UK Money Visualised · Map 03

Where financial distress breaks through.

Explore where formal insolvency is recorded most often, how local rates have changed, and which debt procedures sit behind the totals.

Official statistics316 local authoritiesEngland & Wales

Choose the signal

Bankruptcies, debt relief orders and individual voluntary arrangements combined.

Local authority map · 2025

All formal insolvencies

Rate per 10,000 adults. The 2025 denominator is provisional.

Loading the local-authority map…

Rate per 10,000
Under 1515–24.925–34.935–44.945 or moreNot separately reported

Compare all areas

The highest recorded rates.

All 316 local authorities · all formal insolvencies · 2025

Eleven-year view

Formal insolvency over time.

Halton compared with the England-and-Wales location series. Rates per 10,000 adults.

HaltonEngland & WalesNorth West in 2025: 29.1
Formal insolvency rate for Halton and England and Wales, 2015 to 20252015: Halton 24.1, England and Wales 17.5; 2016: Halton 26.4, England and Wales 19.6; 2017: Halton 32.6, England and Wales 21.4; 2018: Halton 39.6, England and Wales 24.7; 2019: Halton 50.5, England and Wales 26; 2020: Halton 34.9, England and Wales 23.7; 2021: Halton 40.7, England and Wales 23.3; 2022: Halton 50.7, England and Wales 24.9; 2023: Halton 46.4, England and Wales 21.4; 2024: Halton 62.9, England and Wales 24.1; 2025: Halton 63, England and Wales 25.8.020406020152017201920212023202563.025.8

The local-authority location series uses a consistent methodology within each year. The 2025 rates use 2024 population estimates and will be revised when newer estimates are available.

What sits inside the total

Different routes, different circumstances.

Halton · share of formal insolvency cases in 2025

Bankruptcy203% of cases
Debt relief order38359% of cases
IVA25138% of cases

654formal insolvency cases in 2025

The mix matters. A change in eligibility or fees can move the total even when underlying financial pressure has not changed by the same amount.

Regional divide

The North East recorded twice London’s rate.

All formal insolvencies · rate per 10,000 adults · 2025

A different signal

Breathing Space registrations.

Temporary protection from creditor action while someone receives debt advice. It is not insolvency.

HaltonEngland & Wales
2021*
36.38.7
2022
52.714.8
2023
54.418.3
2024
47.918.2
2025
54.918.2

* The scheme began on 4 May 2021, so the first year covers eight months.

What the data shows

Three contrasts worth seeing.

01

A 6.7× local gap

Halton recorded 63.0 formal insolvencies per 10,000 adults; Richmond upon Thames recorded 9.4.

02

241 areas rose

The rate increased from 2024 in 241 of 316 local authorities, fell in 70 and was unchanged in five.

03

Policy moved the total

The 2024 abolition of the DRO fee and wider eligibility increased access to debt relief. The rise is not a pure measure of worsening finances.

Plain-English guide

What this map can—and cannot—tell you.

Formal insolvency is a severe administrative outcome. It is not a complete measure of debt, arrears, poverty or financial wellbeing.

Individual insolvency

Bankruptcy, a debt relief order or an individual voluntary arrangement recorded by the Insolvency Service. Informal repayment plans and people struggling without entering a procedure are excluded.

Rate per 10,000 adults

The number of recorded cases divided by the estimated population aged 18 or over, multiplied by 10,000. Rates allow areas of different sizes to be compared.

Why 2025 is provisional

Local population estimates for 2025 were not yet available, so the location tables use 2024 population estimates. The rates will be revised in the next annual edition.

Why the national headline can differ

The definitive national series uses a different population denominator and reports 25.3 per 10,000 for 2025. This page uses the location workbook’s 25.8 benchmark so every local comparison uses the same published method.

City of London and Isles of Scilly

Because their populations are small, the source includes City of London within Westminster and Isles of Scilly within Cornwall. They appear on the map without a separate rate.

Why this is not a four-nation ranking

Insolvency law and procedures differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Combining those systems into one local league table would imply comparability that the data do not support.

