
Jul–Sep 199488.9
Oct–Dec 199489.7
Jan–Mar 199589.3
Apr–Jun 199589
Jul–Sep 199589.1
Oct–Dec 199588.5
Jan–Mar 199687.6
Apr–Jun 199687.4
Jul–Sep 199687.2
Oct–Dec 199686.9
Jan–Mar 199786.7
Apr–Jun 199787.4
Jul–Sep 199787.9
Oct–Dec 199788.3
Jan–Mar 199890.3
Apr–Jun 199891.2
Jul–Sep 199892.9
Oct–Dec 199893.7
Jan–Mar 199995.3
Apr–Jun 199995.9
Jul–Sep 199997.2
Oct–Dec 199998.5
Jan–Mar 200098.6
Apr–Jun 2000100.6
Jul–Sep 2000101.2
Oct–Dec 2000101.8
Jan–Mar 2001102.3
Apr–Jun 2001103.6
Jul–Sep 2001105.6
Oct–Dec 2001107.8
Jan–Mar 2002110
Apr–Jun 2002112.3
Jul–Sep 2002115.7
Oct–Dec 2002118.2
Jan–Mar 2003119.9
Apr–Jun 2003122.9
Jul–Sep 2003125.9
Oct–Dec 2003128.7
Jan–Mar 2004131
Apr–Jun 2004133.5
Jul–Sep 2004136.2
Oct–Dec 2004138.4
Jan–Mar 2005139
Apr–Jun 2005141.1
Jul–Sep 2005142.4
Oct–Dec 2005143.7
Jan–Mar 2006144.6
Apr–Jun 2006146.6
Jul–Sep 2006149.5
Oct–Dec 2006151.1
Jan–Mar 2007151.7
Apr–Jun 2007153.4
Jul–Sep 2007154.9
Oct–Dec 2007155.2
Jan–Mar 2008156.4
Apr–Jun 2008156.5
Jul–Sep 2008156.7
Oct–Dec 2008155.1
Jan–Mar 2009154.1
Apr–Jun 2009152.9
Jul–Sep 2009151.8
Oct–Dec 2009151.5
Jan–Mar 2010151.2
Apr–Jun 2010150.5
Jul–Sep 2010150.5
Oct–Dec 2010149.7
Jan–Mar 2011149.2
Apr–Jun 2011148.7
Jul–Sep 2011148
Oct–Dec 2011146.8
Jan–Mar 2012144.9
Apr–Jun 2012144
Jul–Sep 2012143.5
Oct–Dec 2012142.3
Jan–Mar 2013142.4
Apr–Jun 2013141.9
Jul–Sep 2013140.9
Oct–Dec 2013139.6
Jan–Mar 2014137.9
Apr–Jun 2014137.1
Jul–Sep 2014137.2
Oct–Dec 2014137.3
Jan–Mar 2015136.9
Apr–Jun 2015136
Jul–Sep 2015134.4
Oct–Dec 2015133
Jan–Mar 2016132.9
Apr–Jun 2016133.6
Jul–Sep 2016134.8
Oct–Dec 2016135.6
Jan–Mar 2017137.2
Apr–Jun 2017136.7
Jul–Sep 2017136.9
Oct–Dec 2017136.1
Jan–Mar 2018134.5
Apr–Jun 2018134.2
Jul–Sep 2018134.5
Oct–Dec 2018133.9
Jan–Mar 2019131.9
Apr–Jun 2019132
Jul–Sep 2019132
Oct–Dec 2019131.9
Jan–Mar 2020131.8
Apr–Jun 2020132.4
Jul–Sep 2020133.7
Oct–Dec 2020134.9
Jan–Mar 2021134.5
Apr–Jun 2021134.3
Jul–Sep 2021133.6
Oct–Dec 2021132.3
Jan–Mar 2022132.7
Apr–Jun 2022132.6
Jul–Sep 2022132.4
Oct–Dec 2022130.2
Jan–Mar 2023127.9
Apr–Jun 2023125.2
Jul–Sep 2023124.3
Oct–Dec 2023123.1
Jan–Mar 2024121.8
Apr–Jun 2024121
Jul–Sep 2024120.2
Oct–Dec 2024118.2
Jan–Mar 2025117.2
Apr–Jun 2025116.1
Jul–Sep 2025116.2
Oct–Dec 2025116.6
Jan–Mar 2026116.4
Apr–Jun 2026116.5

How much of the rise is higher prices?

A pound today buys less than it did 30 years ago. The second line puts older balances into today’s money so that we can see beyond the cash total.

Compare the cash balance with the same borrowing expressed in Aug 2026 prices. Inflation changes the meaning of a pound over time.

Sep 1996–Aug 2026 · United Kingdom · Shared dates across the charts.

The amber markers show changes in how lenders reported the figures. Lines stop at those points; a single growth rate across them would not be reliable.

Drag, tap or use the arrow keys. Hovering over a chart also moves the date.

