Household debt: Economic indicators

Economic indicators are quick-read summaries of the latest data focusing on different aspects of the UK economy. The full suite of indicators can be found on the main Economic Indicators page.

Household debt as a % of disposable income

Household debt peaked in Q3 2008 at 155.8% of household disposable income. It then declined to around 135% by early 2016.

Household debt levels have been falling since the beginning of 2022. In Q4 2025 the debt-to-income ratio was 117.5%.

Statistical note: The household debt and income source data were changed in May 2019. Previously debt and income totals included the non-profit sector (mostly charities and universities). The new data reflects only individuals in the household sector. The overall historical trends are unchanged. For more see the Library paper on household debt.

Current average mortgage interest rates

The average Standard Variable Rate (SVR) was 6.60% in May 2026, down 0.48 percentage points on a year ago.

The average two-year fixed mortgage rate was 4.81% in May 2026, up 0.74 percentage points on a year ago.

Individual insolvencies

There were 35,143 individual insolvencies in England and Wales in Q1 2026, 1,446 more than in the previous quarter.

The Q1 2026 level is 20.4% higher than the level in Q1 2025.

In Scotland, there were 1,896 individual insolvencies in Q4 2025, up 6% on the year.

In Northern Ireland, there were 412 individual insolvencies in Q1 2026, up 3% on the year.

Next updates

This page is updated when new data is published. The next source updates will be:

• Bank of England, Statistical database, 7 July 2026

• Insolvency Service, Insolvency Statistics, 18 August 2026

• ONS, UK Economic Accounts, 30 June 2026