Read this map carefully

An administrative signal, not a diagnosis of a place.

  • High rates can reflect debt pressure, access to advice, local demographics and the availability or promotion of particular procedures.
  • Changes to eligibility, fees and legislation can create breaks in the time series.
  • A low rate does not prove low financial distress; people may struggle without using a formal procedure.
  • Location is based on the recorded postcode at the time of insolvency. Around four in every 1,000 cases could not be matched in 2025.
  • These are area-level statistics and say nothing about any identified individual.
Primary sourceThe Insolvency Service

Individual insolvencies by location, age and gender, England and Wales, 2025, released 27 March 2026. Tables 1a–5b. Boundary geometry: Office for National Statistics, Local Authority Districts (December 2025) Boundaries UK BSC. Reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

View exact 2025 values for all local authorities
Local authorityRegionAll insolvencies rateCasesChange from 2024
HaltonNorth West63.0654+0.1
Kingston upon Hull, City ofYorkshire And The Humber55.31,177+2.3
BlackpoolNorth West50.8586+1.3
HartlepoolNorth East44.9346+8.6
Nuneaton and BedworthWest Midlands44.4490-1.3
North TynesideNorth East44.2763-1.4
GosportSouth East44.1293+12.5
CalderdaleYorkshire And The Humber43.7724+2.2
South TynesideNorth East43.3524+1.1
North East LincolnshireYorkshire And The Humber43.2546+1.9
Stockton-on-TeesNorth East42.3684-3.2
Stoke-on-TrentWest Midlands42.0874-4.0
MansfieldEast Midlands40.9365+6.8
TorfaenWales40.6303+12.4
BurnleyNorth West39.8303+1.6
TorbaySouth West39.7458+6.3
PrestonNorth West38.9493+7.4
SwaleSouth East38.9480+5.8
BarnsleyYorkshire And The Humber38.8775+3.8
HyndburnNorth West38.4256+8.6
Great YarmouthEast38.3310+4.1
StevenageEast38.2271+2.7
Cannock ChaseWest Midlands37.5313+10.0
TorridgeSouth West37.5217+12.4
Blackburn with DarwenNorth West37.2449+6.0
DarlingtonNorth East37.2334+5.1
HavantSouth East36.9378+9.2
SalfordNorth West36.8849+8.8
DoncasterYorkshire And The Humber36.5918+4.2
LincolnEast Midlands36.5314+9.2
North NorthamptonshireEast Midlands36.41,057+3.1
PortsmouthSouth East36.3621+1.9
ChesterfieldEast Midlands36.1311-9.4
AshfieldEast Midlands36.0370+6.0
East LindseyEast Midlands35.8437+7.7
Telford and WrekinWest Midlands35.4537+1.6
NorwichEast35.3426+1.8
TamesideNorth West35.3659-3.1
PlymouthSouth West35.1773+1.3
Redcar and ClevelandNorth East34.9390+2.3
Rhondda Cynon TafWales34.9677+1.2
MedwaySouth East34.8778+2.6
North WarwickshireWest Midlands34.8188-4.6
Mid DevonSouth West34.6236+1.2
WrexhamWales34.5380+2.6
HastingsSouth East34.2250-0.3
North LincolnshireYorkshire And The Humber34.2467-1.6
EastbourneSouth East34.1288+3.3
ConwyWales34.0321+1.7
Merthyr TydfilWales34.0158+4.5
RochdaleNorth West33.9602-0.8
