What is statute-barred debt in the UK?
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In short: Debt that is too old for a creditor to enforce through the courts if you have not acknowledged it or made a payment within the limitation period — usually six years for most unsecured debts in England and Wales, and five years in Scotland.
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Statute-barred debt is not written off automatically, but creditors lose the right to obtain a court judgment to force repayment after the limitation period expires. In England and Wales, the Limitation Act 1980 sets six years from the last payment or written acknowledgement for most simple contract debts, including credit cards and personal loans.
Scotland uses a five-year prescriptive period under the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973. Making any payment or signing an acknowledgement can reset the clock. County Court judgments (CCJs) can extend enforcement windows — a CCJ can be enforceable for six years and in some cases renewed.
Statute barring does not stop bailiffs if a CCJ already exists, and it does not prevent a creditor from asking for payment — only from suing successfully. If you think debt may be statute-barred, get free advice from National Debtline or StepChange before responding, because a mistaken acknowledgement can revive the debt.
Primary source: gov.uk/options-for-paying-off-your-debts
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