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💷 Old Debts Guide

Is My Debt Statute Barred in England or Wales?

The 6-year time limit, what restarts it, debt collectors and what to do if you get a court claim.

✅ Last verified: 24 September 2026 📚 Sources: listed at the end, each checked on the date shown 🇬🇧 England and Wales

💬 Check your own situation

Describe what has happened. The checker answers only from this guide, plus what you tell it, and says so if something is not covered.

Check an Old Debt →

Who this guide is for

People in England or Wales who are being chased for an old debt under an ordinary contract, such as a credit card, store card, catalogue, overdraft, personal loan or payday loan, and want to know whether it is statute barred (too old for the creditor to take you to court).

What this guide does not cover

⚖ At a glance

  • For most debts under an ordinary contract, the time limit for court action is 6 years (Limitation Act 1980).
  • A payment, or an acknowledgment of the debt in writing and signed by you, made before the 6 years run out, starts a new 6 years.
  • Once the debt is statute barred, a later payment or acknowledgment does not bring it back.
  • A statute-barred debt still exists in England and Wales, and the creditor can still ask you to pay. It cannot make you pay through the courts.
  • A debt collector regulated by the FCA must not say you may be taken to court for a debt it knows is statute barred.

The questions that decide the answer

  1. Where do you live? England or Wales: this guide. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own guides.
  2. What kind of debt is it? A credit card, loan, overdraft, catalogue or similar: this guide. Tax, benefits, council tax, fines, child maintenance, student loans or a mortgage shortfall: different rules.
  3. When did you last pay anything towards it, or sign something in writing admitting it? Less than 6 years ago: it is not statute barred. More than 6 years ago, with nothing since: it may be.
  4. Has the creditor already got a court judgment? Yes: this guide does not cover it. No, but you have just received a court claim: respond by the deadline (see below).

The 6-year time limit

A creditor cannot bring a court claim on an ordinary contract debt more than 6 years after the date it could first have taken court action. Debt advice charities say that for credit cards and loans this is usually counted from when you stopped paying and the account defaulted, or from your last payment or written acknowledgment. Check the dates with a free debt adviser.

What starts the 6 years again

If a debt collector is chasing you

A statute-barred debt still exists in England and Wales, so a creditor can still ask you to pay. The FCA's rules for regulated firms say:

Citizens Advice says you do not have to pay a statute-barred debt, and that you can write to the creditor to stop them contacting you, saying "I don't admit any liability for your claim". Do not sign anything that admits the debt until you have checked the dates.

If you get a court claim

Do not ignore it. Respond by the date on the letter or email. HMCTS says you must reply within 14 days of receiving the claim. If you need more time, send back the acknowledgment of service form within 14 days: you then have 28 days from the date you received the court papers to send your defence. If you do not respond in time, the creditor may get a county court judgment against you. If you think the debt is statute barred, say so in your defence and get free debt advice before the deadline.

Deadlines

Money figures

This guide gives no money figures.

Where to go for help

National Debtline (England and Wales): 0808 808 4000.

StepChange Debt Charity: 0800 138 1111.

Citizens Advice (England): 0800 144 8848

Citizens Advice (Wales): 0800 702 2020

Traps

📜 Sources (checked 24 September 2026)

  • legislation.gov.uk: Limitation Act 1980, section 5 (simple contract: 6 years from the date the cause of action accrued; read 24 Sep 2026, v277), section 29(5) and (7) (payment or acknowledgment restarts a current period; a barred right is not revived) and section 30(1) (acknowledgment in writing and signed).
  • FCA Handbook CONC 7.15.1G, 7.15.2G, 7.15.4R, 7.15.6R and 7.15.7G (generally 6 years; statute-barred debt still exists; no recovery without contact during the period; not misleading; no threat of court action).
  • HMCTS leaflet EX303 (reply within 14 days; acknowledgment of service gives 28 days from service for a defence) and GOV.UK: Respond to a court claim for money (respond by the date on the letter; county court judgment if you do not respond).
  • GOV.UK: Get free debt advice (National Debtline 0808 808 4000, StepChange 0800 138 1111, Citizens Advice England and Wales numbers).
  • Citizens Advice: If your debt is statute barred (attributed in the text). Debt charities (StepChange, PayPlan) on when the 6 years usually starts (attributed; section 5 runs from when the cause of action accrued; when that is for a given account is not verified - RECHECK case law).
⚠ Important disclaimer: This guide covers statute-barred debts in England and Wales as at 24 September 2026. General legal information only, not legal advice. ukworkrights.co.uk — Not a law firm.

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