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Debts

Volume 461: debated on Tuesday 19 June 2007

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average personal (a) unsecured debt and (b) total debt was as a percentage of income in each year since 1997. (143313)

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 19 June 2007:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on average personal unsecured debt and total debt was as a percentage of income in each year since 1997. (143313)

The information requested is shown in the following table. The data for unsecured debt (households' total financial liabilities other than secured debt) and income (households' gross disposable income) used in the calculations are national accounts series for the combined household and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) sectors. The accounts for the household and NPISH sectors are currently combined; separate estimates are not available.

For the denominator in the calculations the series used is Population aged 16+.

Annual income per person (£)

Unsecured debt per person (£)

Unsecured debt as a percentage of income

Total debt per person (£)

Total debt as a percentage of income

1997

12,307

3,450

28.0

12,894 I

104.8

1998

12,763

3,706

29.0

13,691

107.3

1999

13,279

3,985

30.0

14,731

110.9

2000

13,955

4,332

31.0

15,937

.114.2

2001

14,787

4,749

32.1

17,466

118.1

2002

15,182

5,433

35.8

19,766

130.2

2003

15,755

5,830

37.0

22,277

141.4

2004

16,180

6,259

38.7

24,766

153.1

2005

16,865

6,519

38.7

26,183

155.3

2006

17,344

6,739

38.9

28,509

164.4

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average total personal debt servicing level as a percentage of income was for (a) interest and (b) capital repayments in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. (143314)

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 19 June 2007:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on the average total personal debt servicing level as a percentage of income for each year 1997. (143314)

The information available is shown in the following table. The only information available on repayments is payment of interest on loans. Capital repayments are not available. The data for interest on loans and income (households' gross disposable income) used in the calculations are national accounts series for the combined household and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) sectors. The accounts for the household and NPISH sectors are currently combined; separate estimates are not available.

Interest on loans (£ million)Household disposable income (£ million)Interest on loans as a percentage of income

QWMG

QWND

(QWMG/QWND)*100

1997

41862

559941

7.5

1998

51219

582790

8.8

1999

47434

608988

7.8

2000

52875

643415

8.2

2001

52141

686312

7.6

2002

51513

709048

7.3

2003

53576

740389

7.2

2004

62677

765683

8.2

2005

71091

804778

8.8

2006

75053

834240

9.0