Statute Barred Debt Checker UK 2025 — Is Your Debt Too Old to Enforce?
Under the Limitation Act 1980, creditors can lose their legal right to sue you for a debt if they wait too long. Most debts become statute barred after 6 years — meaning the creditor can no longer take court action to recover the money. Use this checker to see if your debt may be time-limited and understand your rights.
Statute barred means the creditor cannot take court action — but the debt still technically exists. It may still appear on your credit file (for 6 years from default). A creditor can still ask you to pay — they simply cannot sue you. HMRC debts have no limitation period. Always take specialist advice before acting.
What Is the Limitation Act 1980?
The Limitation Act 1980 sets time limits within which creditors must take legal action to recover debts. If a creditor does not issue court proceedings within the limitation period, the debt becomes "statute barred" — the creditor loses the legal right to enforce it through court. The debt itself does not disappear, but you have a complete defence to any court claim for it.
Limitation Periods for Different Debt Types
| Debt type | Limitation period | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards, personal loans, overdrafts | 6 years | From last payment or written acknowledgment |
| Store cards, catalogue debts, hire purchase | 6 years | From last payment or written acknowledgment |
| Utility bills, rent arrears | 6 years | From date debt became due |
| Council tax — England & Wales | 6 years | Councils rarely pursue very old debts but they can |
| Mortgage shortfall (money owed after repossession) | 12 years | For the capital element; 6 years for interest |
| County Court Judgments (CCJs) | 6 years from CCJ to enforce; indefinite otherwise | A CCJ creates a new 6-year window; cannot be statute barred until 6 years after CCJ |
| Income tax, NI, VAT owed to HMRC | No limitation period | HMRC has 4-6 years for assessments but no limit on collecting |
| Child maintenance (CMS) | No limitation | CMS can enforce without time limit |
What Resets the Limitation Clock?
The 6-year clock runs from the date of your last payment or the date you last acknowledged the debt in writing — whichever is later. Two things reset the clock entirely:
- Making a payment — any payment, however small, to the creditor for the debt resets the limitation period to 6 years from that date.
- Acknowledging the debt in writing — writing to the creditor and admitting you owe the money (for example, "I know I owe this money but cannot currently pay") also resets the clock. Verbal acknowledgment generally does not count.
This is why it is critical to take advice before contacting a creditor about an old debt. A well-meaning phone call could inadvertently acknowledge the debt and restart the clock.
What Can Creditors Still Do With a Statute Barred Debt?
Even after a debt becomes statute barred, creditors can still: ask you to pay voluntarily; report the debt to credit reference agencies (for up to 6 years from the date of default); pass or sell the debt to a debt collection agency; and contact you to request payment. What they cannot do is issue court proceedings, obtain a CCJ, or use court enforcement to recover the money.
If a creditor or debt collector pursues a statute barred debt aggressively or threatens court action, they may be in breach of FCA regulations and the Consumer Credit Act. You can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. A debt will show on your credit file for 6 years from the date of default — regardless of whether it becomes statute barred. The limitation period and the credit file period run independently. So a debt that defaulted 4 years ago will remain on your credit file for another 2 years, even if the limitation period has already run.
Yes. If a creditor issues court proceedings for a statute barred debt, you can raise the Limitation Act 1980 as a defence. The court will usually dismiss the claim. However, the limitation defence is not automatic — you must raise it. If you do not respond to court proceedings, the creditor may get a default CCJ even for a statute barred debt.
This is a personal decision. You are not legally obliged to pay a statute barred debt, and there is no legal benefit to doing so. Paying it will not remove the default from your credit file (it has already been on there for 6 years). If you choose to pay for ethical or moral reasons, that is your choice — but take advice first, as paying could be seen as acknowledging the debt and have unintended consequences.