Aug 2026. Balance recorded at the time: £83.3bn. In 2026-08 prices: £83.3bn

Credit-card borrowing, before and after allowing for prices

£ million

Balance recorded at the time
£83.3bn
In Aug 2026 prices
£83.3bn
Credit-card borrowing, before and after allowing for prices, Sep 1996 to Aug 2026. Exact figures and source details follow in the table.£0m£57.6bn£115.1bnSep 1996Aug 2026
Show the workings, sources and full table
  • A change in the balance is not the same as new borrowing or a change in repayment difficulty.
  • Reporting changes break the lines. The long-run picture is useful context, but a single growth percentage across those breaks would be misleading.
Balance recorded at the time
  • Amount still owed at the end of the month, in current pounds; adjusted for regular seasonal patterns. This is a balance, not new borrowing during the month.
  • UK individuals; consumer credit excludes Student Loans Company loans. These categories are not every household liability. Credit cards are included within total consumer credit: do not add them again.
  • Amounts outstanding are not adjusted for all changes in reporting coverage. Do not interpret a simple stock difference as net new borrowing or the Bank’s adjusted growth rate.
  • Independently rounded totals and components can differ slightly.
  • Jan 1998: Other specialist lenders exclude Channel Islands and Isle of Man institutions; levels were not break-adjusted.
  • Jan 2010: Securitised loans moved onto lenders’ balance sheets, affecting coverage.
  • Apr 2024: Other consumer-credit lender reporting transferred from ONS to the Bank of England, with a reporting-population change.
  • Jun 2026: A reporting reclassification added £0.9 billion to credit cards and removed it from other consumer credit; lending flows were adjusted.
In Aug 2026 prices
  • Underlying lending source: Amount still owed at the end of the month, in current pounds; adjusted for regular seasonal patterns. This is a balance, not new borrowing during the month.
  • Underlying lending source: UK individuals; consumer credit excludes Student Loans Company loans. These categories are not every household liability. Credit cards are included within total consumer credit: do not add them again.
  • Underlying lending source: Amounts outstanding are not adjusted for all changes in reporting coverage. Do not interpret a simple stock difference as net new borrowing or the Bank’s adjusted growth rate.
  • Underlying lending source: Independently rounded totals and components can differ slightly.
  • All-items Consumer Prices Index, not adjusted for seasonal patterns. It describes an average basket, not the spending of each household.
  • Used only to restate borrowing in comparable purchasing power. It does not measure debt-service costs or prove why borrowing changed.
  • Each balance × consumer price index in 2026-08 ÷ index in that balance’s month. Prices are not seasonally adjusted; borrowing is seasonally adjusted.
  • Jan 1998: Other specialist lenders exclude Channel Islands and Isle of Man institutions; levels were not break-adjusted.
  • Jan 2010: Securitised loans moved onto lenders’ balance sheets, affecting coverage.
  • Apr 2024: Other consumer-credit lender reporting transferred from ONS to the Bank of England, with a reporting-population change.
  • Jun 2026: A reporting reclassification added £0.9 billion to credit cards and removed it from other consumer credit; lending flows were adjusted.
All shared dates; original and calculated values. Missing observations remain blank.
DateBalance recorded at the time · £ millionIn 2026-08 prices · £ million
Mar 19939,88022,307.673
Apr 19939,77521,830.3266
May 19939,77921,771.5411
Jun 19939,79921,816.0682
Jul 19939,88522,110.3738
Aug 19939,79121,798.2574
Sep 19939,93722,020.8827
Oct 19939,98322,157.0139
Nov 199310,08122,409.1579
Dec 199310,18822,612.0062
Jan 199410,25222,824.6078
Feb 199410,21122,628.0802
Mar 199410,35122,867.7477
Apr 199410,46422,940.9221
May 199410,38122,655.1915
Jun 199410,69923,349.1854
Jul 199410,79523,702.7829
Aug 199410,92023,867.7626
Sep 199411,07224,163.2097
Oct 199411,07424,204.3592
Nov 199411,20024,479.7565
Dec 199411,39124,784.0545
Jan 199511,61725,275.7758
Feb 199511,86525,698.552
Mar 199512,09226,033.1514
Apr 199512,23226,216.6448
May 199512,40126,421.1217
Jun 199512,57326,787.5786
Jul 199512,71527,211.237
Aug 199512,44726,519.1276
Sep 199512,73127,004.0118
Oct 199512,93127,468.8107
Nov 199513,05427,730.0947
Dec 199513,24027,959.7647
Jan 199613,42528,434.0708
Feb 199613,60228,682.0441
Mar 199613,80128,974.0292
Apr 199614,14129,558.1892
May 199614,24829,695.3962
Jun 199614,22129,596.1681
Jul 199614,47930,308.8105
Aug 199614,75030,741.6546
Sep 199614,94530,968.2828
Oct 199615,20331,502.8975
Nov 199615,49632,110.0375
Dec 199615,46131,945.318
Jan 199715,51732,200.0173
Feb 199715,99233,090.0749
Mar 199716,11933,304.8691
Apr 199716,29633,525.8682
May 199716,60834,070.1257
Jun 199716,82334,412.8604
Jul 199716,83334,581.0987
Aug 199717,07334,874.5775
Sep 199717,35235,293.8697
Oct 199717,75236,107.4674
Nov 199717,88136,369.8527
Dec 199718,22237,011.0212
Jan 199818,53937,869.138
Feb 199818,84838,391.1035
Mar 199819,33239,265.5615
Apr 199819,65939,705.097
May 199819,99740,218.056
Jun 199820,48141,249.2511
Jul 199820,81942,107.1606
Aug 199821,20442,765.3708
Sep 199821,45943,098.0755
Oct 199821,77943,740.7608
Nov 199822,32144,766.6983
Dec 199822,36244,724
Jan 199927,47755,261.8655
Feb 199927,91956,072.2853
Mar 199928,34656,613.1516
Apr 199928,76757,215.2521
May 199929,19957,914.0387
Jun 199929,56358,717.1065
Jul 199930,00259,920.5452
Aug 199930,38060,507.1845
Sep 199930,63660,764.221
Oct 199931,01761,604.9959
Nov 199931,36762,214.105
Dec 199931,94163,178.0661
Jan 200032,32064,550.0974
Feb 200032,86665,367.8338
Mar 200033,33766,212.9073
Apr 200033,44366,148.9642
May 200034,40967,872.6978
Jun 200034,78768,524.1866
Jul 200035,27769,872.789
Aug 200035,71270,734.389
Sep 200036,17271,057.4446
Oct 200036,77372,238.0684
Nov 200037,17372,924.082
Dec 200037,51473,593.0383
Jan 200137,84974,863.8623
Feb 200138,46375,973.6836
Mar 200137,91274,577.5781
Apr 200138,34375,014.3706
May 200139,03475,747.0595
Jun 200139,25776,076.9933
Jul 200139,57677,216.2174
Aug 200139,87077,474.046
Sep 200139,93877,396.7179
Oct 200140,44678,593.3099
Nov 200141,05179,877.0136
Dec 200141,62780,778.8811
Jan 200242,22982,280.6567
Feb 200243,05983,784.1789
Mar 200243,20783,731.7841
Apr 200243,81184,559.9409
May 200244,06384,818.3217
Jun 200243,27883,307.2493
Jul 200243,71384,370.7903
Aug 200245,16786,943.4477
Sep 200245,88288,083.6257
Oct 200246,15388,485.5915
Nov 200246,68189,497.8852
Dec 200247,08989,919.9521
Jan 200347,49591,302.3025
Feb 200343,62083,517.76
Mar 200343,73183,396.7012
Apr 200344,17984,027.8728
May 200345,01185,610.3258
Jun 200345,62486,891.3316
Jul 200346,32088,334.0239
Aug 200346,91589,113.6772
Sep 200347,54689,955.278
Oct 200347,96990,636.1632
Nov 200347,92290,666.6561
Dec 200347,65689,808.4199
Jan 200449,55293,874.2375
Feb 200449,99094,454.7895
Mar 200450,39795,098.6754
Apr 200451,22196,274.0262
May 200451,32996,225.1227
Jun 200451,76397,038.7311
Jul 200452,80499,249.4031
Aug 200452,89199,153.3629
Sep 200453,13299,475.296
Oct 200453,723100,320.1925
Nov 200454,420101,489.7662
Dec 200454,976101,996.8165
Jan 200555,756103,981.3195
Feb 200556,208104,552.7047
Mar 200556,423104,546.3587
Apr 200556,365104,036.1697
May 200556,876104,576.1024
Jun 200557,158105,094.6069
Jul 200557,322105,261.3708
Aug 200557,704105,692.5306
Sep 200557,356104,787.8066
Oct 200557,677105,240.371
Nov 200557,766105,402.7649
Dec 200557,905105,388.5678
Jan 200658,264106,582.2981
Feb 200657,535104,848.0457
Mar 200657,089103,903.4271
Apr 200657,171103,397.4257
May 200656,917102,293.8824
Jun 200656,214100,778.1573
Jul 200656,038100,588.21
Aug 200655,51499,151.8706
Sep 200655,54099,075.0807
Oct 200655,36198,633.2457
Nov 200654,80997,408.0743
Dec 200654,73196,671.2374
Jan 200754,50697,109.9454
Feb 200754,39396,430.0593
Mar 200754,24995,702.1671
Apr 200754,03995,098.0441
May 200753,85294,537.2518
Jun 200753,64793,947.6732
Jul 200753,68594,590.9939
Aug 200753,46893,863.1394
Sep 200754,12394,896.9817
Oct 200754,47395,046.4496
Nov 200754,72895,259.8885
Dec 200754,94995,068.3904
Jan 200854,83095,553.2524
Feb 200854,93995,051.0892
Mar 200854,99694,693.3525
Apr 200854,93993,919.5286
May 200855,71694,572.3121
Jun 200855,44893,454.6103
Jul 200854,20191,460.2068
Aug 200854,61291,508.5554
Sep 200855,76593,006.4344
Oct 200853,08788,746.1374
Nov 200853,12188,906.4755
Dec 200852,84388,751.5181
Jan 200951,63987,342.2898
Feb 200951,65586,654.8832
Mar 200951,32185,893.8881
Apr 200951,68886,306.9395
May 200952,88887,901.8148
Jun 200952,51186,973.2364
Jul 200952,51686,981.5179
Aug 200952,47186,607.3057
Sep 200952,82587,091.504
Oct 200953,14887,523.5413
Nov 200953,40287,640.3109
Dec 200953,23986,876.3682
Jan 201062,490102,204.6014
Feb 201062,419101,625.4921
Mar 201061,32499,279.8918
Apr 201060,96898,150.278
May 201059,82396,091.5302
Jun 201059,31195,162.6771
Jul 201059,23195,247.1624
Aug 201059,22094,699.2428
Sep 201059,01194,365.029
Oct 201058,97894,102.6756
Nov 201059,14194,049.2536
Dec 201058,51892,140.1842
Jan 201158,70892,338.103
Feb 201158,55391,393.5957
Mar 201158,08890,471.115
Apr 201157,78589,033.5408
May 201157,59988,556.9208
Jun 201157,28088,160.8574
Jul 201157,24188,100.8317
Aug 201156,95087,185.7143
Sep 201156,82286,436.8559
Oct 201156,48785,836.3302
Nov 201156,09285,145.9958
Dec 201155,73884,163.7939
Jan 201256,06385,101.9746
Feb 201255,67284,064.1346
Mar 201255,73983,900.6331
Apr 201255,44482,934.9833
May 201255,19482,647.1157
Jun 201255,77283,862.4
Jul 201255,44483,281.9916
Aug 201255,25082,558.7929
Sep 201255,49482,579.6725
Oct 201255,17381,678.7918
Nov 201254,95381,185.7078
Dec 201255,25681,298.7869
Jan 201355,04881,409.8126
Feb 201355,24581,116.3804
Mar 201355,34181,008.844
Apr 201355,33880,839.6419
May 201355,51480,932.0853
Jun 201355,70281,371.3856
Jul 201357,13883,469.1434
Aug 201357,19783,216.7092
Sep 201357,30083,030.0706
Oct 201357,15382,817.0616
Nov 201357,21182,817.5363
Dec 201356,89582,029.3373
Jan 201457,00282,681.6889
Feb 201457,05182,336.9206
Mar 201457,07582,206.319
Apr 201457,15981,998.3257
May 201457,20582,146.38
Jun 201457,21081,989.5808
Jul 201457,33382,412.6006
Aug 201457,47582,369.3613
Sep 201458,56083,840.6381
Oct 201460,86987,059.6454
Nov 201460,86987,320.5634
Dec 201461,04987,578.7852
Jan 201561,30288,650.2236
Feb 201561,41688,636.5588
Mar 201561,52088,608.5456
Apr 201561,77688,799.1351
May 201561,79688,650.4056
Jun 201561,93988,766.8703
Jul 201562,59789,889.292
Aug 201562,53889,535.9601
Sep 201562,69689,851.7525
Oct 201562,82189,941.1326
Nov 201563,11890,366.349
Dec 201563,43690,821.6311
Jan 201663,74591,997.809
Feb 201663,79591,793.2064
Mar 201664,34392,212.1238
Apr 201664,32192,180.5948
May 201664,77192,640.5936
Jun 201665,07492,888.9304
Jul 201665,39593,347.1372
Aug 201665,72693,540.67
Sep 201665,64793,243.4144
Oct 201666,27694,043.8103
Nov 201666,57794,284.5878
Dec 201666,76794,089.7076
Jan 201766,99094,869.4675
Feb 201767,29794,650.8247
Mar 201767,66094,790.0098
Apr 201768,01594,916.9485
May 201768,13494,714.8345
Jun 201768,37595,049.8548
Jul 201768,71395,612.2752
Aug 201768,93395,363.9576
Sep 201769,33195,638.1518
Oct 201769,59195,904.6795
Nov 201770,01696,121.392
Dec 201770,31196,250.3298
Jan 201870,37296,795.2031
Feb 201870,80296,922.4709
Mar 201870,79396,817.8552
Apr 201871,24097,059.4307
May 201871,59297,170.2382
Jun 201871,98697,705.0057
Jul 201871,94897,653.4291
Aug 201872,13397,261.0216
Sep 201872,23897,311.227
Oct 201872,21697,190.418
Nov 201872,36697,119.2299
Dec 201872,29196,927.9888
Jan 201972,50797,949.2493
Feb 201972,75697,825.4831
Mar 201972,80697,709.7346
Apr 201972,78197,131.5204
May 201972,88997,005.1937
Jun 201972,81196,901.3865
Jul 201972,37196,315.8072
Aug 201972,35695,851.6753
Sep 201972,28695,670.6876
Oct 201972,30095,865.928
Nov 201971,95795,235.2553
Dec 201972,22795,592.6009
Jan 202072,39596,080.61
Feb 202072,01595,224.2541
Mar 202069,46191,847.1418
Apr 202064,30185,102.5217
May 202062,30482,459.4876
Jun 202061,67081,545.2302
Jul 202062,29881,998.1008
Aug 202062,34882,441.7385
Sep 202061,29880,681.8772
Oct 202060,40879,510.4381
Nov 202059,15778,006.843
Dec 202058,18076,507.7656
Jan 202156,78674,811.6477
Feb 202155,81373,462.3905
Mar 202155,78173,218.936
Apr 202155,78172,753.4205
May 202156,37673,064.9242
Jun 202156,36272,718.6271
Jul 202157,00773,550.8104
Aug 202157,30073,401.2489
Sep 202157,76873,803.2456
Oct 202158,32173,722.6725
Nov 202158,84273,796.6044
Dec 202158,53373,026.4014
Jan 202258,64873,297.2393
Feb 202259,39673,655.1434
Mar 202260,03673,622.2852
Apr 202260,62372,545.5233
May 202261,13872,677.2914
Jun 202261,30472,276.3087
Jul 202261,74872,383.778
Aug 202262,17272,525.5825
Sep 202262,21072,159.58
Oct 202262,59571,225.3724
Nov 202263,34471,793.1997
Dec 202263,16771,311.173
Jan 202363,86972,560.0348
Feb 202364,50772,425.3729
Mar 202364,93972,344.7665
Apr 202365,55072,185.4294
May 202365,96372,142.3214
Jun 202366,30472,404.9764
Jul 202366,67873,147.1413
Aug 202367,12173,408.8012
Sep 202367,59773,537.3424
Oct 202368,00073,975.7576
Nov 202368,81575,032.9081
Dec 202368,99774,946.8169
Jan 202469,41175,797.8677
Feb 202469,68975,641.2729
Mar 202470,22175,817.5609
Apr 202470,14475,450.7745
May 202470,65175,769.1083
Jun 202470,83975,857.4228
Jul 202471,11076,318.3558
Aug 202471,33276,271.5949
Sep 202471,55776,569.1893
Oct 202471,96276,546.2459
Nov 202471,65076,157.9571
Dec 202471,95176,195.8968
Jan 202572,57776,972.3575
Feb 202573,18877,277.9176
Mar 202573,43577,254.696
Apr 202574,34077,244.7467
May 202574,52477,324.0347
Jun 202575,01477,552.2707
Jul 202575,60578,107.036
Aug 202576,02878,374.8801
Sep 202576,57078,933.6109
Oct 202577,01579,108.3977
Nov 202577,70579,988.8029
Dec 202578,22680,180.2541
Jan 202678,85681,173.6315
Feb 202679,37281,354.8837
Mar 202679,78581,256.2128
Apr 202679,61780,457.4328
May 202680,05180,725.5871
Jun 202681,72382,353.8442
Jul 202682,40982,812.683
Aug 202683,32983,329
What changes when we allow for population growth?

June borrowing is divided by the same year’s mid-year population. The amount includes everyone, including people who have no credit-card debt.

Jun 1996–Jun 2025 · United Kingdom · June observations each year.

The amber markers show changes in how lenders reported the figures. Lines stop at those points; a single growth rate across them would not be reliable.

Drag, tap or use the arrow keys. Hovering over a chart also moves the date.

Jun 2025. At prices at the time: £1,080. In 2025-06 prices: £1,080

Credit-card balances per UK resident

£ per resident

At prices at the time
£1,080
In Jun 2025 prices
£1,080
Credit-card balances per UK resident, Jun 1996 to Jun 2025. Exact figures and source details follow in the table.£0£909£1,817Jun 1996Jun 2025
Show the workings, sources and full table
  • This makes the national total easier to compare over time. It is not what a typical person owes, and it says nothing about how the debt is distributed.
  • June observations only. There is no invented current-year population and no interpolation between annual estimates.
At prices at the time
  • Underlying lending source: Amount still owed at the end of the month, in current pounds; adjusted for regular seasonal patterns. This is a balance, not new borrowing during the month.
  • Underlying lending source: UK individuals; consumer credit excludes Student Loans Company loans. These categories are not every household liability. Credit cards are included within total consumer credit: do not add them again.
  • Underlying lending source: Amounts outstanding are not adjusted for all changes in reporting coverage. Do not interpret a simple stock difference as net new borrowing or the Bank’s adjusted growth rate.
  • Underlying lending source: Independently rounded totals and components can differ slightly.
  • Mid-year estimate of all UK residents, including children and people with no borrowing. Dividing lending by this population gives a scale comparison, not the average borrower balance.
  • Use June borrowing and the same year population estimate only. No extrapolation of the latest population into later borrowing dates. Estimates can be revised after censuses.
  • Jan 1998: Other specialist lenders exclude Channel Islands and Isle of Man institutions; levels were not break-adjusted.
  • Jan 2010: Securitised loans moved onto lenders’ balance sheets, affecting coverage.
  • Apr 2024: Other consumer-credit lender reporting transferred from ONS to the Bank of England, with a reporting-population change.
  • Jun 2026: A reporting reclassification added £0.9 billion to credit cards and removed it from other consumer credit; lending flows were adjusted.
In Jun 2025 prices
  • Underlying lending source: Amount still owed at the end of the month, in current pounds; adjusted for regular seasonal patterns. This is a balance, not new borrowing during the month.
  • Underlying lending source: UK individuals; consumer credit excludes Student Loans Company loans. These categories are not every household liability. Credit cards are included within total consumer credit: do not add them again.
  • Underlying lending source: Amounts outstanding are not adjusted for all changes in reporting coverage. Do not interpret a simple stock difference as net new borrowing or the Bank’s adjusted growth rate.
  • Underlying lending source: Independently rounded totals and components can differ slightly.
  • Mid-year estimate of all UK residents, including children and people with no borrowing. Dividing lending by this population gives a scale comparison, not the average borrower balance.
  • Use June borrowing and the same year population estimate only. No extrapolation of the latest population into later borrowing dates. Estimates can be revised after censuses.
  • All-items Consumer Prices Index, not adjusted for seasonal patterns. It describes an average basket, not the spending of each household.
  • Used only to restate borrowing in comparable purchasing power. It does not measure debt-service costs or prove why borrowing changed.
  • Balance in pounds ÷ all-age population × consumer price index in 2025-06 ÷ index in the same June.
  • Jan 1998: Other specialist lenders exclude Channel Islands and Isle of Man institutions; levels were not break-adjusted.
  • Jan 2010: Securitised loans moved onto lenders’ balance sheets, affecting coverage.
  • Apr 2024: Other consumer-credit lender reporting transferred from ONS to the Bank of England, with a reporting-population change.
  • Jun 2026: A reporting reclassification added £0.9 billion to credit cards and removed it from other consumer credit; lending flows were adjusted.
All shared dates; original and calculated values. Missing observations remain blank.
DateAt prices at the time · £ per residentIn 2025-06 prices · £ per resident
Jun 1993169.7858365.6317
Jun 1994184.9051390.3241
Jun 1995216.6832446.5474
Jun 1996244.4966492.1824
Jun 1997288.4889570.8135
Jun 1998350.2528682.3299
Jun 1999503.7625967.8093
Jun 2000590.75061,125.5866
Jun 2001664.1011,244.8532
Jun 2002729.00681,357.3599
Jun 2003765.03231,409.3234
Jun 2004863.43041,565.6722
Jun 2005946.11621,682.6573
Jun 2006924.1621,602.573
Jun 2007874.88241,481.9654
Jun 2008896.87141,462.1531
Jun 2009843.40791,351.2037
Jun 2010945.05211,466.6787
Jun 2011905.11041,347.4794
Jun 2012875.39731,273.2218
Jun 2013868.46841,227.1644
Jun 2014885.34741,227.293
Jun 2015951.6341,319.1812
Jun 2016991.8941,369.5236
Jun 20171,036.54551,393.7674
Jun 20181,085.97951,425.7331
Jun 20191,092.8071,406.7738
Jun 2020924.03491,181.8458
Jun 2021841.50021,050.1741
Jun 2022905.7921,032.9598
Jun 2023966.69971,021.0995
Jun 20241,022.85281,059.465
Jun 20251,079.58821,079.5882
Mortgages, cards and other borrowing: the full histories

