Overview
THERE WERE 230,239 NEW JUDGMENTS PROCESSED IN Q1 2022.
Compared to the same period last year, the number of judgments decreased from 256,404 to 230,239, a decrease of 10%.
The total value of judgments processed during this quarter was £532,032,406. The median amount for judgments was £800.
97.5% of all judgments we processed were from the England and Wales jurisdiction.
England and Wales
County Court Judgments (CCJs) increased 8% in Q1 2022 compared to the previous quarter and decreased by 10% year-on-year. CCJs have shown an increase from 208,502 in Q4 2021 to 224,449 in Q1 2022.
The number of business CCJs increased from 15,210 in Q1 2021 to 29,705 to in Q1 2022. The total value of CCJ debt owed by businesses rose by 33% percent, from £79 million to £105 million. The average value of business debt fell by 32% from £ 5,218 to £3,537. Similarly, the median value fell by 48% from £1,854 to £951 over the period.
The number of CCJs against larger incorporated businesses was up by 129% percent, from 10,081 in Q1 2021 to 23,163 in Q1 2022. The total value rose from £63 million to £86 million, an increase of 34% percent. The average value declined by 41%, from £6,330 in Q1 2021 to £3,719 in Q1 2022. The median value was down by 60% from £2,276 to £912.
CCJs against smaller unincorporated businesses also rose, by 27%, from 5,129 to 6,542. The total debt value for these businesses also rose by 21%, from £15 million to £18 million. This meant the average value fell by 4.5% from £3,032 to £2,893, whereas the median value rose by 1.9% from £1,309 in Q1 2021 to £1,335 in Q1 2022.
The number of High Court Judgments against businesses fell by 13% from 61 in Q1 2021 to 53 in Q1 2022. The total value fell sharply, by 81 percent, from £98 million in Q1 2021 to £18 million Q1 2022. The small number of registered High Court Judgments means these figures are subject to large fluctuations.
The number of County Court Judgments (CCJs) issued against consumers in England and Wales fell from 234,891 in Q1 2021 to 194,744 in Q1 2022; a decrease by 17%.
The total value of consumer judgments owed fell by 15%, from £394 million in Q1 2021 to £331 million in Q1 2022. The average value of consumer judgments rose slightly by 1.4%, from £1,680 to £1,704, with the median value also down by 5.5% from £807 to £762.
However, the number of judgments ‘satisfied’ (or fully paid) by consumers in Q1 2022 increased by 0.41% compared to Q4 2021 from 44,504 to 44,690.
In the High Court, the number of judgments against consumers fell by 4.8 percent, from 42 in Q1 2021 to 40 Q1 2022. But the total value saw a rise of 7.40 %, from £29 million to £31 million. The average value saw a rise of 13% from £695,813 to £784,740. Due to the small number of judgments registered by the High Court, the numbers are subject to large fluctuations in percentage increases or decreases and the impact of a small number of very large judgments.
Scotland
The number of decrees registered in Scotland decreased in Q1 2022 compared to Q1 2021, whereas the total amount of debt has shown an increase in this quarter.
The number decreased from 4,485 in Q1 2021 to 3,836 in Q1 2022, a fall of 14%. The total value rose even more, by 23%, from £13 million to £17 million. As a result, the average value rose by 49% from £2,936 to £4,384, with the median value fell by 17 percent, from £ 1,640 to £ 1,363.
The number of decrees against Scottish businesses also rose, by nearly 52 percent, from 434 in Q1 2021 to 661 in Q1 2022. The total value significantly increased by 269 percent from just under £2.1 million to £8 million. The average value rose by 142 percent from £5,047 to £12,230. The median value, on the other hand, decreased by nearly 34 percent, from £2,247 in Q1 2021 to £1,486 in Q1 2022.
The number of decrees against incorporated businesses increased by 57 percent, from 353 to 555. The total value increased by 341 percent, from £1.7million in Q1 2021 to £7.6 million in Q1 2022. The average value rose by just over 181 percent from £4,883 to £13,718.
