Northern Irish consumer debt judgments fall 12%

The number of debt judgments registered against Northern Ireland consumers in the first half of 2021 (H1 2021) was 1,678, a fall of nearly 12 per cent from the 1,900 in the same period last year, according to figures released by Registry Trust.

But, the total value of judgment debt owed by consumers rose by nearly 10 per cent from £4.2 million in H1 2020 to £4.6 million in H1 2021. As a result, the average value of consumer judgments rose by 25 per cent, from £2,206 last year to £2,748. The median value was also higher, up eight per cent, from £888 to £963.

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 consumers volume 1,900 1,678 -11.6% total value £4,191,947 £4,610,596 9.9% Average* value £2,206 £2,748 24.5% Median value £888 £963 8.4%

*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.