Overview
214,120 NEW JUDGMENTS WERE PROCESSED THIS QUARTER WITH A TOTAL VALUE OF £468,613,968.
During the period of 1st April to 30th June 2021, 97.6% of all judgments came from courts in England and Wales. The median value of judgments across all jurisdictions was £739. The average value was £2,188.56. This represents a ‘Q2 2020’ to ‘Q2 2021’ decrease in average value of 58%, and decrease in median value of 18%.
Year-on-year, the number of judgments increased from 66,474 to 214,120; an increase of 222%.
England and Wales
County Court Judgments (CCJs) against businesses in England and Wales rose by 59 percent in Q2 2021, compared to the same quarter in 2020, according to figures released today (27.07.2021) by Registry Trust.
The number of business CCJs increased from 12,597 in Q2 2020 to 20,014 in Q2 2021. The total value of CCJ debt owed by businesses rose by 38 percent, from £56 million to £78 million. The average value of business debt fell by nearly 13 percent from £4,481 to £3,905 while the median value fell by 43 percent from £1,845 to £1,042over the period.
The number of judgments against larger incorporated businesses increased by 68 percent, from 8,942 to 15,035 with the total value up from £45 million to £over £63 million. The average value fell by over 16 percent from £5,035 to £4,207 with the median value down 56 percent from £2,089 to £920.
CCJs against smaller unincorporated businesses also rose, up by 36 percent from 3,655 to 4,979, with the total value rising just over 30 percent from £11.4 million to £14.9 million. The average value fell slightly, down just over four percent from £3,125 to £2,993. The median value fell more, by 12 percent from £1,365 to £1,203.
The number of High Court Judgments against businesses fell by nearly two-thirds (63 percent) from 102 to 38, with the value 88 percent lower at £16 million compared to £136 million in the same period last year. 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 saw a huge rise in Q2 2021 compared to the same period last year, according to figures released today (27.07.2021) by Registry Trust.
The number registered in Q2 2021 was 188,092, up 267 percent from 51,245 in Q2 2020. The value of consumer judgments owed rose to £298 million from £112 million, a rise of 166 percent compared to Q2 2020.
Much of the huge percentage rise seen over the year is due to the fact that judgment numbers were artificially low in Q2 2020 as government and regulatory measures, and creditor forbearance, protected many households from the economic impacts of Covid. Despite the rise, numbers are still well below the pre-Covid levels seen in 2019.
The average value of consumer judgments fell 28 percent from £2,187 to £1,585, while the median value fell seven percent from £740 to £685.
The number of judgments ‘satisfied’ (or fully paid) by consumers in Q2 2021 was 48,783, up 20 percent from 40,791 in the same quarter last year. While this is encouraging, the number marked as satisfied remains a small proportion of the total judgments outstanding.
In the High Court, the number of judgments against consumers fell by 48 percent from 83 to 43 over the period. The total value fell by 20 percent from £34 million to £27 million. But, the average value rose by more than half from £407,283 to £628,288, with the median value up from £75,000 to £281,160 a rise of 275 percent. Due to the small number of judgments registered by the High Court, the numbers are subject to large fluctuations in percentage increases/decreases.
Scotland
The number of decrees and total amount of debt registered against Scottish consumers saw large rises in the second quarter of 2021 (Q1 2021) compared to the same period last year, according to figures released today (27.07.2021) by Registry Trust.
The number rose from 1,419 to 3,991 in Q2 2021, a rise of 181 percent from Q2 2020. The total value saw a similar rise, an increase of 170 percent from £4.5 million to £12.1 million. The average value fell slightly, down four percent from £3,175 to £3,044. The median value rose by 17 percent, from £1,537 to £1,800.
The number of decrees against Scottish businesses also rose, but not by as much as consumer decrees, up 36 percent from 268 to 365. The total value actually fell by nearly one-third from just under £2 million to £1.4 million. As a result, the average value halved, falling from £7,455 to £3,714. However, the median value rose by 32 percent from £1,500 to £1,977. This suggests there were fewer very large judgments and fewer smaller judgments.
The number of decrees against incorporated businesses increased by 40 percent, from 222 to 312. The total value rose slightly, up two percent from £1.17 million to £1.2 million. The average value declined by over one quarter, 27 percent, from £5,284 to £3,833. The median value rose by 42 percent from £1,402 to £1,988.
