Key points
- Interest and charges usually keep adding up
- A default stays on your credit file for six years
- Creditors can apply for a County Court Judgment
- After a CCJ, they can use bailiffs, attachment of earnings or a charging order
- Getting help early can stop this process
The usual steps
- Missed payments: late fees, interest and reminder letters.
- Default notice: a formal warning giving you at least 14 days to catch up.
- Default: the account is closed and the default is recorded on your credit file for six years.
- Debt collectors: the debt may be passed or sold to a collection agency.
- County Court Judgment: the creditor can take you to court.
- Enforcement: bailiffs, attachment of earnings or charging orders.
Priority debts move faster
Ignoring priority debts like council tax, rent or energy can have serious consequences quickly, including bailiffs, eviction or disconnection.
What to do instead
Open your letters, make a budget and contact creditors. If you need time, Breathing Space can pause action for 60 days while you get advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can you go to prison for debt in the UK?
Not for ordinary debts like credit cards or loans. In England, very rare cases involving unpaid council tax or court fines can lead to prison, but only after other steps have failed.
Does debt disappear after 6 years?
Some debts become statute barred after six years in England and Wales if certain conditions are met, but it isn't automatic. See our statute barred debt guide.
Will ignoring debt affect my partner?
Debts in your sole name are yours, but a joint account or mortgage can link your credit files.
Free debt advice is available
You can get free, impartial debt advice from not-for-profit organisations through MoneyHelper's debt advice locator.
Sources and further reading
This guide is general information, not advice, and was correct when last updated. Rules and limits can change. Speak to a regulated adviser about your own situation.