Cards are included in total consumer borrowing. Other borrowing includes personal loans, overdrafts and some car finance. Student loans and unpaid utility bills are separate.

Sep 1996–Aug 2026 · United Kingdom · £ million

Reporting changed at the amber markers. Figures across those dates need care; details are in the workings.

Credit-card borrowing outstanding
What people owe: Sep 1996–Aug 2026Select a date with the slider below for exact values, or open the complete data table. Lines break where observations are missing.£0m£45bn£90bn1234Sep 1996Aug 2026
Aug 2026
Credit-card borrowing outstanding:
£83.3bn
Show the figures and workings

Credit-card borrowing outstanding · United Kingdom

  • Amount still owed at the end of the month, in current pounds; adjusted for regular seasonal patterns. This is a balance, not new borrowing during the month.
  • UK individuals; consumer credit excludes Student Loans Company loans. These categories are not every household liability. Credit cards are included within total consumer credit: do not add them again.
  • Amounts outstanding are not adjusted for all changes in reporting coverage. Do not interpret a simple stock difference as net new borrowing or the Bank’s adjusted growth rate.
  • Independently rounded totals and components can differ slightly.
  1. Jan 1998: Other specialist lenders exclude Channel Islands and Isle of Man institutions; levels were not break-adjusted.
  2. Jan 2010: Securitised loans moved onto lenders’ balance sheets, affecting coverage.
  3. Apr 2024: Other consumer-credit lender reporting transferred from ONS to the Bank of England, with a reporting-population change.
  4. Jun 2026: A reporting reclassification added £0.9 billion to credit cards and removed it from other consumer credit; lending flows were adjusted.
Source and release details
All available observations · £ million
DateValue
Mar 19939,880
Apr 19939,775
May 19939,779
Jun 19939,799
Jul 19939,885
Aug 19939,791
Sep 19939,937
Oct 19939,983
Nov 199310,081
Dec 199310,188
Jan 199410,252
Feb 199410,211
Mar 199410,351
Apr 199410,464
May 199410,381
Jun 199410,699
Jul 199410,795
Aug 199410,920
Sep 199411,072
Oct 199411,074
Nov 199411,200
Dec 199411,391
Jan 199511,617
Feb 199511,865
Mar 199512,092
Apr 199512,232
May 199512,401
Jun 199512,573
Jul 199512,715
Aug 199512,447
Sep 199512,731
Oct 199512,931
Nov 199513,054
Dec 199513,240
Jan 199613,425
Feb 199613,602
Mar 199613,801
Apr 199614,141
May 199614,248
Jun 199614,221
Jul 199614,479
Aug 199614,750
Sep 199614,945
Oct 199615,203
Nov 199615,496
Dec 199615,461
Jan 199715,517
Feb 199715,992
Mar 199716,119
Apr 199716,296
May 199716,608
Jun 199716,823
Jul 199716,833
Aug 199717,073
Sep 199717,352
Oct 199717,752
Nov 199717,881
Dec 199718,222
Jan 199818,539
Feb 199818,848
Mar 199819,332
Apr 199819,659
May 199819,997
Jun 199820,481
Jul 199820,819
Aug 199821,204
Sep 199821,459
Oct 199821,779
Nov 199822,321
Dec 199822,362
Jan 199927,477
Feb 199927,919
Mar 199928,346
Apr 199928,767
May 199929,199
Jun 199929,563
Jul 199930,002
Aug 199930,380
Sep 199930,636
Oct 199931,017
Nov 199931,367
Dec 199931,941
Jan 200032,320
Feb 200032,866
Mar 200033,337
Apr 200033,443
May 200034,409
Jun 200034,787
Jul 200035,277
Aug 200035,712
Sep 200036,172
Oct 200036,773
Nov 200037,173
Dec 200037,514
Jan 200137,849
Feb 200138,463
Mar 200137,912
Apr 200138,343
May 200139,034
Jun 200139,257
Jul 200139,576
Aug 200139,870
Sep 200139,938
Oct 200140,446
Nov 200141,051
Dec 200141,627
Jan 200242,229
Feb 200243,059
Mar 200243,207
Apr 200243,811
May 200244,063
Jun 200243,278
Jul 200243,713
Aug 200245,167
Sep 200245,882
Oct 200246,153
Nov 200246,681
Dec 200247,089
Jan 200347,495
Feb 200343,620
Mar 200343,731
Apr 200344,179
May 200345,011
Jun 200345,624
Jul 200346,320
Aug 200346,915
Sep 200347,546
Oct 200347,969
Nov 200347,922
Dec 200347,656
Jan 200449,552
Feb 200449,990
Mar 200450,397
Apr 200451,221
May 200451,329
Jun 200451,763
Jul 200452,804
Aug 200452,891
Sep 200453,132
Oct 200453,723
Nov 200454,420
Dec 200454,976
Jan 200555,756
Feb 200556,208
Mar 200556,423
Apr 200556,365
May 200556,876
Jun 200557,158
Jul 200557,322
Aug 200557,704
Sep 200557,356
Oct 200557,677
Nov 200557,766
Dec 200557,905
Jan 200658,264
Feb 200657,535
Mar 200657,089
Apr 200657,171
May 200656,917
Jun 200656,214
Jul 200656,038
Aug 200655,514
Sep 200655,540
Oct 200655,361
Nov 200654,809
Dec 200654,731
Jan 200754,506
Feb 200754,393
Mar 200754,249
Apr 200754,039
May 200753,852
Jun 200753,647
Jul 200753,685
Aug 200753,468
Sep 200754,123
Oct 200754,473
Nov 200754,728
Dec 200754,949
Jan 200854,830
Feb 200854,939
Mar 200854,996
Apr 200854,939
May 200855,716
Jun 200855,448
Jul 200854,201
Aug 200854,612
Sep 200855,765
Oct 200853,087
Nov 200853,121
Dec 200852,843
Jan 200951,639
Feb 200951,655
Mar 200951,321
Apr 200951,688
May 200952,888
Jun 200952,511
Jul 200952,516
Aug 200952,471
Sep 200952,825
Oct 200953,148
Nov 200953,402
Dec 200953,239
Jan 201062,490
Feb 201062,419
Mar 201061,324
Apr 201060,968
May 201059,823
Jun 201059,311
Jul 201059,231
Aug 201059,220
Sep 201059,011
Oct 201058,978
Nov 201059,141
Dec 201058,518
Jan 201158,708
Feb 201158,553
Mar 201158,088
Apr 201157,785
May 201157,599
Jun 201157,280
Jul 201157,241
Aug 201156,950
Sep 201156,822
Oct 201156,487
Nov 201156,092
Dec 201155,738
Jan 201256,063
Feb 201255,672
Mar 201255,739
Apr 201255,444
May 201255,194
Jun 201255,772
Jul 201255,444
Aug 201255,250
Sep 201255,494
Oct 201255,173
Nov 201254,953
Dec 201255,256
Jan 201355,048
Feb 201355,245
Mar 201355,341
Apr 201355,338
May 201355,514
Jun 201355,702
Jul 201357,138
Aug 201357,197
Sep 201357,300
Oct 201357,153
Nov 201357,211
Dec 201356,895
Jan 201457,002
Feb 201457,051
Mar 201457,075
Apr 201457,159
May 201457,205
Jun 201457,210
Jul 201457,333
Aug 201457,475
Sep 201458,560
Oct 201460,869
Nov 201460,869
Dec 201461,049
Jan 201561,302
Feb 201561,416
Mar 201561,520
Apr 201561,776
May 201561,796
Jun 201561,939
Jul 201562,597
Aug 201562,538
Sep 201562,696
Oct 201562,821
Nov 201563,118
Dec 201563,436
Jan 201663,745
Feb 201663,795
Mar 201664,343
Apr 201664,321
May 201664,771
Jun 201665,074
Jul 201665,395
Aug 201665,726
Sep 201665,647
Oct 201666,276
Nov 201666,577
Dec 201666,767
Jan 201766,990
Feb 201767,297
Mar 201767,660
Apr 201768,015
May 201768,134
Jun 201768,375
Jul 201768,713
Aug 201768,933
Sep 201769,331
Oct 201769,591
Nov 201770,016
Dec 201770,311
Jan 201870,372
Feb 201870,802
Mar 201870,793
Apr 201871,240
May 201871,592
Jun 201871,986
Jul 201871,948
Aug 201872,133
Sep 201872,238
Oct 201872,216
Nov 201872,366
Dec 201872,291
Jan 201972,507
Feb 201972,756
Mar 201972,806
Apr 201972,781
May 201972,889
Jun 201972,811
Jul 201972,371
Aug 201972,356
Sep 201972,286
Oct 201972,300
Nov 201971,957
Dec 201972,227
Jan 202072,395
Feb 202072,015
Mar 202069,461
Apr 202064,301
May 202062,304
Jun 202061,670
Jul 202062,298
Aug 202062,348
Sep 202061,298
Oct 202060,408
Nov 202059,157
Dec 202058,180
Jan 202156,786
Feb 202155,813
Mar 202155,781
Apr 202155,781
May 202156,376
Jun 202156,362
Jul 202157,007
Aug 202157,300
Sep 202157,768
Oct 202158,321
Nov 202158,842
Dec 202158,533
Jan 202258,648
Feb 202259,396
Mar 202260,036
Apr 202260,623
May 202261,138
Jun 202261,304
Jul 202261,748
Aug 202262,172
Sep 202262,210
Oct 202262,595
Nov 202263,344
Dec 202263,167
Jan 202363,869
Feb 202364,507
Mar 202364,939
Apr 202365,550
May 202365,963
Jun 202366,304
Jul 202366,678
Aug 202367,121
Sep 202367,597
Oct 202368,000
Nov 202368,815
Dec 202368,997
Jan 202469,411
Feb 202469,689
Mar 202470,221
Apr 202470,144
May 202470,651
Jun 202470,839
Jul 202471,110
Aug 202471,332
Sep 202471,557
Oct 202471,962
Nov 202471,650
Dec 202471,951
Jan 202572,577
Feb 202573,188
Mar 202573,435
Apr 202574,340
May 202574,524
Jun 202575,014
Jul 202575,605
Aug 202576,028
Sep 202576,570
Oct 202577,015
Nov 202577,705
Dec 202578,226
Jan 202678,856
Feb 202679,372
Mar 202679,785
Apr 202679,617
May 202680,051
Jun 202681,723
Jul 202682,409
Aug 202683,329

How big is our debt pile beside other countries?

Canada’s households owe the equivalent of about 12 months of everything its economy produces. A figure of 100% means one whole year. It does not mean everyone in Canada is in debt, or that they spend all their income on repayments.

