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What happens when a debt goes unpaid?

Debt collection follows a sequence. Knowing which stage you are at tells you what can happen next, how long you have, and what you can still do about it.

Applies to: England & Wales

Written by The My Debt Cleared editorial teamLast reviewed 18 October 2026Next review 18 April 2027Jurisdiction England & WalesEditorial policy
For most unsecured debts — cards, loans, overdrafts, catalogues — the order is: missed payments, arrears letters, a default notice, collection by the creditor or a debt collector, a letter before claim, a court claim, a County Court Judgment, and only then enforcement such as bailiffs, wage deductions or a charging order. Each stage takes weeks or months, and at every one you can still make an offer, ask for time or get free advice.

What to do now

  1. Find your stage on the timeline below — the most recent letter you received tells you.
  2. If you have a court claim form, a statutory demand or a notice of enforcement, open the letter checker now: those have strict deadlines.
  3. Otherwise, work out what you can afford with the budget calculator and make an offer before the next stage.

The stages, in order

  1. Missed paymentLate fees and interest can be added and the lender will contact you.day one
  2. Arrears lettersReminders, and for regulated credit a statutory Notice of Sums in Arrears.weeks
  3. Default noticeA formal Consumer Credit Act warning giving at least 14 days to pay the arrears.at least 14 days
  4. Debt collectorCollection passes to an agency, or the debt is sold. Collectors have no special powers.months
  5. Letter before claimRequired before a court claim for most consumer debts, with a reply form.30 days to reply
  6. Court claimA County Court claim form arrives.14 days to respond, 28 if acknowledged
  7. County Court JudgmentThe court orders payment, usually by instalments you can afford.removed if paid in full within a month
  8. EnforcementOnly if a judgment is not kept to: bailiffs, wage deductions, a bank order or a charging order.needs a further court step

Where you can step in

Before a default: a freeze interest or repayment offer letter often stops the account moving on. Once a collector has it: check the debt is yours and the amount is right — a dispute letter or CCA request — and see whether it may be statute-barred. At the letter-before-claim stage: reply within 30 days. After a court claim: respond by the deadline, because doing nothing leads to judgment by default. After a CCJ: keep to the order, or ask the court to change it.

If you need breathing room at any point, ask the creditor to hold action while you get advice, or ask a debt adviser about Breathing Space, which pauses most enforcement and interest for 60 days.

Priority debts follow different routes

Some debts skip most of these stages because the creditor has stronger powers. Council tax: reminder, summons and a liability order from the magistrates’ court, after which the council can use enforcement agents or deduct from wages or benefits — no County Court claim needed (council tax arrears). Rent and mortgage: arrears can lead to a possession claim against your home (rent arrears, mortgage arrears). Energy: suppliers can apply for a warrant to fit a prepayment meter. Court fines and HMRC have their own enforcement powers. That is why priority debts come first in any budget.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

The stages are similar in spirit but the legal steps are different: in Scotland a creditor obtains a decree and uses sheriff officers and diligence such as arrestment; in Northern Ireland judgments are enforced through the Enforcement of Judgments Office. Get local advice — see debt help in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

You can get free, impartial debt advice

You never have to pay for debt advice. MoneyHelper (government-backed), StepChange, National Debtline and Citizens Advice all give free, confidential advice with no obligation.

Common questions

How long does it take for a debt to go to court?

Usually several months. A creditor normally sends arrears letters and a default notice first, and for most consumer debts it must send a letter before claim and wait at least 30 days for your reply before issuing a claim.

Can a debt collector send bailiffs?

Not on its own. Bailiffs (enforcement agents) can only be used for most consumer debts after a court judgment that you have not kept to, and the creditor has applied for a warrant. Council tax, fines and some other priority debts are different.

What happens if I just ignore the letters?

The debt moves through the stages anyway, usually ending in a County Court Judgment by default and then enforcement. Responding at any stage, even to say you are getting advice, gives you more control.

What creditors can doCCJs explainedDebt collectorsLetter checkerDebt Action PlanPriority debts
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