Scottish Insolvency Statistics: January to March 2017 (2016-17 Quarter 4)

Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) today released official statistics reporting personal and company insolvencies in Scotland for the fourth quarter (January to March) of 2016-17 and provisional estimates for 2016-17.

Scottish insolvency statistics in 2016-17

The provisional number of personal insolvencies in Scotland increased by 1,484 or 18% to 9,958 in 2016-17 when compared with 2015-16. Estimates for 2016-17

are provisional until final figures are published in July 2017.

The number of personal insolvencies (bankruptcies and protected trust deeds (PTDs)) increased in 2016-17 but were at the second lowest level since 2005-06.

There were 5,473 PTDs registered in 2016-17, a 16% increase on the previous year.

In 2016-17, there were 2,232 debt payment programmes (DPPs) approved under the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS), a similar level to the 2,041 approved in 2015-16. In 2016-17, £37.3 million was repaid from debtors to creditors (minus fees) under DAS, similar to the £38.0 million repaid in 2015-16.

There were 840 corporate insolvencies in Scotland in 2016-17, 63 fewer than a year earlier.

Scottish insolvency statistics for January to March 2017 (2016-17 Q4)

There were 2,513 personal insolvencies, up from 2,263 personal insolvencies in the same of quarter of 2015-16.

There were 1,112 bankruptcies awarded during this quarter, a 8.2% increase on the same quarter in 2015-16. The number of PTDs increased by 13% to 1,401 over the same period.

There were 531 DPPs approved under DAS. A total of £9.2 million was repaid through DAS during this quarter, a 2.7% decrease on the quarter in the previous year.

The number of Scottish registered companies becoming insolvent or entering receivership decreased in the fourth quarter of 2016-17, with 155 companies becoming insolvent compared with 230 in 2015-16 Q4. The number of members’ voluntary liquidations (solvent liquidations) decreased from 358 to 119 over the same period.

The figures released today were produced in accordance with the professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Background           

• A full statement of Scottish insolvency statistics for the third quarter of 2016-17 is available.
  
• Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland can be accessed at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/About
  
• Accountant in Bankruptcy supervises all personal insolvencies in Scotland and administers those bankruptcies where appointed. Insolvent individuals in Scotland are subject to bankruptcy (sequestration) or enter protected trust deeds (PTDs) under the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985. The 1985 Act was amended by the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1993 and on 1 April 2008, part 1 of the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007 came into force making significant changes to some aspects of bankruptcy in Scotland. Changes included the introduction of LILA, a route into bankruptcy for people with low income and low assets. The changes also took a number of processes out of the Scottish Court system, reducing costs and freeing up court time.
  
• Protected trust deeds (PTDs) are voluntary arrangements, where the debtor passes their estate to an insolvency practitioner who arranges to repay part of the debt to creditors on the debtor’s behalf. This is similar to Individual Voluntary Agreements (IVAs) in England and Wales; although there are important differences in the way they are set up and administered.
  
• The Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) is administered by Accountant in Bankruptcy. Debt payment programmes approved under DAS allow individuals to repay their debts in full over an extended period of time whilst providing protection from enforcement by their creditors and safeguarding their home as long as mortgage payments are maintained. Further information on DAS, including a register of debt payment programmes, is available here.
  
• Details of bankruptcies, PTDs, liquidations and receiverships are found on the register of insolvencies, which is maintained by Accountant in Bankruptcy and can be found at https://roi.aib.gov.uk/roi
  
• Accountant in Bankruptcy is also responsible for receiving, extracting and recording information from certain forms relating to company liquidations and receiverships. The legislation appropriate to liquidations and receiverships is contained in the Insolvency Act 1986 and the Insolvency (Scotland) Rules 1986.
  
• Further information regarding insolvency in Scotland, including legislation, can be found on the Accountant in Bankruptcy’s website at www.aib.gov.uk

Contact: Gavin Cameron, Communications Manager, Accountant in Bankruptcy

Telephone: 0300 200 2636 / 07976 183010