Household borrowing, measured in months of each country’s economy · Jan–Mar 2026
  • Canada12 months
  • United Kingdom8.7 months
  • United States8.1 months
  • Japan7.3 months
  • France7.1 months
  • Germany5.7 months
  • Italy4.3 months

This puts differently sized countries on the same scale. It compares household borrowing, including mortgages—not government debt. It cannot show how the burden is shared between people.

Compare 30 years and see the calculation

A full year is 12 months, or 100% of annual economic output. We divide the published percentage by 100 and multiply by 12. All seven countries use the same source, definition and quarter. Housing and lending systems differ; a smaller debt pile is not automatically better.

Apr–Jun 1996–Jan–Mar 2026 · %

United KingdomCanada
Household borrowing compared with one year of the economy: Apr–Jun 1996–Jan–Mar 2026Select a date with the slider below for exact values, or open the complete data table. Lines break where observations are missing.0%61.1%122.3%Apr–Jun 1996Jan–Mar 2026
Jan–Mar 2026
United Kingdom:
72.6%
Canada:
100%
Show the figures and workings

United Kingdom · United Kingdom

  • Households and non-profit institutions serving households; borrowing from all sectors, including overseas lenders.
  • Quarter-end gross debt divided by the previous four quarters of economic output. Assets are not subtracted. This is not debt as a share of household income or a repayment burden.
  • BIS adjusts the histories for breaks. National accounting and lending-market differences still matter; the figures alone do not rank financial wellbeing.
Source and release details
All available observations · %
DateValue
Jan–Mar 199558
Apr–Jun 199558
Jul–Sep 199558
Oct–Dec 199557.9
Jan–Mar 199657.3
Apr–Jun 199657.2
Jul–Sep 199657
Oct–Dec 199656.6
Jan–Mar 199756.3
Apr–Jun 199756.8
Jul–Sep 199757
Oct–Dec 199757.4
Jan–Mar 199858
Apr–Jun 199858.3
Jul–Sep 199859.2
Oct–Dec 199859.6
Jan–Mar 199960.3
Apr–Jun 199961
Jul–Sep 199961.9
Oct–Dec 199962.9
Jan–Mar 200063.1
Apr–Jun 200064
Jul–Sep 200064.5
Oct–Dec 200065
Jan–Mar 200165.7
Apr–Jun 200166.6
Jul–Sep 200167.7
Oct–Dec 200168.9
Jan–Mar 200270
Apr–Jun 200271.5
Jul–Sep 200273.6
Oct–Dec 200274.8
Jan–Mar 200375.4
Apr–Jun 200376.7
Jul–Sep 200378.1
Oct–Dec 200379.6
Jan–Mar 200480.8
Apr–Jun 200482.2
Jul–Sep 200484
Oct–Dec 200485.1
Jan–Mar 200585.3
Apr–Jun 200586.3
Jul–Sep 200586.7
Oct–Dec 200587.2
Jan–Mar 200687.4
Apr–Jun 200688.5
Jul–Sep 200690.2
Oct–Dec 200691.2
Jan–Mar 200791.9
Apr–Jun 200793.1
Jul–Sep 200794.2
Oct–Dec 200794.3
Jan–Mar 200894.5
Apr–Jun 200894.8
Jul–Sep 200894.9
Oct–Dec 200894.8
Jan–Mar 200995.2
Apr–Jun 200995.9
Jul–Sep 200996.6
Oct–Dec 200997.4
Jan–Mar 201097.6
Apr–Jun 201096.5
Jul–Sep 201095.9
Oct–Dec 201094.5
Jan–Mar 201193.3
Apr–Jun 201192.9
Jul–Sep 201192.4
Oct–Dec 201191.6
Jan–Mar 201290.9
Apr–Jun 201291
Jul–Sep 201290.6
Oct–Dec 201290.1
Jan–Mar 201390.1
Apr–Jun 201389.6
Jul–Sep 201389.4
Oct–Dec 201388.9
Jan–Mar 201488.1
Apr–Jun 201487.7
Jul–Sep 201487.2
Oct–Dec 201487
Jan–Mar 201586.6
Apr–Jun 201586.6
Jul–Sep 201586.9
Oct–Dec 201586.9
Jan–Mar 201687
Apr–Jun 201687.3
Jul–Sep 201687.3
Oct–Dec 201686.9
Jan–Mar 201786.9
Apr–Jun 201786.2
Jul–Sep 201786.2
Oct–Dec 201785.9
Jan–Mar 201885.4
Apr–Jun 201885.2
Jul–Sep 201885.2
Oct–Dec 201885.1
Jan–Mar 201983.6
Apr–Jun 201983.9
Jul–Sep 201983.9
Oct–Dec 201983.9
Jan–Mar 202083.9
Apr–Jun 202086.9
Jul–Sep 202088.9
Oct–Dec 202090.8
Jan–Mar 202192
Apr–Jun 202189.4
Jul–Sep 202187.9
Oct–Dec 202185.4
Jan–Mar 202283.5
Apr–Jun 202282.2
Jul–Sep 202281.4
Oct–Dec 202280.1
Jan–Mar 202378.6
Apr–Jun 202377.5
Jul–Sep 202377.3
Oct–Dec 202376.8
Jan–Mar 202476.4
Apr–Jun 202476.1
Jul–Sep 202475.8
Oct–Dec 202474.9
Jan–Mar 202574.3
Apr–Jun 202573.7
Jul–Sep 202573.6
Oct–Dec 202573.5
Jan–Mar 202672.6

Canada · Canada

  • Households and non-profit institutions serving households; borrowing from all sectors, including overseas lenders.
  • Quarter-end gross debt divided by the previous four quarters of economic output. Assets are not subtracted. This is not debt as a share of household income or a repayment burden.
  • BIS adjusts the histories for breaks. National accounting and lending-market differences still matter; the figures alone do not rank financial wellbeing.
Source and release details
All available observations · %
DateValue
Jan–Mar 199559.5
Apr–Jun 199559.4
Jul–Sep 199559.9
Oct–Dec 199559.9
Jan–Mar 199660
Apr–Jun 199660.5
Jul–Sep 199660.8
Oct–Dec 199661.1
Jan–Mar 199761.1
Apr–Jun 199761.2
Jul–Sep 199761.7
Oct–Dec 199762
Jan–Mar 199862.3
Apr–Jun 199862.8
Jul–Sep 199864
Oct–Dec 199864.3
Jan–Mar 199963.9
Apr–Jun 199964.1
Jul–Sep 199963.6
Oct–Dec 199963.3
Jan–Mar 200063
Apr–Jun 200062.2
Jul–Sep 200061.9
Oct–Dec 200061.4
Jan–Mar 200160.5
Apr–Jun 200160.9
Jul–Sep 200161.8
Oct–Dec 200162.8
Jan–Mar 200263.4
Apr–Jun 200264.6
Jul–Sep 200265.1
Oct–Dec 200265
Jan–Mar 200364.2
Apr–Jun 200365
Jul–Sep 200366
Oct–Dec 200366.9
Jan–Mar 200467.2
Apr–Jun 200468.4
Jul–Sep 200469.1
Oct–Dec 200469.7
Jan–Mar 200570
Apr–Jun 200571.1
Jul–Sep 200572
Oct–Dec 200572.3
Jan–Mar 200672.4
Apr–Jun 200673.1
Jul–Sep 200674.4
Oct–Dec 200675.9
Jan–Mar 200776.9
Apr–Jun 200778.6
Jul–Sep 200780
Oct–Dec 200780.8
Jan–Mar 200880.8
Apr–Jun 200881.8
Jul–Sep 200882.5
Oct–Dec 200883.5
Jan–Mar 200985.4
Apr–Jun 200989.2
Jul–Sep 200993
Oct–Dec 200995
Jan–Mar 201094.3
Apr–Jun 201094.8
Jul–Sep 201094.9
Oct–Dec 201094.9
Jan–Mar 201194.4
Apr–Jun 201194.9
Jul–Sep 201194.9
Oct–Dec 201194.2
Jan–Mar 201293.6
Apr–Jun 201294.3
Jul–Sep 201295.1
Oct–Dec 201295.5
Jan–Mar 201395.1
Apr–Jun 201395.6
Jul–Sep 201396
Oct–Dec 201395.7
Jan–Mar 201495
Apr–Jun 201495.2
Jul–Sep 201495.5
Oct–Dec 201495.4
Jan–Mar 201595.7
Apr–Jun 201597.7
Jul–Sep 201599.6
Oct–Dec 2015101.1
Jan–Mar 2016101.6
Apr–Jun 2016103.5
Jul–Sep 2016104.6
Oct–Dec 2016104.9
Jan–Mar 2017104.5
Apr–Jun 2017104.8
Jul–Sep 2017104.9
Oct–Dec 2017104.5
Jan–Mar 2018103.8
Apr–Jun 2018104
Jul–Sep 2018103.9
Oct–Dec 2018104.2
Jan–Mar 2019103.7
Apr–Jun 2019104.4
Jul–Sep 2019104.9
Oct–Dec 2019104.5
Jan–Mar 2020104.6
Apr–Jun 2020108.6
Jul–Sep 2020111.4
Oct–Dec 2020113.2
Jan–Mar 2021112
Apr–Jun 2021109.6
Jul–Sep 2021108.3
Oct–Dec 2021106.8
Jan–Mar 2022104.8
Apr–Jun 2022103.6
Jul–Sep 2022102.1
Oct–Dec 2022100.8
Jan–Mar 202399.7
Apr–Jun 2023100.9
Jul–Sep 2023101.1
Oct–Dec 2023100.9
Jan–Mar 2024100
Apr–Jun 2024100.2
Jul–Sep 2024100.5
Oct–Dec 2024100.5
Jan–Mar 202599.3
Apr–Jun 202599.9
Jul–Sep 2025100.3
Oct–Dec 2025100.4
Jan–Mar 2026100
Source and international comparison method

The interest bill depends on the deal—and the room to repay

Survey-based evidence
Financial Lives 2024: Credit & loans, selected findingsFieldwork: May 2024 survey; spending over the previous 12 monthsAdults with a credit card taken out in the last three years on which they carry a balance. 1,869 eligible respondents. Weighted survey of UK adults aged 18 and over, mainly online with telephone interviews; fieldwork 5 February–16 June 2024.

Cards are being used for everyday needs

31% named food, transport or energy bills among their main uses for a credit card.

UK adults with a card taken out in the previous three years, carrying a balance · year to May 2024. This is a specific group of cardholders, not all adults or a share of total card spending.

Show the question, sample and workings

How this measure is defined: Main uses of card borrowing over the preceding year, including food, transport and energy bills.

Adults with a credit card taken out in the last three years on which they carry a balance · 1,869 eligible respondents. Weighted survey of UK adults aged 18 and over, mainly online with telephone interviews; fieldwork 5 February–16 June 2024.

  • Here, carrying a balance means not repaying the full statement balance every or most months.
  • Multiple answers were allowed. This is neither all cardholders nor the proportion of money spent on essentials.
  • The selected base is retained instead of extrapolating the report headline to every card borrower.
  • Survey estimates are subject to sampling and non-response uncertainty. These figures do not establish cause and effect.
Source and release details

What does the interest mean in pounds?

About £18 in the first month on £1,000

A rough illustration using the 21.6% average annual rate on cards charging interest in Aug 2026. Paying the balance down reduces future interest; adding more borrowing can increase it.

How this example is calculated

£1,000 × 21.55% ÷ 12. This simple monthly illustration excludes fees and daily timing. It is not a quote, an advertised annual percentage rate or the rate every borrower pays. Interest-free balances are excluded from this average rate.

Rate source

A cheap deal is not equally accessible to everyone

People judged more likely to struggle with repayment can have fewer products to choose from. Earlier market studies found that higher-risk applicants tended not to be accepted for balance-transfer deals.

That evidence is from 2015–2016. It does not establish who gets 0% today, or prove that a low income automatically means a 30% rate.

What the evidence says about access and pricing
  • Higher-risk consumers had fewer providers and products to choose from. 2016 market study. Source
  • Higher-risk applicants tended not to be accepted for balance-transfer deals. 2015 market study. Source
  • Within card products, lenders mostly varied credit limits with risk rather than giving each borrower a different interest rate. Research published 2022; market data 2007–2015. Source

A 0% purchase offer and a balance-transfer offer are different. Eligibility, fees, required payments and the offer’s end date all matter.

How much do card lenders make from this?

Interest charged is one source of income. Profit is what remains after costs and losses. They are different numbers.

A compatible current annual total for UK credit-card interest or profit was not established from the official sources checked. Whole-bank profits cannot stand in for that figure, and charging one interest rate on the entire card balance would give a false total.

See how borrowing rates have changed

These are average rates actually paid. Individual agreements and payment amounts vary.