ThanetSouth East33.9386+3.3
MiddlesbroughNorth East33.8408+1.6
County DurhamNorth East33.61,469+3.6
DerbyEast Midlands33.6712+1.3
HarlowEast33.6248+4.1
WalsallWest Midlands33.5751+2.5
BolsoverEast Midlands33.4226-2.5
DenbighshireWales33.4263+5.6
GatesheadNorth East33.4542-0.7
Blaenau GwentWales33.3181+2.0
GloucesterSouth West33.3362+2.8
Newcastle-under-LymeWest Midlands33.2346+2.9
BasildonEast32.6483+0.7
KnowsleyNorth West32.5411-2.8
TendringEast32.5418+0.6
CornwallSouth West32.41,547+3.1
BostonEast Midlands32.2179+7.2
BassetlawEast Midlands32.0321+0.1
North DevonSouth West32.0264-3.0
North East DerbyshireEast Midlands32.0277+3.0
RossendaleNorth West32.0184-1.9
CaerphillyWales31.8449-0.9
ThurrockEast31.8428+3.3
South HollandEast Midlands31.7254+5.6
SunderlandNorth East31.7735+0.6
ErewashEast Midlands31.6292-0.8
MeltonEast Midlands31.6138+5.3
DoverSouth East31.5303+3.6
Newark and SherwoodEast Midlands31.4324+1.0
PendleNorth West31.0235+0.5
RedditchWest Midlands31.0214+2.0
WiganNorth West30.6835+3.2
Isle of WightSouth East30.5361+2.1
South KestevenEast Midlands30.5360+1.0
WolverhamptonWest Midlands30.5650+1.6
RotherhamYorkshire And The Humber30.3657-3.0
SouthamptonSouth East30.3631+6.6
TamworthWest Midlands30.3194+1.4
PeterboroughEast30.1499+0.8
St. HelensNorth West30.0454-5.8
TeignbridgeSouth West30.0343+0.6
SomersetSouth West29.91,422+2.3
WyreNorth West29.9293+6.0
East StaffordshireWest Midlands29.8302+4.0
FenlandEast29.8251+4.0
South RibbleNorth West29.2273+3.9
CrawleySouth East29.0274+3.4
Stratford-on-AvonWest Midlands29.0345+4.7
ArunSouth East28.9407+4.9
West NorthamptonshireEast Midlands28.9992+1.5
SeftonNorth West28.8666+1.6
NottinghamEast Midlands28.7753-0.8
HuntingdonshireEast28.6434+3.1
IpswichEast28.5308+0.2
BoltonNorth West28.4667-1.8
OldhamNorth West28.3530+2.5
KirkleesYorkshire And The Humber28.2980+2.6
North West LeicestershireEast Midlands28.2253+3.7
West LancashireNorth West28.2280+2.2
West SuffolkEast28.0420+4.3
NewportWales27.9362+1.5
RugbyWest Midlands27.9264-2.7
BraintreeEast27.7362+2.7
King's Lynn and West NorfolkEast27.7352+4.6
SandwellWest Midlands27.7736-1.2
LiverpoolNorth West27.61,133-2.1
WarringtonNorth West27.6470+0.4
Tonbridge and MallingSouth East27.4291+2.8
BirminghamWest Midlands27.32,430+2.7
WirralNorth West27.0709-0.5
Amber ValleyEast Midlands26.9285+2.5
Bristol, City ofSouth West26.91,081+0.0
CoventryWest Midlands26.9769+4.7
DartfordSouth East26.9251+3.5
EastleighSouth East26.8302+2.1
FyldeNorth West26.8191+2.9
North SomersetSouth West26.8483+1.7
South DerbyshireEast Midlands26.8248+3.2
WorcesterWest Midlands26.8230+2.4
South HamsSouth West26.7203+1.8
BedfordEast26.6400+5.2
BrecklandEast26.6318+2.7
Southend-on-SeaEast26.6387+2.1
Wyre ForestWest Midlands26.6225+2.1
Cheshire West and ChesterNorth West26.5795+2.3
GraveshamSouth East26.5223-0.5
MaidstoneSouth East26.5387+3.1