Decrees against smaller businesses also rose, from 46 to 53, an increase of 15 percent. The total value saw a large fall of 80 percent £824,891 to £159,634. As a result, the average value saw a similar large drop of 83 percent from £17,932 to £3,012. The median value fell by 23 percent from £2,313 to £1,779.
Northern Ireland
The number of debt judgments registered against Northern Ireland consumers in the second quarter of 2021 (Q2 2021) was 706, a rise of 67 percent from the 424 in the same period last year, according to figures released today (27.07.2021) by Registry Trust. But, it is worth noting that numbers are still well below the highs seen before Covid struck.
The rise in the total value of judgment debt owed was on a similar scale, up 62 percent from just over £1 million in Q2 2020 to £1.6 million in Q2 2021. The average value of consumer judgments fell slightly by just under three percent, from £2,371 last year to £2,303 this quarter. The median value fell by nearly nine percent from £1,115 to £1,016. This suggest creditors are taking out more, smaller judgments against consumers.
Judgments against Northern Ireland businesses also rose but by a lower rate of increase than against consumers. Business judgments were up 27 percent over the period, from 92 to 117. The total value of judgments against Northern Ireland businesses rose by just over nine percent, £260,514 to £284,721. The average value of business judgments fell, from £2,832 to £2,434, down 14 percent. But, the median value was 29 percent higher, at £1,295 compared to £1,006. This suggests there were fewer very large judgments and fewer smaller judgments pushing up the median value.
Republic of Ireland
The number and total value of judgments registered against Irish consumers saw very large percentage rises in the second quarter of 2021 (Q2 2021) compared to the same quarter last year, figures released today by registrar Irish Judgments show.
The number of judgments registered against Irish consumers in Q2 2021 was 307, an increase of 358 percent on the 67 seen in the same quarter last year. The total value of registered debt owed by consumers in Q2 2021 was over €30 million, sixteen times higher than the €1.8 million seen in Q2 2020. But, care must be taken with large percentage rises like this as the number and value of judgments in Q2 2020 were artificially low due to interventions designed to protect households from the financial effects of Covid.
The average value of consumer judgments registered was also much higher at €98,780, more than three and a half times the €27,523 seen in the same quarter last year. But, the median value was actually 20 percent lower at €6,050 compared to €7,571 in Q2 2020. This suggests a pattern of more, smaller judgments with a number of very large judgments pushing up the overall average.
Judgments against Irish businesses also rose significantly. Numbers of judgments registered nearly doubled from 63 in Q2 2020 to 124 in Q2 2021. The total value owed in Q2 2021 was €1.4 million, more than three times the €440,462 in Q2 2020. The average value of business judgments was up 62 percent from €6,991 to €11,297. The median value also rose from €4,876 to €5,709, an increase of 17 percent.
Jersey
The total number of judgments issued against consumers in the Jersey Petty and Royal Courts in the second quarter of 2021 (Q2 2021) was 199, according to data published today [27.07.2021] by Registry Trust. In the same quarter last year, as the full economic shocks of Covid began to emerge, just one judgment was issued. So, a direct comparison with 2020 is not meaningful. But, it is worth pointing out that recently judgment numbers have fallen for two quarters in a row.
The total value of judgments issued against Jersey consumers was 40 percent higher, up from £267,000 in Q2 2020 to £374,832 in Q2 2021. The average value of judgments in Q2 2021 was £1,884, with the median at £335. Comparisons with Q2 2020 are not meaningful as there was just one judgment of £267,000 issued in that quarter.
There were 31 judgments valued at £122,097 issued against Jersey businesses in Q2 2021 compared to none in Q2 2020. The average value was £3,939, with the median at £1,527
Isle of Man
The number of judgments issued in the Isle of Man Courts of Justice against consumers in the second quarter of 2021 was unchanged compared to the same period last year (Q2 2020), according to data published today [27.07.2021] by Registry Trust.
The total number of judgments issued against consumers in Q2 2021 was 34, equal to the number in the same period 2020. Numbers had risen at the end of last year but have fallen for the past two quarters.
The value of judgments issued against consumers saw little change, down just under three percent from just over £1 million to £994,913.
As a result, the average value in Q2 2021 also saw little change, at £29,262 compared to £30,149 in the same period last year. The median value was significantly lower, at £551 compared to £1,600 in Q2 2020.
There was a small increase in the number of judgments against Isle of Man businesses. Seven were issued in Q2 2021, compared to five in Q2 2020. But, the total value of these judgments fell sharply from £406,022 to £77,656.