Jan 2016–Aug 2026 · United Kingdom · %

Interest rate on credit-card balances that incur interest
Interest paid on borrowing: Jan 2016–Aug 2026Select a date with the slider below for exact values, or open the complete data table. Lines break where observations are missing.0%11.8%23.6%Jan 2016Aug 2026
Aug 2026
Interest rate on credit-card balances that incur interest:
21.6%
Show the figures and workings

Interest rate on credit-card balances that incur interest · United Kingdom

  • Weighted average effective interest rate reported by UK-resident banks; not seasonally adjusted. This is not an advertised offer or a rate available to every borrower.
  • This specific consistent series begins in 2016; no older advertised-rate series has been spliced onto it.
  • Covers balances that incur interest; excludes interest-free credit-card balances.
Source and release details
All available observations · %
DateValue
Jan 201618.27
Feb 201618.63
Mar 201618.44
Apr 201618.4
May 201618.38
Jun 201618.42
Jul 201618.34
Aug 201618.29
Sep 201618.46
Oct 201618.33
Nov 201618.36
Dec 201618.2
Jan 201718.19
Feb 201718.48
Mar 201718.18
Apr 201718.21
May 201718.21
Jun 201718.33
Jul 201718.23
Aug 201718.07
Sep 201718.2
Oct 201718.17
Nov 201718.25
Dec 201718.17
Jan 201818.6
Feb 201818.5
Mar 201818.48
Apr 201818.26
May 201818.35
Jun 201818.38
Jul 201818.39
Aug 201818.42
Sep 201818.66
Oct 201818.55
Nov 201818.53
Dec 201818.48
Jan 201918.49
Feb 201918.7
Mar 201918.44
Apr 201918.35
May 201918.44
Jun 201918.45
Jul 201918.42
Aug 201918.19
Sep 201918.71
Oct 201918.48
Nov 201918.45
Dec 201918.35
Jan 202018.52
Feb 202018.55
Mar 202018.41
Apr 202018.54
May 202018.36
Jun 202017.94
Jul 202017.94
Aug 202017.95
Sep 202017.94
Oct 202017.96
Nov 202017.49
Dec 202017.76
Jan 202118.03
Feb 202118.18
Mar 202118.01
Apr 202117.7
May 202117.83
Jun 202118.09
Jul 202117.72
Aug 202117.89
Sep 202117.65
Oct 202117.88
Nov 202117.92
Dec 202117.86
Jan 202218.28
Feb 202218.26
Mar 202218.01
Apr 202218.08
May 202218.37
Jun 202218.56
Jul 202218.57
Aug 202218.66
Sep 202218.96
Oct 202219.31
Nov 202219.24
Dec 202219.55
Jan 202319.94
Feb 202320.11
Mar 202320.29
Apr 202320.13
May 202320.44
Jun 202320.42
Jul 202320.76
Aug 202320.77
Sep 202320.89
Oct 202321.05
Nov 202320.94
Dec 202320.86
Jan 202421.29
Feb 202421.55
Mar 202421.26
Apr 202421.46
May 202421.65
Jun 202421.28
Jul 202421.61
Aug 202421.59
Sep 202421.7
Oct 202421.74
Nov 202421.54
Dec 202421.57
Jan 202521.85
Feb 202521.82
Mar 202521.54
Apr 202521.45
May 202521.54
Jun 202521.49
Jul 202521.65
Aug 202521.42
Sep 202521.44
Oct 202521.54
Nov 202521.6
Dec 202521.56
Jan 202621.75
Feb 202621.65
Mar 202621.63
Apr 202621.2
May 202621.45
Jun 202621.49
Jul 202621.45
Aug 202621.55

The card series covers balances that charge interest and begins in 2016.

Falling behind is different from losing a home

Arrears means payments are overdue. Repossession means the lender takes the home. A larger overdue bill does not, on its own, tell us how many people have stopped paying.

The first chart counts the whole loan balance on accounts at least 1.5% of the loan behind with payments, including homes taken into possession. It shows their share of all mortgage borrowing. The next two charts show interest rates and unemployment at the same dates.

Move through the same dates in all three charts. These measures describe different groups of people; their movements alone cannot show cause and effect.

Jan–Mar 2016–Apr–Jun 2026 · United Kingdom · Shared dates across the charts.

The amber markers show changes in how lenders reported the figures. Lines stop at those points; a single growth rate across them would not be reliable.

Drag, tap or use the arrow keys. Hovering over a chart also moves the date.

Apr–Jun 2026. Share of mortgage balances in arrears: 1.1%. Average rate on outstanding mortgages: 3.9%. People looking for work: 4.9%

Mortgage money on accounts behind with payments

% of mortgage balances · each chart has its own scale

Share of mortgage balances in arrears
1.1%
Mortgage money on accounts behind with payments, Jan–Mar 2016 to Apr–Jun 2026. Exact figures and source details follow in the table.0%0.7%1.4%Jan–Mar 2016Apr–Jun 2026

Interest rate paid on existing mortgages

% · each chart has its own scale

Average rate on outstanding mortgages
3.9%
Interest rate paid on existing mortgages, Jan–Mar 2016 to Apr–Jun 2026. Exact figures and source details follow in the table.0%2.1%4.2%Jan–Mar 2016Apr–Jun 2026

People looking for work

Survey-based evidence · Labour Force Survey

% of economically active people aged 16+ · each chart has its own scale

People looking for work
4.9%
People looking for work, Jan–Mar 2016 to Apr–Jun 2026. Exact figures and source details follow in the table.0%2.9%5.7%Jan–Mar 2016Apr–Jun 2026
Show the workings, sources and full table
  • The arrears measure is the share of loan balances on affected accounts. It is neither the share of borrowers nor the value of overdue payments.
  • Arrears are measured at quarter end; the mortgage rate is the mean of that quarter’s three months; unemployment is the published calendar-quarter rate.
  • Only shared calendar quarters are shown, from 2016 onwards. The interest-rate series has no compatible 30-year extension. Separate scales prevent unlike percentages being treated as the same measure.
Share of mortgage balances in arrears
  • UK residential loans to individuals, regulated and non-regulated; not seasonally adjusted. Loan accounts and possessions are not counts of unique people or households.
  • Arrears meet the source threshold of at least 1.5% of the outstanding loan balance. This series starts in 2007; there is no invented 30-year extension.
  • Counts the whole remaining loan balance on affected accounts, including possession cases, not just overdue payments. The share uses all mortgage loan balances in this same source as its denominator.
  • Jan–Mar 2016: The reporting population expanded when second-charge mortgage regulation changed on 21 March 2016. Using regulated and non-regulated loans together does not remove that coverage change.
  • Apr–Jun 2025: Reporting improvements reclassified some arrears cases as possessions, increasing the stock without matching new possessions; see workbook footnote (b).
Average rate on outstanding mortgages
  • Weighted average effective interest rate reported by UK-resident banks; not seasonally adjusted. This is not an advertised offer or a rate available to every borrower.
  • This specific consistent series begins in 2016; no older advertised-rate series has been spliced onto it.
  • Simple mean of the three published monthly effective rates; all three months are required. This is not the percentage of income spent on repayments.
People looking for work
  • Survey-based evidence: Labour Force Survey, UK people aged 16 or over. Unemployed people are out of work, available to work and actively seeking work, or waiting to start a job already obtained.
  • Uses the published calendar-quarter observations, not the monthly rolling three-month labels. Denominator is employed plus unemployed people, not all residents.
  • Falling response rates and reweighting affect precision and comparability; interpret short-term changes with caution. This is population context, not unemployment among mortgage borrowers.
All shared dates; original and calculated values. Missing observations remain blank.
DateShare of mortgage balances in arrears · % of mortgage balancesAverage rate on outstanding mortgages · %People looking for work · % of economically active people aged 16+
Jan–Mar 20161.3322.94675.1
Apr–Jun 20161.3292.89674.9
Jul–Sep 20161.2852.81334.8
Oct–Dec 20161.2352.68334.7
Jan–Mar 20171.22.62674.6
Apr–Jun 20171.1542.58334.4
Jul–Sep 20171.1072.53334.3
Oct–Dec 20171.0762.51674.4
Jan–Mar 20181.0562.51674.2
Apr–Jun 20181.0072.47334
Jul–Sep 20181.0082.47334.1
Oct–Dec 20181.0022.49334
Jan–Mar 20191.0012.463.8
Apr–Jun 20190.9712.433.9
Jul–Sep 20190.9252.40673.9
Oct–Dec 20190.8982.383.7
Jan–Mar 20200.9062.34674.1
Apr–Jun 20200.9242.17334.1
Jul–Sep 20200.9062.145
Oct–Dec 20200.9282.11675.3
Jan–Mar 20210.9622.08674.9
Apr–Jun 20210.8982.074.7
Jul–Sep 20210.8592.04674.4
Oct–Dec 20210.8352.01674.2
Jan–Mar 20220.8152.02333.8
Apr–Jun 20220.7952.07673.8
Jul–Sep 20220.7752.17673.7
Oct–Dec 20220.8082.393.9
Jan–Mar 20230.8772.63674
Apr–Jun 20230.9942.834.2
Jul–Sep 20231.123.05674.1
Oct–Dec 20231.233.27673.9
Jan–Mar 20241.2773.46334.3
Apr–Jun 20241.3093.614.2
Jul–Sep 20241.3063.71674.3
Oct–Dec 20241.2813.794.4
Jan–Mar 20251.2583.844.6
Apr–Jun 20251.2423.874.7
Jul–Sep 20251.1963.88675
Oct–Dec 20251.1763.90335.2
Jan–Mar 20261.1483.92675
Apr–Jun 20261.1173.93334.9
See overdue pounds, affected accounts and repossessions separately

Jan–Mar 2007–Apr–Jun 2026 · United Kingdom · £ million

Reporting changed at the amber markers. Figures across those dates need care; details are in the workings.

Overdue mortgage payments
Late mortgage payments and repossessions: Jan–Mar 2007–Apr–Jun 2026Select a date with the slider below for exact values, or open the complete data table. Lines break where observations are missing.£0m£1.4bn£2.8bn12Jan–Mar 2007Apr–Jun 2026
Apr–Jun 2026
Overdue mortgage payments:
£2.6bn
Show the figures and workings

Overdue mortgage payments · United Kingdom

  • UK residential loans to individuals, regulated and non-regulated; not seasonally adjusted. Loan accounts and possessions are not counts of unique people or households.
  • Arrears meet the source threshold of at least 1.5% of the outstanding loan balance. This series starts in 2007; there is no invented 30-year extension.
  • The overdue payments themselves, unlike the much larger full remaining balances of the affected loans.
  1. Jan–Mar 2016: The reporting population expanded when second-charge mortgage regulation changed on 21 March 2016. Using regulated and non-regulated loans together does not remove that coverage change.
  2. Apr–Jun 2025: Reporting improvements reclassified some arrears cases as possessions, increasing the stock without matching new possessions; see workbook footnote (b).
Source and release details
All available observations · £ million
DateValue
Jan–Mar 20071,060.21
Apr–Jun 20071,092.74
Jul–Sep 20071,151.893
Oct–Dec 20071,328.398
Jan–Mar 20081,432.971
Apr–Jun 20081,523.094
Jul–Sep 20081,832.851
Oct–Dec 20082,062.167
Jan–Mar 20092,179.79
Apr–Jun 20092,167.712
Jul–Sep 20092,153.304
Oct–Dec 20092,122.191
Jan–Mar 20102,110.716
Apr–Jun 20102,087.067
Jul–Sep 20102,038.523
Oct–Dec 20102,030.006
Jan–Mar 20112,003.579
Apr–Jun 20111,980.742
Jul–Sep 20111,966.284
Oct–Dec 20111,840.563
Jan–Mar 20121,792.34
Apr–Jun 20121,765.013
Jul–Sep 20121,780.838
Oct–Dec 20121,766.013
Jan–Mar 20131,760.832
Apr–Jun 20131,717.073
Jul–Sep 20131,698.374
Oct–Dec 20131,632.915
Jan–Mar 20141,585.188
Apr–Jun 20141,562.871
Jul–Sep 20141,456.798
Oct–Dec 20141,364.518
Jan–Mar 20151,359.322
Apr–Jun 20151,363.727
Jul–Sep 20151,302.957
Oct–Dec 20151,318.236
Jan–Mar 20161,358.316
Apr–Jun 20161,504.897
Jul–Sep 20161,562.826
Oct–Dec 20161,532.215
Jan–Mar 20171,567.476
Apr–Jun 20171,538.827
Jul–Sep 20171,528.895
Oct–Dec 20171,563.084
Jan–Mar 20181,597.115
Apr–Jun 20181,678.918
Jul–Sep 20181,691.834
Oct–Dec 20181,797.768
Jan–Mar 20191,903.886
Apr–Jun 20191,795.406
Jul–Sep 20191,735.993
Oct–Dec 20191,700.153
Jan–Mar 20201,755.69
Apr–Jun 20201,817.818
Jul–Sep 20201,888.069
Oct–Dec 20201,909.919
Jan–Mar 20212,043.367
Apr–Jun 20211,983.076
Jul–Sep 20211,900.431
Oct–Dec 20211,870.585
Jan–Mar 20221,988.386
Apr–Jun 20221,964.736
Jul–Sep 20221,830.421
Oct–Dec 20221,785.016
Jan–Mar 20231,768.989
Apr–Jun 20231,915.044
Jul–Sep 20232,070.705
Oct–Dec 20232,280.902
Jan–Mar 20242,322.832
Apr–Jun 20242,486.074
Jul–Sep 20242,519.758
Oct–Dec 20242,538.074
Jan–Mar 20252,587.022
Apr–Jun 20252,552.056
Jul–Sep 20252,542.942
Oct–Dec 20252,551.509
Jan–Mar 20262,563.94
Apr–Jun 20262,613.278

The arrears series use a threshold of at least 1.5% of the remaining loan behind with payments. Repossessions are shown separately. Accounts are not unique people. The whole loan balance on an affected account is not the same as its missed payments.

