For many ordinary unsecured debts, a creditor normally has six years to start court action in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or five years in Scotland. The period is not counted simply from the day you first borrowed money, and it can be affected by payments, written acknowledgement, court action and the type of debt.
A debt does not automatically disappear from every record when six years pass. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, a statute-barred debt can still exist even though court recovery is restricted. In Scotland, a qualifying obligation can be extinguished after the prescriptive period. Court judgments, mortgage shortfalls, council tax, tax and benefit overpayments can follow different rules.
How long can a debt be chased in the UK?
The usual starting point is six years for many unsecured debts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and five years in Scotland. This commonly covers credit cards, personal loans, catalogues, store cards and overdrafts, but only when the legal conditions are met.
The creditor normally has to start the relevant court claim before the limitation or prescription period ends. Merely knowing that an account is old is not enough: you need the correct starting date, a record of payments and acknowledgements, and confirmation of whether court action has already occurred.
What does statute barred debt mean in the UK?
A statute-barred debt is one for which the legal time allowed to bring a claim has expired. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the debt generally still exists, but the creditor may have lost the right to obtain a new court judgment for it.
Scotland uses the law of prescription. The FCA explains that a qualifying debt ceases to exist and is no longer recoverable when the relevant period ends without a relevant claim or acknowledgement. This difference is why advice written for England and Wales should not be applied automatically in Scotland.
“Statute barred” is not the same as a creditor voluntarily writing off a balance, a debt being included in an insolvency solution, or an entry falling off a credit report.
How do the rules differ across the UK?
The broad time limits and legal effects differ by jurisdiction:
| Where you live and the relevant law | General period for many unsecured debts | General effect when the conditions are met | Important caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 6 years | A new court claim may be defeated by a limitation defence; the debt can still exist | The cause-of-action date may be later than the first missed payment |
| Scotland | 5 years | A qualifying obligation can be extinguished by prescription | Some debts and court decrees use 20-year periods |
| Northern Ireland | 6 years | A new claim may be barred while the debt can still exist | The Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 applies, not the Limitation Act 1980 |
These are general rules, not a calculation for an individual account. Where you live, the agreement, the court with jurisdiction and earlier proceedings can all matter.
When does the limitation period start?
The clock normally starts when the creditor first has a legal right to bring the relevant claim, often called the “cause of action”. That date is not necessarily the date of the last purchase, the first missed payment or the default shown on your credit report.
For a regulated credit agreement, the creditor may need to issue and allow a formal default notice to expire before it can demand the full balance or end the agreement. National Debtline therefore warns that the start date for some credit-card and personal-loan debts can be later than the first missed payment.
Different starting rules apply to different debts. Obtain the agreement, statements, termination or default notice and any court documents before attempting a calculation.
What conditions usually need to be met?
For an unsecured simple-contract debt in England and Wales, it will normally be necessary to establish that the full limitation period has run after the cause of action and that, during the relevant period:
- the creditor did not start a court claim;
- neither you nor another liable person made a payment that restarted time; and
- you did not acknowledge liability in writing in a way that restarted time.
Scotland uses related concepts of a relevant claim and relevant acknowledgement over its five-year period. Northern Ireland has its own legislation. Do not rely on an online calculator without checking the legal rules that apply to the particular debt.
Can a payment restart the clock?
Yes. A payment made before the limitation or prescription period ends can restart the time for many debts, even if the amount is small. A payment made on a joint debt can also affect the other jointly liable borrower.
Do not send a “goodwill” payment merely to stop calls if you believe the debt may be close to becoming statute barred. First obtain advice and verify the dates. National Debtline notes that a payment made after an England or Wales debt has already become statute barred will not necessarily revive the creditor’s court remedy, but individual circumstances still need checking.
Can writing to a creditor restart the clock?
A written acknowledgement of liability made before the period expires can restart time for many debts. Email, text and webchat may count as writing; the effect depends on what was said, who sent it and the applicable law.
Asking for advice from an independent debt adviser does not itself acknowledge the debt to the creditor. If you need documents from the creditor, use wording approved by a debt adviser that does not admit liability. Citizens Advice specifically recommends getting advice before writing when the deadline may have passed or may be close.
On a joint debt, one person’s written acknowledgement may reset only that person’s period, while a payment can reset the period for both. Check the jurisdiction and facts rather than assuming both borrowers are affected identically.
Do letters from a creditor restart the time limit?
Creditor letters and collection calls do not by themselves usually count as your acknowledgement or payment. However, a court claim issued within the period can prevent the debt from becoming statute barred, and your reply might matter if it admits liability.
Keep every letter and envelope. A creditor’s contact history is also relevant to FCA collection rules: in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, a regulated firm must not attempt to recover a statute-barred debt if the lender or owner was not in contact with the customer during the limitation period.