Decrees against smaller businesses also increased, from 81 to 106, an increase of 31 percent. The total value slightly rose by nearly 0.9 percent from £466,759 to £470,702 with the average value decreasing by 22 percent, from £5,762 to £4,441.
Northern Ireland
The number of debt judgments registered against Northern Ireland consumers in the first quarter of 2022 (Q1 2022) fell from 971 to 920, a fall by 5.25 percent as compared to the same period last year.
The total value of consumer judgment debt saw an increase of 59 percent from £2.9 million to £4.6 million. The average value of consumer judgments rose by 65 percent, from £3,071 in Q1 2021 to £5,077 in Q1 2022. The median value rose by more than 25 percent from £930 to £1,166.
The period also saw a rise in the number and value of judgments against businesses in Northern Ireland. The number of judgments registered in Q1 2022 was 179, compared to 152 in Q1 2021, an increase of 18 percent. The total value of judgments against Northern Ireland businesses slightly increased from £691,881 to £693,202 a rise of 0.19 percent. The average value of business judgments declined from £4,552 to £3,873, a decrease by 15 percent.
Republic of Ireland
The number and of judgments registered against Irish consumers and businesses saw an increase in the first quarter of 2022(Q1 2022) compared to the same quarter last year.
The number of judgments against consumers increased by 28 percent, from 155 to 199. The total value rose by 118 percent, from €7.6 million in Q1 2021 to €16.6 million in Q1 2022.
The average value of consumer judgments rose by over 70 percent, from €49,223 to €83,714 and the median value fell by nearly 15 percent, from €9,387 to €7,900.
Judgments against Irish businesses also saw an increase from 89 to 110, rise by 24 percent. However, the total value registered against businesses slightly fell by 2 percent, from €5 million to €4.9. This meant that the average value saw a decrease, up 20 percent from €56,183 to €44,736.
Jersey
The number and value of judgments issued in the Jersey Petty and Royal Courts against consumers and businesses in the first quarter of 2022 (Q1 2022) increased as compared to the same period in 2021.
The total number of judgments issued against consumers in Q1 2022 increased from 223 to 296, up 33 percent compared to the same period in 2021.
The total value of judgments issued against Jersey consumers drastically increased by 149 percent from £387,495 to £964,480. The average value rose by 87 percent from £1,738 to £3,258, so did the median by 28 percent from £183 to £234.
Judgments against Jersey businesses also saw an increase in this quarter. The numbers of judgments against businesses in Q1 2022 increased to 27, a rise of 68 percent from the 16 issued in the same period of 2021.
The value of business judgments registered in the quarter was £249,855, a huge rise of 414 percent compared to the £48,622 in the same period of 2021. The average value of business judgments rose by 204 percent from £3,039 to £9,254, while the median value increased by 295 percent, from £1,112 to £4,388.
Isle of Man
The number and value of judgments issued in the Isle of Man Courts of Justice against consumers increased in the first quarter of 2022 (Q1 2022) compared to the same period last year.
The total number of judgments issued against consumers in Q1 2022 was 75, an increase of 36 percent compared to the 55 in Q1 2021. The value of judgments issued against consumers rose by 26 percent from nearly £240,795 to £304,831. The average value fell by 7.1% from £4,378 to £4,064. The median increased from £620 to £750, a rise of 21 percent.
Judgments against Isle of Man businesses also saw an increase. The numbers of judgments against businesses rose from 3 in Q1 2021 to 12 in Q1 2022.
Judgment activity against businesses in the Isle of Man saw a drastic increase in the quarter as compared to being non-existent in the previous quarter. The value of business judgments registered increased from the £5,333 in Q1 2021 to £110,705 in Q1 2022. The average value of business judgments significantly rose by 418 percent, from £1,778 to £9,225, with the median rising by 187 percent from £1,200 to £3,467.