Energy bills left unpaid

Money outstanding for more than 91 days, covering gas and electricity accounts in Great Britain.

Jan–Mar 2018–Apr–Jun 2026 · Great Britain · £ million

Unpaid energy debt and arrears
Energy debt and arrears: Jan–Mar 2018–Apr–Jun 2026Select a date with the slider below for exact values, or open the complete data table. Lines break where observations are missing.£0m£2.7bn£5.4bnJan–Mar 2018Apr–Jun 2026
Apr–Jun 2026
Unpaid energy debt and arrears:
£5bn
Show the figures and workings

Unpaid energy debt and arrears · Great Britain

  • Domestic electricity and gas debt outstanding for more than 91 days; Great Britain, excluding Northern Ireland.
  • Debt means an agreed repayment arrangement; arrears means no arrangement. These are sums of money, not numbers of unique households.
  • Original chart reports billions of pounds; values here are multiplied by 1,000 to express millions. Independently rounded components may differ slightly from the published total.
  • Starts in 2018. This is separate from bank borrowing; do not assume it covers all unpaid household bills.
Source and release details
All available observations · £ million
DateValue
Jan–Mar 20181,086
Apr–Jun 20181,169
Jul–Sep 20181,195
Oct–Dec 20181,142
Jan–Mar 20191,225
Apr–Jun 20191,341
Jul–Sep 20191,337
Oct–Dec 20191,293
Jan–Mar 20201,316
Apr–Jun 20201,505
Jul–Sep 20201,550
Oct–Dec 20201,452
Jan–Mar 20211,549
Apr–Jun 20211,669
Jul–Sep 20211,751
Oct–Dec 20211,793
Jan–Mar 20221,810
Apr–Jun 20222,030
Jul–Sep 20222,000
Oct–Dec 20222,040
Jan–Mar 20232,170
Apr–Jun 20232,590
Jul–Sep 20232,920
Oct–Dec 20233,100
Jan–Mar 20243,310
Apr–Jun 20243,690
Jul–Sep 20243,820
Oct–Dec 20243,850
Jan–Mar 20254,150
Apr–Jun 20254,430
Jul–Sep 20254,480
Oct–Dec 20254,550
Jan–Mar 20264,790
Apr–Jun 20265,020

A household can have more than one account. The two repayment-plan categories make up the total, allowing for rounding; they are not extra debt on top.

Explore loans written off by lenders

Write-offs are lenders’ accounting decisions, sometimes including later recoveries. They are not a count of defaults or a promise that the borrower no longer owes money.

Jul–Sep 1996–Apr–Jun 2026 · United Kingdom · £ million

Reporting changed at the amber markers. Figures across those dates need care; details are in the workings.

Credit-card loans written off by banks and building societies
Lender write-offs each quarter: Jul–Sep 1996–Apr–Jun 2026Select a date with the slider below for exact values, or open the complete data table. Lines break where observations are missing.£0m£1.2bn£2.3bn12Jul–Sep 1996Apr–Jun 2026
Apr–Jun 2026
Credit-card loans written off by banks and building societies:
£376m
Show the figures and workings

Credit-card loans written off by banks and building societies · United Kingdom

  • Amount lenders wrote off during the quarter; not seasonally adjusted. This is not a default count, missed-payment total, impairment provision or amount of debt forgiven.
  • UK banks and, from 2008, building societies; other lenders are excluded. Reporting institutions are not grossed up to cover all lenders. Recoveries can produce negative net observations.
  1. Jan–Mar 2008: Building-society write-offs added; earlier figures cover banks only.
  2. Jan–Mar 2010: Securitised loans brought onto institutions’ balance sheets changed coverage.
Source and release details
All available observations · £ million
DateValue
Jan–Mar 199316
Apr–Jun 1993161
Jul–Sep 199361
Oct–Dec 199345
Jan–Mar 199446
Apr–Jun 199443
Jul–Sep 199447
Oct–Dec 199434
Jan–Mar 199537
Apr–Jun 199533
Jul–Sep 199534
Oct–Dec 199535
Jan–Mar 199637
Apr–Jun 199643
Jul–Sep 199650
Oct–Dec 199665
Jan–Mar 199753
Apr–Jun 199761
Jul–Sep 199763
Oct–Dec 199768
Jan–Mar 199875
Apr–Jun 199870
Jul–Sep 199878
Oct–Dec 1998105
Jan–Mar 1999100
Apr–Jun 1999117
Jul–Sep 1999164
Oct–Dec 1999109
Jan–Mar 2000168
Apr–Jun 2000179
Jul–Sep 2000173
Oct–Dec 2000178
Jan–Mar 2001201
Apr–Jun 2001226
Jul–Sep 2001210
Oct–Dec 2001239
Jan–Mar 2002264
Apr–Jun 2002236
Jul–Sep 2002259
Oct–Dec 2002301
Jan–Mar 2003535
Apr–Jun 2003343
Jul–Sep 2003322
Oct–Dec 2003370
Jan–Mar 2004381
Apr–Jun 2004361
Jul–Sep 2004488
Oct–Dec 2004434
Jan–Mar 2005494
Apr–Jun 2005482
Jul–Sep 2005628
Oct–Dec 2005581
Jan–Mar 2006624
Apr–Jun 2006688
Jul–Sep 2006738
Oct–Dec 2006747
Jan–Mar 2007902
Apr–Jun 2007819
Jul–Sep 2007703
Oct–Dec 2007689
Jan–Mar 2008680
Apr–Jun 2008929
Jul–Sep 2008747
Oct–Dec 2008844
Jan–Mar 2009843
Apr–Jun 20091,449
Jul–Sep 2009931
Oct–Dec 2009894
Jan–Mar 20101,254
Apr–Jun 20102,138
Jul–Sep 2010740
Oct–Dec 20101,183
Jan–Mar 2011866
Apr–Jun 20111,154
Jul–Sep 2011716
Oct–Dec 2011907
Jan–Mar 2012568
Apr–Jun 2012567
Jul–Sep 2012473
Oct–Dec 2012469
Jan–Mar 2013385
Apr–Jun 2013371
Jul–Sep 2013397
Oct–Dec 2013560
Jan–Mar 2014319
Apr–Jun 2014324
Jul–Sep 2014308
Oct–Dec 2014393
Jan–Mar 2015317
Apr–Jun 2015217
Jul–Sep 2015552
Oct–Dec 2015356
Jan–Mar 2016320
Apr–Jun 2016285
Jul–Sep 2016584
Oct–Dec 2016394
Jan–Mar 2017357
Apr–Jun 2017386
Jul–Sep 2017361
Oct–Dec 2017459
Jan–Mar 2018318
Apr–Jun 2018304
Jul–Sep 2018443
Oct–Dec 2018412
Jan–Mar 2019432
Apr–Jun 2019414
Jul–Sep 2019347
Oct–Dec 2019459
Jan–Mar 2020339
Apr–Jun 2020358
Jul–Sep 2020365
Oct–Dec 2020292
Jan–Mar 2021355
Apr–Jun 2021336
Jul–Sep 2021335
Oct–Dec 2021214
Jan–Mar 2022270
Apr–Jun 2022247
Jul–Sep 2022279
Oct–Dec 2022359
Jan–Mar 2023271
Apr–Jun 2023282
Jul–Sep 2023264
Oct–Dec 2023263
Jan–Mar 2024312
Apr–Jun 2024288
Jul–Sep 2024291
Oct–Dec 2024280
Jan–Mar 2025286
Apr–Jun 2025284
Jul–Sep 2025286
Oct–Dec 2025349
Jan–Mar 2026335
Apr–Jun 2026376
Student loans: a different kind of repayment

For these income-linked loans, the deduction depends on earnings and the loan plan. The balance alone does not tell us what comes out of next month’s pay.

2006/07–2025/26 · England-domiciled and relevant EU borrowers · £ per borrower, current prices

Average student-loan balance when repayment starts
Student-loan balances when repayment begins: 2006/07–2025/26Select a date with the slider below for exact values, or open the complete data table. Lines break where observations are missing.£0£28,620£57,2402006/072025/26
2025/26
Average student-loan balance when repayment starts:
£47,730
Show the figures and workings

Average student-loan balance when repayment starts · England-domiciled and relevant EU borrowers

  • Higher-education income-contingent loans. Financial years; 2025/26 is provisional. These are different entry cohorts, not the same borrowers followed over time.
  • Repayments depend on income and loan plan. A larger balance does not mean an equally large increase in the monthly deduction. No repayment due below the income threshold is not a default.
  • Amounts are not adjusted for inflation. This history has 20 annual observations; it is not a 30-year series.
Source and release details
All available observations · £ per borrower, current prices
DateValue
2006/0710,050
2007/0810,870
2008/0911,770
2009/1014,670
2010/1116,160
2011/1216,990
2012/1318,620
2013/1420,040
2014/1521,160
2015/1624,390
2016/1732,330
2017/1834,450
2018/1935,670
2019/2039,990
2020/2144,720
2021/2244,640
2022/2344,380
2023/2448,250
2024/2553,000
2025/2647,730
How student-loan repayments work →

Why it is happening

So what? Less room for everyday life—and for a shock.

A bill now can become a bigger bill later

If interest or fees are added, today’s purchase costs more to repay. Borrowing for essentials also leaves next month’s income paying for things already used.

Lower inflation does not clear the balance

Slower price rises do not undo earlier increases or remove existing debts. Mortgage costs can also change when a fixed deal ends.

The same balance can mean different lives

Income, savings, interest and repayment terms determine how manageable a debt is. A national total cannot show who has enough left.

Three fictional households · the same £3,000 starting purchase

Same starting bill. Very different year.

Meet Richard and Emma, Gary and Joan, and Lewis and Katie. Follow what they pay, what goes back on the card, and what they still owe a year later.

Fictional people. Transparent assumptions. These are made-up examples, not real families, typical budgets or card offers. The portraits are AI-generated. Figures are rounded to pounds; the workings keep every penny.

The rates are chosen to show different outcomes. These examples do not predict the rate someone would be offered from their income or background. This is an illustration, not personal financial advice.

Story 01 · Fictional illustration

A £3,000 starting purchase · 12-month example

Meet Richard & Emma

The money is already set aside.

They could pay the £3,000 bill today. Instead, this example assumes a 12-month 0% purchase offer and £250 paid every month.

0% assumed annual interest · £3,000 savings kept aside

A month on their card
£ / month
Paid from their monthly budget
£250
Nothing else put on this card
£0
Amount still owed over 12 months

All three charts use the same scale: £0–£4,500.

Starts at £3,000.00; ends at £0.00 after 12 months. Every monthly value is in the table below.Start6 months12 months

After 12 months

£0

still owed on the card

Paid to the card over the year
£3,000
Interest charged over the year
£0
Extra purchases beyond the starting £3,000
£0
What makes the difference?

The balance clears by the end of the assumed offer. Their £3,000 savings pot is kept separate; no savings interest is counted here.

0% depends on the offer terms. No fees or savings interest are included.

Show the assumptions and monthly workings

Fictional household; all budgets and rates are assumptions. The annual interest rate is 0%: divided by 12, that is 0% a month. This is a simplified interest calculation, not a quoted offer or an annual percentage rate comparison.

Each month we charge interest on the opening balance, round it to the nearest penny (half-pennies round up), add that month’s new purchases, then deduct the payment. New purchases first attract interest the following month. Payments stop at the amount owed, so the balance cannot become negative.

The 0% offer is assumed to cover the full 12 months, with no fees and all offer conditions met. Actual offers have eligibility rules, payment requirements, end dates and possible fees. The model counts no interest on savings.

