ChartJavascript is required to render chart Average debt level where there is no arrangement to repay the debt (arrears).Source: Vulnerability Report 2019.Information correct as of: September 2019 This chart shows the average amount of debt owed by domestic customers who are in arrears, but do not yet have a debt repayment arrangement set up between Q3 2012 and Q4 2018. Improvements to how we collect information about average debt mean that it is not possible to make comparisons between data provided by suppliers before and after quarter three (July-Sept) 2012. Policy Areas:Domestic consumers Data Table Average debt level where there is no arrangement to repay the debt (arrears) GasElectricity Q3 2012445440 Q4 2012433439 Q1 2013452433 Q2 2013489450 Q3 2013490466 Q4 2013466460 Q1 2014472473 Q2 2014489495 Q3 2014484503 Q4 2014489495 Q1 2015512532 Q2 2015555561 Q3 2015554574 Q4 2015536585 Q1 2016558587 Q2 2016558581 Q3 2016534568 Q4 2016510570 Q1 2017548591 Q2 2017547596 Q3 2017529580 Q4 2017493555 Q1 2018488571 Q2 2018506571 Q3 2018508598 Q4 2018478589 More information At-a-glance summary The level of debt owed by domestic customers in arrears (who do not yet have a debt repayment arrangement set up) has generally risen since we started collecting data in Q1 2012 onwards. For gas, it peaked in Q1 2017 and has since fallen by 13 per cent. In electricity, after a couple of quarters of a downward trend, the level of debt increased again over the first three quarter of 2018 (i.e. by 8 per cent from Q4 2017 to Q3 2018), but has slightly fallen in Q4 2018. The increase in the average debt is at least in part due to the continuing reductions in the total number of customers in debt, as this reduction is largely among customers with lower levels of debt. We will continue to monitor this closely. Relevance and further information There continues to be a seasonal pattern to energy debt. Debt generally falls towards the end of the year, when customers are billed for the warmer months. It then rises in the spring when customers fall into arrears following higher energy usage during the winter months. This seasonal trend is more pronounced with gas, most likely due to the importance of gas heating during winter. Methodology A customer is in arrears if they have not paid a bill for longer than 91 days/13 weeks, and there is no formal arrangement to repay the debt. It excludes any costs for subsequent consumption. This will include customers who are billed in arrears for ongoing consumption, and direct debit customers who have fallen into debt by defaulting on one or more payments. It should exclude customers who have begun the transition to a formal debt repayment arrangement, but have not yet started repaying their debt. Date correct September 2019 Policy area Domestic consumers