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Debts

Volume 478: debated on Tuesday 8 July 2008

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average level of personal (a) secured and (b) unsecured debt expressed (i) in cash terms and (ii) as a percentage of income was in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. (215873)

I have been asked to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 8 July 2008:

As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your questions on what the average level of personal (a) secured and (b) unsecured debt expressed (i) in pounds and (ii) as a percentage of income was in each year since 1997. (215873)

Table 1—shows average household sector (a) unsecured and (b) secured loans in (i) pounds and (ii) as a percentage of gross disposable household income

Average unsecured loans (£)

Average secured loans (£)

Unsecured loans as percentage of GDHI

Secured loans as percentage of GDHI

1997

1,516

7606

16

79

1998

1,666

8044

17

81

1999

1,861

8664

18

83

2000

2,111

9359

19

86

2001

2,383

10,291

21

89

2002

2,659

11,636

22

97

2003

2,745

13,344

22

107

2004

3,064

15,038

24

118

2005

3,223

16,007

24

119

2006

3,395

17,744

25

129

2007

n/a

n/a

25

135

Source:

Secured loans—table A64 in UK Economic Accounts identifiers NNRQ, NNRR, NNRS and NNRU.

Unsecured loans—table A64 in UK Economic Accounts identifiers NNRG and NNRK.

Households’ gross disposable income-table A38 in UK Economic Accounts identifier QWND.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the average total personal debt servicing level as a percentage of income; and if he will make a statement. (215874)

I have been asked to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 8 July 2008:

As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question on what estimate has been made of the average total personal debt servicing level as a percentage of income. (215874)

Total household loans as a percentage of gross disposable household income for 2007, is estimated to be 160 per cent.

Source:

Total loans—table A64 in UK Economic Accounts identifier NNRE.

Households’ gross disposable household income—table A38 in UK Economic Accounts identifier QWND.