WakefieldYorkshire And The Humber26.5769+1.5
ColchesterEast26.4414+0.3
TewkesburySouth West26.4212+2.7
BuryNorth West26.3405+3.1
East Riding of YorkshireYorkshire And The Humber26.3769+2.7
Basingstoke and DeaneSouth East26.2399+1.8
ExeterSouth West26.1302+4.0
High PeakEast Midlands26.1195+6.9
FlintshireWales26.0325-3.6
AdurSouth East25.9134+3.5
DacorumEast25.8322+1.0
LancasterNorth West25.8306-1.4
BradfordYorkshire And The Humber25.71,083+0.9
SwindonSouth West25.7488No change
Hinckley and BosworthEast Midlands25.6241-1.2
LeicesterEast Midlands25.6762+1.9
MaldonEast25.6145+3.7
NorthumberlandNorth East25.4692+1.3
Oadby and WigstonEast Midlands25.4123+3.1
RushmoorSouth East25.4212+2.9
ChorleyNorth West25.3245+3.3
DudleyWest Midlands25.3661+2.4
BaberghEast25.2200+1.8
CharnwoodEast Midlands25.1383+1.8
South GloucestershireSouth West25.1611+0.2
StaffordWest Midlands25.1288-1.4
Neath Port TalbotWales25.0289+2.9
BexleyLondon24.9493+7.0
LewesSouth East24.9208+2.2
North YorkshireYorkshire And The Humber24.81,289-0.4
West OxfordshireSouth East24.8240+2.4
Barking and DagenhamLondon24.7410+2.2
CarmarthenshireWales24.6380+1.7
East CambridgeshireEast24.6181+5.3
ManchesterNorth West24.61,124+2.9
Vale of GlamorganWales24.6265+1.9
Milton KeynesSouth East24.5566+2.6
SheffieldYorkshire And The Humber24.51,141+2.1
LichfieldWest Midlands24.4222+3.9
Castle PointEast24.2177+0.8
BroxbourneEast24.0189+1.8
DorsetSouth West24.0776+1.9
Malvern HillsWest Midlands24.0164+3.9
East SuffolkEast23.9491-0.8
RotherSouth East23.9191+2.8
South StaffordshireWest Midlands23.9225+4.7
ChichesterSouth East23.8253-3.4
North KestevenEast Midlands23.8237+2.2
SolihullWest Midlands23.8409-0.4
CotswoldSouth West23.7178+1.1
Herefordshire, County ofWest Midlands23.7371-0.6
Newcastle upon TyneNorth East23.7615-2.3
South NorfolkEast23.5280+5.2
Staffordshire MoorlandsWest Midlands23.5187+5.5
CumberlandNorth West23.4533-0.5
East DevonSouth West23.4306+4.4
WiltshireSouth West23.4981-1.8
AshfordSouth East23.3256-0.2
OxfordSouth East23.3316+4.0
Test ValleySouth East23.3251+4.2
SloughSouth East23.2280+0.7
SwanseaWales23.2473+2.0
CanterburySouth East23.1304+4.1
Welwyn HatfieldEast23.1224-1.1
WychavonWest Midlands23.1260+2.9
Vale of White HorseSouth East23.0267+2.8
Brighton and HoveSouth East22.8541+4.6
GwyneddWales22.8226+2.6
WealdenSouth East22.7308+3.3
South OxfordshireSouth East22.6281+4.8
West LindseyEast Midlands22.6182+0.5
EnfieldLondon22.5556+2.0
Forest of DeanSouth West22.5165-1.1
North NorfolkEast22.4197+3.0
TraffordNorth West22.4413+3.9
BridgendWales22.3265+1.9
Cheshire EastNorth West22.3756+3.7
ShropshireWest Midlands22.3606+1.5
StockportNorth West22.3533No change
Bournemouth, Christchurch and PooleSouth West22.2742+2.8
WatfordEast22.2182+2.1
BlabyEast Midlands22.1190+2.9
Folkestone and HytheSouth East22.1202-1.5
East HertfordshireEast22.0270+2.0
GedlingEast Midlands21.9211+2.6
