Check whether a debt may be statute barred

This checker is a screening tool, not a legal decision. It helps you spot whether an old account is worth checking as possibly statute barred or prescribed before you pay.

Dates that matter

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For many consumer credit debts, the key date is usually the later of the last payment or last written acknowledgement. Court action, judgments, decrees, liability orders, HMRC tax debts and some specialist debts need separate checking.

What to do with the result

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If the result says the debt may be statute barred, ask for evidence and consider using a statute barred response only if the facts support it.

If the result says it is not clearly old enough, do not panic. You can still ask for proof, check affordability and compare options if the debt is genuine but unaffordable.