Is a debt automatically written off after six years?
No. Six years is not a universal debt write-off rule. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, limitation generally restricts particular court action; it does not erase the underlying balance from every system. Scotland’s prescription rules can extinguish qualifying obligations, but not every debt uses the five-year period.
A creditor selling or assigning the account does not create a fresh debt or automatically restart time. The purchaser generally acquires the creditor’s existing rights and is subject to the same history, although you should ask for evidence that it has authority to collect.
Can a debt collector contact you after the limitation period?
Contact can still occur in some circumstances, but FCA-regulated firms must follow specific rules. They must not mislead you by threatening court action they know is unavailable, and they must not continue demanding payment after you state that you will not pay because the debt is statute barred.
The FCA also says a firm may continue trying to recover a debt where the lender or owner was in regular contact with the customer during the limitation period. This is different from being able to obtain a new court judgment. If you dispute the debt, use an appropriate statute-barred letter after taking advice and keep proof of delivery.
What if you receive court papers for an old debt?
Respond by the deadline. Limitation is normally a defence that must be raised; the court may not apply it automatically. Ignoring a claim can lead to a judgment by default even if you believe the debt was already statute barred.
Get urgent help from Citizens Advice, National Debtline, Advice NI, a Scottish money adviser or a solicitor as appropriate. Keep the claim form, agreement, notices, statements and evidence of the last payment or written acknowledgement.
If a judgment was entered without your knowledge after the limitation period had already expired, an adviser can explain whether an application to set it aside or recall it may be available. Deadlines and procedures differ across the UK.
What if the creditor already has a court judgment?
An existing judgment or decree changes the position. In England and Wales, National Debtline says the Limitation Act does not impose a simple expiry date on enforcing a County Court Judgment, although court permission is generally needed to use enforcement agents when the judgment is more than six years old.
In Scotland, Citizens Advice says a creditor generally has 20 years to enforce a court order. Northern Ireland has its own judgment-enforcement system. Never assume that a judgment has become unenforceable merely because it has disappeared from a credit report after six years.
Which debts can have different time limits?
Several common liabilities need separate treatment:
| Debt or legal status | Why the ordinary unsecured-debt rule may not apply |
|---|---|
| Mortgage shortfall | England and Wales generally use 12 years for capital and 6 for interest; Scotland commonly uses 20 years for capital and 5 for interest |
| County Court Judgment or Scottish decree | A court order already exists, so ordinary pre-claim limitation rules no longer apply in the same way |
| Council tax after a liability order or summary warrant | The authority may have obtained a separate enforcement right with a longer or no simple expiry period |
| Income tax and VAT | National Debtline says England and Wales do not apply the ordinary limitation period to recovery of tax, duty or related interest |
| Benefit overpayments | Court limitation may apply, but government bodies can sometimes recover through benefits or wages without a new court claim |
| Child maintenance and court fines | Special statutory enforcement rules apply |
| Debts secured on property | Security rights and mortgage law require separate analysis |
This table is deliberately general. Take specialist advice for public debts, secured borrowing, guarantees, fraud-related liabilities, insolvency debts or any existing court order.
How long can a mortgage shortfall be chased?
Mortgage shortfalls commonly have longer periods than unsecured credit. In England and Wales, the Limitation Act generally allows 12 years for mortgage capital and six years for interest. In Scotland, Citizens Advice describes 20 years for the principal and five years for interest.
The starting point is not necessarily the sale date or last instalment, and lenders may follow industry commitments about contact. Because a former home and secured agreement are involved, obtain specialist mortgage-shortfall advice before replying or paying.
Can council tax or government debt become statute barred?
Sometimes a time limit affects a particular court route, but public bodies can have other recovery powers. In England and Wales, a council normally has six years to obtain a council-tax liability order; once it has the order, National Debtline says there is no simple time limit for enforcement.
Scotland generally allows local authorities 20 years to pursue council-tax arrears. Benefit overpayments can be complicated because the DWP or a council may be able to deduct money from ongoing benefits or wages even where a court claim is time barred. Tax, child maintenance and court fines also use specialist rules.
Do not apply a six-year unsecured-credit rule to public debt without advice.
Is the six-year credit-report period the same as limitation?
No. Credit reporting and court limitation are separate systems with different starting events. Experian says a default generally remains for six years from the default date, whether or not the balance is later paid. A court judgment also normally remains on a credit report for six years.
A debt can therefore disappear from a credit report while enforcement rights still exist, or be statute barred while an entry is still visible. The default date shown by a credit-reference agency is not proof of the legal cause-of-action date.
Our guides to what affects your credit score and checking a UK credit file explain how to review inaccurate entries without confusing reporting with legal enforceability.
How do joint debts affect the calculation?