LutonEast21.9388+3.2
CherwellSouth East21.8292+1.2
LeedsYorkshire And The Humber21.81,456+0.8
PowysWales21.6241+0.3
West DevonSouth West21.6106-2.7
HertsmereEast21.5184+5.1
StroudSouth West21.5218+4.5
YorkYorkshire And The Humber21.5375-3.6
BromsgroveWest Midlands21.4173+5.3
Isle of AngleseyWales21.4120+1.1
Westmorland and FurnessNorth West21.3406-1.4
WorthingSouth East21.3197-1.7
West BerkshireSouth East21.1274+4.7
CheltenhamSouth West21.0205+2.5
Epping ForestEast20.9227+0.6
CroydonLondon20.8655+2.0
Mid SussexSouth East20.8263+0.7
ReadingSouth East20.8299+2.8
Bracknell ForestSouth East20.6209+1.5
ChelmsfordEast20.6306+1.7
LewishamLondon20.5491+4.1
SevenoaksSouth East20.5196+2.3
Tunbridge WellsSouth East20.4188+3.9
Central BedfordshireEast20.3499+2.5
IslingtonLondon20.3381+5.3
East HampshireSouth East20.2211+1.2
Mid SuffolkEast20.2183-0.1
GreenwichLondon20.1470-1.7
HaveringLondon20.1428+2.0
Mole ValleySouth East20.1143+5.3
SpelthorneSouth East20.0168+3.6
Three RiversEast20.0149+5.0
MonmouthshireWales19.7153+3.7
Derbyshire DalesEast Midlands19.6118+1.3
New ForestSouth East19.6286+0.8
Reigate and BansteadSouth East19.3238+0.6
BroxtoweEast Midlands19.1178-1.8
North HertfordshireEast19.1206No change
PembrokeshireWales19.1196+0.3
WinchesterSouth East18.9203-0.6
HorshamSouth East18.3221+0.2
UttlesfordEast18.1135+4.7
CardiffWales18.0556+0.1
NewhamLondon18.0523+2.2
RutlandEast Midlands17.960-3.6
WarwickWest Midlands17.8221+2.9
HackneyLondon17.7376-0.5
Windsor and MaidenheadSouth East17.7220+1.8
BroadlandEast17.6199+0.2
Surrey HeathSouth East17.6132+4.5
RunnymedeSouth East17.5129-1.5
HounslowLondon17.4404No change
WokingSouth East17.4143+1.9
FarehamSouth East17.2162-0.6
LambethLondon17.2456+1.3
RochfordEast16.9121-0.8
SuttonLondon16.9276-0.9
SouthwarkLondon16.8436+0.8
HarboroughEast Midlands16.7140-0.7
BuckinghamshireSouth East16.5739+0.5
TandridgeSouth East16.4116-0.3
Tower HamletsLondon16.3437+1.3
HartSouth East16.2132+2.6
RushcliffeEast Midlands15.9160+2.9
ElmbridgeSouth East15.8171+1.9
Waltham ForestLondon15.8343+1.3
BrentwoodEast15.798+1.4
GuildfordSouth East15.7192+4.1
South CambridgeshireEast15.7210+1.5
Bath and North East SomersetSouth West15.3250+0.8
BromleyLondon15.3401-1.0
HillingdonLondon15.3387-0.2
MertonLondon15.3262+2.7
Ribble ValleyNorth West15.382+2.2
St AlbansEast15.0172No change
Epsom and EwellSouth East14.895+4.2
BrentLondon14.7408-0.2
BarnetLondon14.6455+1.6
WaverleySouth East14.5152+3.1
RedbridgeLondon13.9339+2.1
HaringeyLondon13.4282-1.0
EalingLondon13.2400-0.2
Hammersmith and FulhamLondon13.1206+1.5
WokinghamSouth East13.1187+1.3
CeredigionWales12.979-2.0
Kingston upon ThamesLondon12.6171+3.2
CambridgeEast12.2152-0.1
Kensington and ChelseaLondon11.5140-0.9
HarrowLondon10.8228-0.3
WandsworthLondon10.6296+0.5
WestminsterLondon10.5189-0.1
CamdenLondon10.2185-0.9
Richmond upon ThamesLondon9.4143-2.1