Northern business debt judgments fall 24%

The number of debt judgments registered against Northern Ireland businesses fell by more, down 24 per cent from 353 in H1 2020 to 269 in H1 2021. The total value of business judgments fell by a similar degree, 21 per cent, from £1.2 million to £976,602.

As a result, the average value of business judgments rose slightly, by three per cent, from £3,521 to £3,630. But, the median value was 14 per cent higher, at £1,1605 compared to £1,020 in the same period last year. This suggests there were fewer smaller judgments pushing up the median value.

Registry Trust Chair Mick McAteer said “It is welcome that the number of judgments against Northern Irish consumers in the first half of this year is down compared to the same period last year. This reflects the fact that judgment numbers were very high pre-Covid, and interventions by government and regulators, and forbearance by creditors have been protecting consumers. But, as these measures are being wound down, numbers appear to be trending upwards again suggesting the Covid economic crisis is far from over for financially vulnerable households..”

	Half Year 2020	Half Year 2021	Change (compared with 2020)
Judgments against all businesses
Volume	353	269	-23.7%
total value	£1,242,981	£976,602	-21.4%
Average* value	£3,521	£3,630	3.1%
Median value	£1,020	£1,160	13.7%
Judgments against incorporated businesses
volume	284	221	-22.2%
total value	£1,090,022	£812,332	-25.5%
Average* value	£3,838	£3,676	-4.2%
Median value	£1,024	£1,160	13.3%
Judgments against unincorporated businesses
volume	69	48	-30.4%
total value	£152,959	£164,270	7.4%
Average* value	£2,217	£3,422	54.3%
Median value	£991	£1,175	18.5%
Satisfactions
volume	104	130	25.0%
total value	£402,759	£304,632	-24.4%
Average* value	£3,873	£2,343	-39.5%
Median value	£878	£744	-15.3%

*Average value refers to the ‘mean’. In some cases, the mean average can be higher or lower than the median value, as it is can be distorted by outlying high or low value cases.