Each named borrower can usually be liable for the whole joint balance, not merely half. A payment by either borrower can restart the period for both in many situations, while one person’s written acknowledgement may affect only that person.
Check the other borrower’s payment history before claiming that a joint debt is statute barred. Our guide to joint accounts and financial associations explains the separate effect that joint finance can have on credit applications.
What evidence should you collect?
Build a dated record before responding:
- the original agreement and account number;
- statements showing the last payment by every liable person;
- the default or termination notice and its expiry date;
- letters, emails, texts and webchat transcripts;
- notices showing whether the debt was sold;
- any letter of claim, claim form, judgment, decree, liability order or charging order; and
- relevant entries from all three credit reports.
Do not assume a missing credit-report entry proves there was no court action. An adviser may recommend checking the official register or relevant court.
What should you do when contacted about an old debt?
Do not ignore court papers, but do not rush into admitting or paying an ordinary collection letter before checking the account. First identify the creditor, confirm that the debt belongs to you, establish the jurisdiction and find out whether a judgment already exists.
If the limitation period may have expired, contact a free debt adviser before writing. National Debtline and Citizens Advice provide sample wording that disputes liability without accidentally acknowledging the debt. If the debt is still enforceable but unaffordable, an adviser can help prioritise essential bills and negotiate a realistic solution. Our UK budgeting guide can help organise the figures, but it is not a substitute for legal debt advice.
How can you complain about unfair collection?
Complain to the creditor or debt-collection firm in writing, explaining the dates, the limitation position you rely on and the outcome you want. Do not admit liability in the complaint if that is disputed. Keep a copy and proof of sending.
If the business is FCA regulated and its final response does not resolve the complaint, you may be able to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service. The Ombudsman considers the firm’s conduct, while a court decides legal disputes about enforceability. Seek urgent advice if court papers or enforcement notices arrive.
Frequently asked questions
Does debt expire after six years in the UK?
Not automatically. Many unsecured debts can become statute barred after six years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland if the required conditions are met. Scotland generally uses five years and prescription can extinguish a qualifying obligation.
Can a debt be chased after seven or ten years?
It depends on the debt, jurisdiction, acknowledgements, payments and court action. A collector may make contact about an old balance, but it must not mislead you about court powers and some debts may already be statute barred. Judgments and special debts can remain enforceable for longer.
How long before a debt becomes uncollectible in the UK?
There is no single point when every UK debt becomes uncollectible. Many unsecured debts may become statute barred after six years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland or prescribed after five years in Scotland, but only if the relevant legal conditions are met. Court judgments, mortgages and public debts can follow longer or different rules.
Can I ignore a statute-barred debt?
Do not ignore court papers or formal enforcement notices. If you receive only a collection letter and think the debt is statute barred, obtain free debt advice before admitting liability, making a payment or sending a response. An adviser can help you check the dates and use suitable wording.
Does selling a debt restart the six years?
No, assignment to a debt purchaser does not by itself restart the period. Payments, qualifying written acknowledgements or court action are the events more likely to affect the calculation.
Can a creditor get a CCJ after six years?
A creditor can issue a claim, but you may have a limitation defence if the debt was already statute barred. You must respond and raise the defence; ignoring the papers risks a judgment by default.
Does a small payment restart the limitation period?
It can if made before the period ends. The amount does not need to be large. Get advice before making any payment when the limitation date may be close or disputed.
Does acknowledging a debt by phone restart the clock?
For many England and Wales debts, acknowledgement generally needs to be in writing and signed, while a payment has a separate effect. Digital messages and other jurisdictions add complexity, so do not rely on a phone call as proof either way without advice.
Does Breathing Space stop the limitation clock?
In England and Wales, Citizens Advice says that if a limitation period would end during a statutory Breathing Space, it is extended and ends eight weeks after the Breathing Space finishes. Other debt solutions and jurisdictions use different rules.
Can Money Trumpet decide whether my debt is statute barred?
No. Money Trumpet is a credit broker, not a debt adviser or legal firm. A qualified debt adviser or solicitor should assess the agreement, dates, jurisdiction and court history.
Sources and review information
This guide was newly researched and written for Money Trumpet and last reviewed on 12 September 2026. Principal sources were the FCA’s CONC 7.15 rules on statute-barred debts, National Debtline’s England and Wales statute-barred debt guide, Citizens Advice guidance for England and Wales and Scotland, the Scottish Government’s prescription overview, and Experian’s guide to defaults on credit reports.
Money Trumpet is a credit broker, not a lender, debt adviser or legal adviser. This article gives general UK information and is not a determination that any debt is statute barred. Limitation and prescription depend on the agreement, dates, jurisdiction, acknowledgements, payments and court action. Obtain free independent debt advice or legal advice before acting.