The Reeves Budget last year did little to boost growth, although the insurance sector in general remains pretty buoyant, with investment from overseas still flowing into UK insurtechs and the broker market too. But some wider economic indicators are concerning for anyone in business; lower GDP per person, the flight of wealthy individuals to low tax regimes, less disposable income in households due to tax and price rises. Then there’s the brutal truth of CCJs. The process itself is expensive and time-consuming, which suggests companies use it as a last resort.
They are heading upwards, which might indicate a recession looming in 2026. Here’s the data;
Data released today by Registry Trust Ltd. shows the number of County Court Judgments (CCJs) registered in 2024 for England and Wales was 1,058,485, a 4% increase on 2023. The average value of a CCJ also rose by 11% to £2,124.37.
From a 2019 high in the number of CCJs, followed by a drop-off at the height of the Covid pandemic, the overall trend for 2020 – 2024 has been upwards.
At January 2025, the North East topped the regional table of CCJs per head of population with 282,584 consumer judgements, roughly 10% of the region’s population. London followed with 9% and the North West close behind. A snapshot of local authority areas in January 2025 shows that in 25 local authority areas in England and Wales one in ten of the population has a consumer judgment.
Mick McAteer, Chair of Registry Trust Ltd. said: “Whilst the numbers and trends are very useful for local and national policymakers and tell us a story about our economy, we need to remember that behind these numbers are families and businesses often in financial distress. Having a CCJ can affect access to credit and sometimes to a home.
“Our mission at Registry Trust is to make sure that the public data we hold is used for public good. Lots of CCJs are issued without the defendant even being aware – maybe they’ve moved or are in a state of mind where official envelopes add to the pressure. That’s hard as we know that the sooner you engage with a CCJ, the better the resolution. If you want to check whether you have a CCJ, check Trust Online and, if you need to, seek advice.”
He continued: “We are making the case for two changes to the Register that we think could make a big difference for everyone involved – firstly, shifting responsibility for letting the court know that a CCJ has been paid off from the defendant to the claimant. It can be tricky for individuals to navigate the process and getting a judgement marked as satisfied can help your credit record. Secondly, we’d like to see formal acknowledgement of people who make the effort to pay some of what they owe in a new partial settlements register.”
The government recently announced that it will be legislating to allow for the names of claimants of money judgments, in the County Court and High Court, to be published on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines in England and Wales. Currently, only the name of the defendant is included on the Register, the name of the claimant is not. It is hoped that his change will help consumers who have had a CCJ made against them who do not know who the claimant is, regulators and charities to monitor how regulated firms use the courts to enforce debts, and lenders to make more informed credit decisions.
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