Stories

Thu, 30 Apr 2026

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 'There were letters I didn't want to open': Rise in unpaid debt court cases

The number of county court judgements rose by 17.5% in the first quarter of this year compared to last, data suggests.

* Mark Sumner accumulated over £2,000 debt when his energy bills jumped from £80 to £220 a month.
* He was issued with a County Court Judgement (CCJ) and was worried about receiving letters from his energy supplier.
* The number of new CCJs has increased by 17.5% in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, with 270,537 registered.
* Energy debt has reached a record high of over £4.5bn across all energy companies in Britain.
* Mark had to sell his family home to pay off his debt and is now living in social housing with the help of a local charity.
* He fears that rising energy prices will continue to push people into debt, saying "When's it ever going to end? We can't just keep going and going and going."
* A debt charity has reported an increase in clients struggling with energy debt, with many relying on credit cards or loans to cover everyday expenses.
* The charity notes that the issue of energy debt is often linked to other debts such as mortgages, rent, and insurance, making it difficult for people to manage their finances.
* The Registry Trust has said that the latest data suggests continued cost-of-living pressures on households, with large numbers of CCJs being issued.
* A second individual, Jane, was interviewed who had fallen behind on her energy bills due to health issues and receives support from a debt charity.