Scottish consumer debt decrees fall by 29%

According to latest figures released by Registry Trust, during the first half of 2019, there were 9,310 debt decrees registered against Scottish consumers, the figures 29 percent lower than HY1 2018. There was a 33 percent decrease in the combined value of consumer decrees to £23.6million. The average value of all consumer decrees fell to a record first half-year low of £2,532, five percent lower than in the same period of 2018, and the median consumer decree increased by four percent to £1,325.

The number of small claims against consumers fell by 29 percent in HY1 2019 to 8,498, with the total value down to £13.1million, a 28 percent drop on HY1 2018’s record high figure of £18.1million. The average value of consumer small claims increased one percent to £1,537, and the median value rose by five percent to £1,213.

Ordinary cause decrees against consumers in the first six months of 2019 dropped by 33 percent to 812, compared to the same period the previous year.  The total value fell by 39 percent to an all time first half-year low of £10.5million. The average value fell eight percent to £12,954, while the median value at £8,809 rose eight percent from 2018 figures.

Only 4.34 percent of decrees were marked as satisfied during the first half of 2019. This compared to the 13.88 percent of satisfied debt judgments in England and Wales, where satisfaction rates are far higher owing to legal differences.

Scotland chairman Malcolm Hurlston CBE said “Lenders are likely to take notice when a decree is satisfied. It would be helpful if advice agencies in Scotland helped clients to report it to us.”

“The decree stats for both businesses and consumers are positive over this half year and give hope for a strengthening economy.”

Consumer statistics

	Q1 2018	Q1 2019	Change (compared with Q1 2018)
All consumer decrees
volume	13,190	9,310	-29%
total value	£35.3m	£23.6m	-33%
Average* value	£2,676	£2,532 [record low]	-5%
median	£1,272	£1,325	+4%
Small claims and summary cause decrees
volume	11,977	8,498	-29%
total value	£18.1m [record high]	£13.1m	-28%
Average* value	£1,514	£1,537	+1%
median	£1,155	£1,213	+5%
Ordinary cause decrees
volume	1,213	812	-33%
total value	£17.2m	£10.5m [record low]	-39%
Average* value	£14,150	£12,954	-8%
median	£8,162	£8,809	+8%

* Average value refers to the ‘mean’. The mean average tends to be higher than the median, as it is more likely to be distorted by outlying, high value cases.