Richard & Emma: fictional 12-month illustration. All amounts in pounds.
MonthOpening balanceInterestNew purchasesPaymentClosing balance
1£3,000.00£0.00£0.00£250.00£2,750.00
2£2,750.00£0.00£0.00£250.00£2,500.00
3£2,500.00£0.00£0.00£250.00£2,250.00
4£2,250.00£0.00£0.00£250.00£2,000.00
5£2,000.00£0.00£0.00£250.00£1,750.00
6£1,750.00£0.00£0.00£250.00£1,500.00
7£1,500.00£0.00£0.00£250.00£1,250.00
8£1,250.00£0.00£0.00£250.00£1,000.00
9£1,000.00£0.00£0.00£250.00£750.00
10£750.00£0.00£0.00£250.00£500.00
11£500.00£0.00£0.00£250.00£250.00
12£250.00£0.00£0.00£250.00£0.00

Check: £3,000.00 starting balance + £0.00 new purchases + £0.00 interest − £3,000.00 paid = £0.00 still owed.

Story 02 · Fictional illustration

A £3,000 starting purchase · 12-month example

Meet Gary & Joan

They pay it down, then add to it.

They plan to pay £180 a month, but another £100 of purchases goes on the card each month. This example uses 24% annual interest.

24% assumed annual interest

A month on their card
£ / month
Their assumed monthly payment
£180
New purchases on the card each month
£100
Amount still owed over 12 months

All three charts use the same scale: £0–£4,500.

Starts at £3,000.00; ends at £2,731.77 after 12 months. Every monthly value is in the table below.Start6 months12 months

After 12 months

£2,732

still owed on the card

Paid to the card over the year
£2,160
Interest charged over the year
£692
Extra purchases beyond the starting £3,000
£1,200
What makes the difference?

Their payments cover interest and some borrowing. New purchases leave much less progress towards clearing the balance.

Fixed payments are assumptions, not lender minimums. Fees and limits could change the outcome.

Show the assumptions and monthly workings

Fictional household; all budgets and rates are assumptions. The annual interest rate is 24%: divided by 12, that is 2% a month. This is a simplified interest calculation, not a quoted offer or an annual percentage rate comparison.

Each month we charge interest on the opening balance, round it to the nearest penny (half-pennies round up), add that month’s new purchases, then deduct the payment. New purchases first attract interest the following month. Payments stop at the amount owed, so the balance cannot become negative.

The chosen payment is fixed, not a lender’s contractual minimum. Fees, missed-payment consequences, daily interest, interest-free purchase rules, rate changes and credit limits are excluded. Continued card spending is assumed possible throughout.

Gary & Joan: fictional 12-month illustration. All amounts in pounds.
MonthOpening balanceInterestNew purchasesPaymentClosing balance
1£3,000.00£60.00£100.00£180.00£2,980.00
2£2,980.00£59.60£100.00£180.00£2,959.60
3£2,959.60£59.19£100.00£180.00£2,938.79
4£2,938.79£58.78£100.00£180.00£2,917.57
5£2,917.57£58.35£100.00£180.00£2,895.92
6£2,895.92£57.92£100.00£180.00£2,873.84
7£2,873.84£57.48£100.00£180.00£2,851.32
8£2,851.32£57.03£100.00£180.00£2,828.35
9£2,828.35£56.57£100.00£180.00£2,804.92
10£2,804.92£56.10£100.00£180.00£2,781.02
11£2,781.02£55.62£100.00£180.00£2,756.64
12£2,756.64£55.13£100.00£180.00£2,731.77

Check: £3,000.00 starting balance + £1,200.00 new purchases + £691.77 interest − £2,160.00 paid = £2,731.77 still owed.

Story 03 · Fictional illustration

A £3,000 starting purchase · 12-month example

Meet Lewis & Katie

An income shock leaves a gap.

After their income falls, they pay £150 a month but also put £150 of essentials on the card. This example uses 30% annual interest.

30% assumed annual interest

A month on their card
£ / month
What they can afford to pay each month
£150
Essentials added to the card each month
£150
Amount still owed over 12 months

All three charts use the same scale: £0–£4,500.

Starts at £3,000.00; ends at £4,034.70 after 12 months. Every monthly value is in the table below.Start6 months12 months

After 12 months

£4,035

still owed on the card

Paid to the card over the year
£1,800
Interest charged over the year
£1,035
Extra purchases beyond the starting £3,000
£1,800
What makes the difference?

New borrowing replaces every pound they pay back. Interest then pushes the balance higher, despite a payment every month.

Fixed payments are assumptions, not lender minimums. Fees and limits could change the outcome.

Show the assumptions and monthly workings

Fictional household; all budgets and rates are assumptions. The annual interest rate is 30%: divided by 12, that is 2.5% a month. This is a simplified interest calculation, not a quoted offer or an annual percentage rate comparison.

Each month we charge interest on the opening balance, round it to the nearest penny (half-pennies round up), add that month’s new purchases, then deduct the payment. New purchases first attract interest the following month. Payments stop at the amount owed, so the balance cannot become negative.

The chosen payment is fixed, not a lender’s contractual minimum. Fees, missed-payment consequences, daily interest, interest-free purchase rules, rate changes and credit limits are excluded. Continued card spending is assumed possible throughout.

Lewis & Katie: fictional 12-month illustration. All amounts in pounds.
MonthOpening balanceInterestNew purchasesPaymentClosing balance
1£3,000.00£75.00£150.00£150.00£3,075.00
2£3,075.00£76.88£150.00£150.00£3,151.88
3£3,151.88£78.80£150.00£150.00£3,230.68
4£3,230.68£80.77£150.00£150.00£3,311.45
5£3,311.45£82.79£150.00£150.00£3,394.24
6£3,394.24£84.86£150.00£150.00£3,479.10
7£3,479.10£86.98£150.00£150.00£3,566.08
8£3,566.08£89.15£150.00£150.00£3,655.23
9£3,655.23£91.38£150.00£150.00£3,746.61
10£3,746.61£93.67£150.00£150.00£3,840.28
11£3,840.28£96.01£150.00£150.00£3,936.29
12£3,936.29£98.41£150.00£150.00£4,034.70

Check: £3,000.00 starting balance + £1,800.00 new purchases + £1,034.70 interest − £1,800.00 paid = £4,034.70 still owed.

Put the card bill back into the household budget

Housing, everyday bills and a change in income affect what is available for repayments. Explore separate fictional budgets and try an income shock on the living-standards page.

Follow seven household budgets →Try a change in income →
Try a monthly budget yourself

Illustration · your entries stay in this page

What is left after payday?

Every extra £100 needed for repayments leaves £100 less for the rest of the month, if income and other bills stay the same.

  • Bills and living costs: £1,800
  • Repayments: £250
  • Left over: £450

£450 left for everything else.

Starting amounts are made-up examples, not national averages or a recommended budget. Savings, emergencies and irregular costs still need to be covered.

What to include—and how to avoid counting twice

Include any mortgage payment once: either with essential bills or with repayments. Loan repayments include principal and interest. Paying back principal reduces what you owe; it is still money leaving your account.

If student-loan deductions are already taken out of your take-home income, do not enter them again. Likewise, do not count card purchases as living costs and the same purchase amount again as a debt payment.

This is a cash-flow illustration, not a benefit calculator or debt-management recommendation. If payments are unaffordable, use the free advice links below.

These explain possible mechanisms. Parallel trends do not prove that rising living costs caused an individual debt. Explore income and household costs.

Who is affected most

Survey-based evidence
Financial Lives 2024Fieldwork: May 202417,950 respondents overall; subgroup sample counts are not printed in Figure 3.9. Weighted survey of UK adults aged 18 and over, mainly online with telephone interviews; fieldwork 5 February–16 June 2024.

Lower incomes leave less room when something goes wrong

Nearly half (48%) of adults in households with less than £15,000 a year had limited room to cope financially. Among those in households with £50,000 or more, it was 13%.

Limited savings, heavy bill pressure or repeated missed payments · UK adults · May 2024
  • Less than £15,00048%
  • £15,000 to under £30,00032%
  • £30,000 to under £50,00022%
  • £50,000+13%

All bars use a 0–100% scale. Annual household income before tax, including benefits.

Repeated missed payments were also more common: 22% in the lowest income group, compared with 4% in the highest shown here.

Show the definitions and source

Missed bills or credit payments in three or more of the previous six months; those months need not be consecutive.

17,950 respondents overall; subgroup sample counts are not printed in Figure 3.9. Weighted survey of UK adults aged 18 and over, mainly online with telephone interviews; fieldwork 5 February–16 June 2024.

The measures overlap: do not add them. They describe people’s financial strain, not the share of total debt held by an income group.

These are survey estimates within each income group, not percentages of all people with debt.

This does not say which group holds the largest share of the country’s debt, or how many of the people needing debt advice have no savings.

Source and underlying figures

How does it feel to live with the pressure?

These surveys ask different questions, at different times. Each adds a view of financial life; their percentages are not combined into a single score.

Survey-based evidence
MoneyView 2026Fieldwork: 2025 (MoneyView 2026)Adults aged 18 and over living in the UK. 12,647 respondents. Weighted survey using online quota interviews and face-to-face interviews.

15%

Show signs of needing debt advice

United Kingdom · 2025 (MoneyView 2026)

Show the question, sample and workings

How this measure is defined: Derived from reported arrears, creditor action, high-cost credit and difficulty affording essentials.

Adults aged 18 and over living in the UK · 12,647 respondents. Weighted survey using online quota interviews and face-to-face interviews.

  • Survey estimates have sampling and non-response uncertainty. Differences are not proof of cause and effect.
  • The main report dates the 2025 fieldwork August–October 2025; the technical report says 31 July–29 September 2025.
  • A classification from several questions, not the number who requested or received advice.
Source and release details
Survey-based evidence
MoneyView 2026Fieldwork: 2025 (MoneyView 2026)Adults aged 18 and over living in the UK. 12,647 respondents. Weighted survey using online quota interviews and face-to-face interviews.

63%

Not satisfied with their finances

United Kingdom · 2025 (MoneyView 2026)

Show the question, sample and workings

Question: And how satisfied are you with your overall financial circumstances?

Adults aged 18 and over living in the UK · 12,647 respondents. Weighted survey using online quota interviews and face-to-face interviews.

  • Survey estimates have sampling and non-response uncertainty. Differences are not proof of cause and effect.
  • The main report dates the 2025 fieldwork August–October 2025; the technical report says 31 July–29 September 2025.
Source and release details
Survey-based evidence
Public opinions and social trends, Great Britain: May 2026Fieldwork: 6–31 May 2026Adults aged 16 and over in Great Britain. 3,780 responding adults; 43% response rate. Weighted Opinions and Lifestyle Survey; randomly selected from earlier participating households.

63%

Worried about rising living costs

Great Britain · 6–31 May 2026

Adults aged 16 and over; very or somewhat worried.

Show the question, sample and workings

How this measure is defined: How worried or unworried people were about rising costs of living in the past two weeks.

Adults aged 16 and over in Great Britain · 3,780 responding adults; 43% response rate. Weighted Opinions and Lifestyle Survey; randomly selected from earlier participating households.

  • Survey estimates have sampling and non-response uncertainty. Differences are not proof of cause and effect.
  • Very or somewhat worried. This is the published measure wording; it is not a verbatim questionnaire quotation.
  • Great Britain excludes Northern Ireland. This question and age base differ from the other surveys; do not average their percentages.
Source and release details
Survey-based evidence
Financial Lives May 2024: underlying chart dataFieldwork: May 2024UK adults, excluding the 4% answering do not know. 17,950 respondents in the main survey. Weighted Financial Lives survey, online and telephone. Fieldwork: 5 February–16 June 2024; largest share of responses in May.

13%

Bills and credit repayments feel like a heavy burden

United Kingdom · May 2024

Excludes people who answered “don’t know”.

Show the question, sample and workings

Question: To what extent do you feel that keeping up with your domestic bills and credit commitments is a burden?

UK adults, excluding the 4% answering do not know · 17,950 respondents in the main survey. Weighted Financial Lives survey, online and telephone. Fieldwork: 5 February–16 June 2024; largest share of responses in May.

  • Survey estimates have sampling and non-response uncertainty. Differences are not proof of cause and effect.
  • The published percentage excludes do not know responses. This is a feeling about bills and credit commitments, not a default rate.
  • Main survey waves are shown. A separate January 2023 recontact survey is not spliced into this history.
Source and release details
Has the feeling of pressure changed?

Main survey waves only. Dots show the actual survey years; missing years are not estimated.

