Who this guide is for
People in Northern Ireland 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
- England, Wales or Scotland: see the England and Wales guide or the Scotland guide.
- A debt where the creditor already has a court judgment: different rules apply. Ask Advice NI.
- Rates, tax owed to HMRC, benefit overpayments, court fines, child maintenance, student loans and mortgage shortfalls: these have different rules. Ask Advice NI.
- Joint debts, and exactly what counts as an acknowledgment: ask Advice NI before you sign or pay anything.
- A civil bill (claims over £5,000): ask Advice NI straight away.
- Court judgments enforced by the Enforcement of Judgments Office, Debt Relief Orders, IVAs, administration orders and bankruptcy: see the debt help guide for Northern Ireland.
At a glance
- For most debts under an ordinary contract, the time limit for court action is generally 6 years (Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989).
- An acknowledgment or a payment made before the 6 years run out starts a new 6 years.
- An acknowledgment or part payment does not revive a debt that is already statute barred.
- A statute-barred debt still exists in Northern Ireland, 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.
What the rules depend on
- Where do you live? Northern Ireland: this guide. England, Wales and Scotland have their own guides.
- What kind of debt is it? A credit card, loan, overdraft, catalogue or similar: this guide. Rates, tax, benefits, fines, child maintenance, student loans or a mortgage shortfall: different rules.
- When did you last pay anything towards it, or acknowledge it? Less than 6 years ago: it is not statute barred. More than 6 years ago, with nothing since: it may be.
- Has the creditor already got a court judgment? Yes: ask Advice NI straight away.
- Have you had court papers? See "If you get a court claim".
The 6-year time limit
The FCA's rules say that in Northern Ireland the limitation period for debt is generally 6 years. The time limits are in the Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (article 4 for contract). Check the dates with Advice NI.
What starts the 6 years again
- An acknowledgment of the debt, or a payment towards it, made before the 6 years run out, starts the time limit again (articles 57 and 65). An acknowledgment must be in writing and signed by the person making it (their agent can make it for them), and it must be made to the person you owe the debt to, or their agent (article 59). Later acknowledgments, also made before the time runs out, can extend it again. Ask Advice NI before you sign or pay anything.
- Northern Ireland law was changed in 1982 so that an acknowledgment or part payment does not revive a right of action that is already barred.
If a debt collector is chasing you
A statute-barred debt still exists in Northern Ireland, so a creditor can still ask you to pay. The FCA's rules for regulated firms say:
- a firm must not try to recover a statute-barred debt if the lender or owner has not been in contact with you during the 6 years;
- a firm must not mislead you about your rights; and
- it is misleading for a firm to suggest you may be taken to court for a statute-barred debt when it knows, or ought to know, the time limit has passed.
Debt collectors: what they must not do
Lenders and debt collectors regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) must follow its rules when they chase a debt. They must not contact you at unreasonable times, and they must take account of reasonable requests about when, where and how they contact you (for example if you work shifts).
They must not act in a way likely to embarrass you in public, or unfairly tell, or threaten to tell, other people about your debt. They must take reasonable steps so that other people do not find out you are being chased for a debt. They must not act in a threatening way towards you.
Visiting you at your place of work, or in hospital, would normally be inappropriate.
If a firm breaks these rules, complain to the firm first. If you are not happy with its answer, you can take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
If you get a court claim
- Most claims for £5,000 or less go to the small claims court. Bigger claims are made by civil bill in the county court.
- Do not ignore it. The small claims papers give a return date. Before that date you can accept the claim (acceptance of liability) or dispute it (notice of dispute).
- If you do not respond by the return date, the person claiming can apply for a default decree. A decree is a county court judgment. It may affect your credit rating, and it can be enforced through the Enforcement of Judgments Office.
- If you think the debt is statute barred, say so when you dispute the claim, and get free advice from Advice NI before the return date.
Deadlines
- Time limit for the creditor's court claim: generally 6 years (ordinary contract debts).
- Responding to a small claim: by the return date on the papers.
Money figures
Small claims court: claims of £5,000 or less.
Where to go for help
Advice NI: 0800 915 4604
Traps
- "Any payment restarts the clock" is only true before the 6 years run out.
- Statute barred does not mean written off in Northern Ireland: the debt still exists, but the courts cannot be used to make you pay it.
- A debt with a court judgment follows different rules.
- Scotland has a different system: see the Scotland guide.
Sources (checked 24 September 2026)
- legislation.gov.uk: Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 - article 4(a) text (simple contract: 6 years from the date the cause of action accrued; legislation.gov.uk explanatory notes to the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 and Agnew v University of Ulster [2018] NIQB 39; checked 24 Sep 2026); article headings 57, 59 and 65 (fresh accrual on acknowledgment and payment; formalities) and Schedule 2 paragraph 3 (1982 change preventing revival of a barred right), and articles 59(4) and 67(3). Articles 57 and 65 follow the same form as articles 54, 62 and 66 read on legislation.gov.uk on 26 September 2026 (the right of action is treated as accruing on and not before the date of the acknowledgment or payment).
- FCA Handbook CONC 7.15.1G, 7.15.2G, 7.15.4R, 7.15.6R and 7.15.7G (generally 6 years in Northern Ireland; statute-barred debt still exists; no recovery without contact; not misleading).
- Advice NI number (checked 24 September 2026).
- nidirect: Small claims process (updated 4 Aug 2026): a small claim is not more than GBP 5,000; the respondent is posted a small claims pack; above that, a civil bill in the County Court; a decree or order of the small claims court is a county court judgment and may affect credit status; Enforcement of Judgments Office. Department of Justice: Small Claims Online user guide (version 2, May 2011, still published): respond before the return date with an acceptance of liability or a notice of dispute, or the applicant can apply for a default decree. Checked 11 Oct 2026.
- FCA Handbook CONC 7.9.4R, 7.9.6R, 7.9.7R, 7.9.14R and 7.9.15G, checked 13 October 2026.