Scottish Insolvency Statistics: July to September 2017 (2017-18 Quarter 2)

Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) today released official statistics reporting personal and company insolvencies in Scotland for the second quarter (July to September) of 2017-18.

Scottish Insolvency Statistics for July to September 2017 (2017-18 Q2)

There were 2,472 personal insolvencies (bankruptcies and protected trust deeds (PTDs)) in Scotland in 2017-18 Q2, similar to the 2,460 personal insolvencies in the previous year (2016-17 Q2)

There were 1,124 bankruptcies awarded during this quarter, a 2.3% decrease on the same quarter in 2016-17. A decrease in creditor petitions was the main contributor to the decrease in bankruptcies; debtor applications for bankruptcy increased. PTDs increased by 2.9% to 1,348 over the same period.

There were 662 debt payment programmes (DPPs) approved under the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) compared with 663 in the same quarter of 2016-17.

A total of £9.4 million was repaid through DAS during this quarter, a 1.2% increase on the quarter in the previous year.

The number of Scottish registered companies becoming insolvent or entering receivership increased in the second quarter of 2017-18, with 225 companies becoming insolvent compared with 216 in 2016-17 Q2. The number of members’ voluntary liquidations (solvent liquidations) increased from 106 to 135 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.

• A full statement of Scottish insolvency statistics for the second quarter of 2017-18 is available – https://www.aib.gov.uk/about-aib/statistics-data/quarterly-reports
• 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