2017–2024 · UK adults, excluding don’t-know responses · %

Bills and credit feel like a heavy burden
Bills and credit repayments feel like a heavy burden: 2017–2024Select a date with the slider below for exact values, or open the complete data table. Lines break where observations are missing.0%8.1%16.2%20172024
2024
Bills and credit feel like a heavy burden:
13%
Show the figures and workings

Bills and credit feel like a heavy burden · UK adults, excluding don’t-know responses

  • Survey estimates have sampling and non-response uncertainty. Differences are not proof of cause and effect.
  • The published percentage excludes do not know responses. This is a feeling about bills and credit commitments, not a default rate.
  • Main survey waves are shown. A separate January 2023 recontact survey is not spliced into this history.
Source and release details
All available observations · %
DateValue
201711
202011
202215
202413

Different places, different levels of pressure

Survey-based evidence
MoneyView 2026Fieldwork: 2025Weighted survey of UK adults aged 18 and over. National and regional samples differ; small gaps may be survey noise.

Need for debt advice · 2025 (MoneyView 2026)

%. The figures below share a question, period and source. They do not measure how much each area owes.

4 matching areas

  • England16%
  • Scotland13%
  • Wales15%
  • Northern Ireland12%

United Kingdom: 15% · same measure and period.

Show the workings and all areas
  • Survey estimate from 9,343 respondents in England, weighted to the adult population.
  • Different sample sizes and uncertainty mean small differences are not necessarily meaningful.
  • The main report dates the 2025 fieldwork August–October 2025; the technical report says 31 July–29 September 2025.
  • Survey estimate from 1,257 respondents in Scotland, weighted to the adult population.
  • Survey estimate from 1,047 respondents in Wales, weighted to the adult population.
  • Survey estimate from 1,000 respondents in Northern Ireland, weighted to the adult population.
2025 (MoneyView 2026) · %
AreaValue
England16
Scotland13
Wales15
Northern Ireland12

The North East debt-advice estimate is withheld because the source’s text and map disagree. Its financial-wellbeing estimate remains available.

What could change

The goal is fewer people repeatedly missing essential bills and repayments. These are proposed steps, with responsibilities and ways to judge progress. They are not a funded government timetable.

Short term

Make early help easier to reach

Test clear referrals to free debt advice and tailored lender support when people first struggle. Use the correct debt-relief route for their nation.

Who could act
Lenders, advice providers and the Money and Pensions Service
How we would judge it
Waiting time for advice, completed referrals and repeat missed payments after support.
The trade-off
More referrals need adviser capacity. Temporary relief may delay payment without making the overall budget affordable.

Proposal — not costed or committed

Medium term

Check whether the household budget can recover

Assess the combined effect of repayment terms, eligible benefits and essential bills for a defined group. Check who gains, who pays and whether new arrears appear elsewhere.

Who could act
Lenders and advice services, with benefit administrators and housing providers
How we would judge it
Income left after essentials and agreed payments; repeat arrears, fees and total repayment cost.
The trade-off
Lower monthly payments can mean paying for longer. Benefit changes and additional services need funded decisions.

Proposal — not costed or committed

Long term

Keep what demonstrably reduces hardship

Compare sustained results before expanding a programme. Link any income, housing or energy changes to their existing assessments, and test the effect on debt separately.

Who could act
UK and devolved governments, the financial regulator and independent evaluators
How we would judge it
Repeated missed payments, repossessions and insolvency, alongside access to suitable credit and household wellbeing.
The trade-off
A lower borrowing total alone is not success: it can also mean people cannot obtain suitable credit.

Proposal — not costed or committed

Which changes would stop debt becoming unaffordable?

The harm is clear enough to include in the UK SWOT. We have not yet established the extra cost or debt-reduction effect of a new national programme. The steps below are proposals for assessment, not funded commitments or ranked recommendations.

What a full assessment still needs
  • Define who needs help and which debt is covered, separately for each UK nation.
  • Cost advice capacity, lender support and any extra income or bill support against what already exists.
  • Measure repeat missed payments, sustained affordable budgets and harm from unsuitable debt solutions, with a comparison group where feasible.
Existing income, housing and energy options

These address particular household pressures. Their effects on debt have not been calculated.

  • Set an explicit test for whether benefits cover essentials

    Tests whether support covers essential costs. Households on Universal Credit in Great Britain.

    An untested proposal. Any rate change needs a separate costing; no debt reduction is established.

  • Claim what people are owed

    Tests help with claiming an existing entitlement. Eligible Pension Credit families in Great Britain who do not claim.

    This does not cover every household in debt. Individual eligibility and the effect of outreach need checking.

  • Warm homes, inspected before payment

    Targets energy use and the cost of keeping warm. Low-income households in inefficient homes in England.

    Results depend on the property and quality of work. Lower energy use is not a measured reduction in arrears.

  • Give families in temporary accommodation a settled home

    Provides a route to social-rent homes for a defined group. Households in temporary accommodation in England.

    This is not a general mortgage or consumer-debt programme. Local homes, funding and delivery must be secured.

Help and rights

These links can help with an individual situation. They do not resolve the wider pressures described above.

Domain SWOT

Recorded

Show the findings
Strengths · 1 finding

  • Lenders should offer support tailored to a borrower’s circumstances. Free advice is available, and eligible people in England and Wales can seek temporary Breathing Space protection. These routes do not cancel the debt.

    UK lender support; Breathing Space in England and Wales only · Guidance checked 18 October 2026

Weaknesses · 2 findings

  • In May 2024, 8% of UK adults reported falling behind on or missing bills or credit payments in at least three of the previous six months. This survey finding measures repeated difficulty, not recorded loan defaults.

    United Kingdom, adults aged 18 and over · May 2024

  • The same survey classed 24% of UK adults as having low financial resilience in May 2024: repeated payment difficulty, a heavy burden from bills or credit, or very limited savings. This overlaps with people missing payments; the percentages cannot be added.

    United Kingdom, adults aged 18 and over · May 2024

Opportunities · 1 finding

  • Earlier advice and suitable lender support offer a route to test. Existing income, housing and energy proposals may also ease particular household costs, but their effect on debt needs a separate assessment.

    Depends on: Define the eligible group, fund delivery and compare sustained affordable budgets and repeat arrears with what happens under existing support.

    United Kingdom; support and eligibility differ by nation · our synthesis

Threats · 2 findings

  • If income falls or essential costs rise, repayments that were manageable can become unaffordable. A temporary payment arrangement may not solve a lasting gap between income and bills.

    United Kingdom · risk

  • Misleading debt adverts can steer people towards unsuitable arrangements or unexpected fees. A promise to write off debt is not evidence that a solution suits the person.

    United Kingdom · risk

See the whole-UK SWOT →

Domain action plan

ProposedAn editorial order, not government policy or a set of deadlines.

Delivery steps and owners (3)
  1. Prerequisite: Test clear referrals to free debt advice and tailored lender support when people first struggle. Use the correct debt-relief route for their nation. · Lenders, advice providers and the Money and Pensions Service · proposed · Short term — proposed sequence
  2. Decision: Assess the combined effect of repayment terms, eligible benefits and essential bills for a defined group. Check who gains, who pays and whether new arrears appear elsewhere. · Lenders and advice services, with benefit administrators and housing providers · proposed · Medium term — proposed sequence
  3. Result: Compare sustained results before expanding a programme. Link any income, housing or energy changes to their existing assessments, and test the effect on debt separately. · UK and devolved governments, the financial regulator and independent evaluators · proposed · Long term — proposed sequence

Sources, method and changes

Official lender returns, national accounts and published surveys answer different questions. Survey estimates are visibly marked. Amounts owed, payments, overdue bills and lender write-offs stay separate.

Download the complete evidence package (JSON)
Coverage and remaining gaps
  • National totals do not reveal which households are struggling; debt amounts, interest rates, arrears and write-offs answer different questions.
  • The UK borrowing categories overlap with one another and with the G7 household measure. Never add all the series together.
  • Amounts in pounds are nominal, not adjusted for inflation. Debt-to-income and debt-to-GDP ratios provide different contextual comparisons.
  • No standalone consistent 30-year series for car finance or buy-now-pay-later is claimed. Student loans and unpaid energy bills are separate evidence.
  • The effective interest-rate and mortgage-arrears histories are shorter than 30 years. The actual observed coverage is retained.
  • Local authority estimates: MaPS publishes local-authority workbooks, but direct downloads were blocked during this review. No city or council values have been inferred from national or regional estimates.
  • Thirty-year survey history: These reviewed survey series do not provide a consistent thirty-year history. FCA main waves begin in 2017; MoneyView and ONS questions have shorter coverage.
  • UK insolvency comparison: England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland use different legal procedures. No blended UK insolvency rate has been created.
  • North East need for debt advice: The official England report's prose says 17%, while its regional map says 19%. This estimate is withheld pending clarification.
What UK Data Service could add

Household studies can connect debt with income, assets and changes in people’s lives. Accessing the same underlying survey through another catalogue is not independent corroboration.

  • Understanding Society

    2009–2024, with predecessor British Household Panel Survey history from 1991. Public catalogue context only. No participant records accessed; changes in questions prevent an automatic continuous debt series.

  • Wealth and Assets Survey

    2006–2022. Public catalogue context only. No participant records accessed. Latest published wealth estimates have quality limitations.

  • Living Costs and Food Survey 2024–25

    2024–25 edition. Published ONS aggregate tables are available separately. No participant records accessed.

No safeguarded participant records were used for this page.

Official sources and original downloads
  1. Bank of England lending, interest rates and write-offs

    Bank of England · retrieved 2026-10-18

  2. Household debt-to-income ratio, CVZI, United Kingdom Economic Accounts

    Office for National Statistics · released 2026-09-29T23:00:00.000Z · retrieved 2026-10-18

  3. Credit to households and non-profit institutions serving households, as a percentage of GDP

    Bank for International Settlements · retrieved 2026-10-18

  4. Mortgage lending statistics, detailed long-run tables, table 1.7 section C

    Financial Conduct Authority and Bank of England · released 2026-09-08 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  5. Domestic energy debt and arrears outstanding for more than 91 days

    Ofgem · retrieved 2026-10-18

  6. MoneyView 2026

    Money and Pensions Service · released 2026-03-24 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  7. MoneyView England 2026

    Money and Pensions Service · released 2026-03-24 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  8. MoneyView Scotland 2026

    Money and Pensions Service · released 2026-03-24 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  9. MoneyView Wales 2026

    Money and Pensions Service · released 2026-03-24 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  10. MoneyView Northern Ireland 2026

    Money and Pensions Service · released 2026-03-24 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  11. MoneyView 2026 technical report

    Money and Pensions Service · released 2026-03-24 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  12. Financial Lives May 2024: underlying chart data

    Financial Conduct Authority · released 2025-05-16 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  13. Financial Lives 2024 key findings

    Financial Conduct Authority · released 2025-05-16 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  14. Public opinions and social trends, Great Britain: May 2026

    Office for National Statistics · released 2026-06-19 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  15. CPI INDEX 00: ALL ITEMS 2015=100

    Office for National Statistics · released 2026-09-15T23:00:00.000Z · retrieved 2026-10-18

  16. Unemployment rate (aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted): %

    Office for National Statistics · released 2026-09-14T23:00:00.000Z · retrieved 2026-10-18

  17. United Kingdom population mid-year estimate

    Office for National Statistics · released 2026-09-30T23:00:00.000Z · retrieved 2026-10-18

  18. MoneyView 2026

    Money and Pensions Service · released 2026-03-24 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  19. MoneyView 2026 technical report

    Money and Pensions Service · released 2026-03-24 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  20. Financial Lives May 2024: underlying chart data

    Financial Conduct Authority · released 2025-05-16 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  21. Financial Lives 2024: Credit & loans, selected findings

    Financial Conduct Authority · released 2025-05 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  22. Financial Lives 2024: Key findings

    Financial Conduct Authority · released 2025-05-16 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  23. Credit card market study: Interim report MS14/6.2

    Financial Conduct Authority · released 2015-11 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  24. Interest rates and risk-based credit limits in the UK credit card market

    Financial Conduct Authority · released 2022-07-08 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  25. Credit card market study MS14/6: Final findings

    Financial Conduct Authority · released 2016-07-26 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  26. Bankstats tables B3.1 and B3.2: Banking income and profit

    Bank of England · retrieved 2026-10-18

  27. MoneyView 2026: £300 bill source discrepancy, p32

    Money and Pensions Service · released 2026-03-24 · retrieved 2026-10-18

  28. Student loans in England: 2025 to 2026

    Student Loans Company · released 2026-07-02 · retrieved 2026-10-08

Checks, method and changes

18 October 2026: added dated histories, international and UK-area comparisons, survey context and national action links. The reader revision adds borrowing-for-essentials evidence, income differences, inflation and jobs comparisons, and three fictional household stories with calculated monthly balances.

Refresh scripts create review candidates. Data does not publish automatically. Source bodies or clearly identified document extracts, parser checks and definitions are retained. These checks support the site’s Aqua Book-based approach; they are not independent analytical certification.

Evidence identity: 129da486c640587baf8a24d4bcd4300b7ea7a9fffa493001517918b117dac529

Student-loan observations retain their original retrieval date of 8 October 2026. No older evidence is relabelled as newly collected.