Debts issued with CCJs 'fell by 15% in 2011'

By Daniel Culpan

New figures have revealed that the debt owed by people issued with CCJs (County Court Judgments) fell again last year, to a total of £1.72 billion, Credit Today reports.

The Registry Trust's annual statistics show that the value of CCJs petitioned against borrowers in England and Wales fell by 15% in 2011, from more than £2 billion in the previous year. The fall in the total value of CCJs has continued since the figure reached a peak in 2008.

Indeed, the total value of CCJs has fallen by almost 42.6% since 2008, dropping by £1.284 billion.

Overall, 567,700 CCJs were issued in 2011, compared with 579,700 in 2010. It was the lowest total figure since 2004.

CCJs can be petitioned by lenders against borrowers who haven't repaid the debt they owe. If a CCJ isn't paid, the lender can ask the court to enforce the judgment, taking steps such as a 'warrant of execution' (sending bailiffs to collect repayments or repossess valuables) or an 'attachment of earnings order' (where money is deducted from the borrower's wages to repay their debts).

Malcolm Hurlston, chairman of the Registry Trust, said: "The declining number of judgments may seem surprising during the economic downturn. It reflects the success of measures designed to help before debts become unmanageable and a court procedure becomes necessary."

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