In England and Wales, most consumer debts become statute barred after six years under the Limitation Act 1980, provided you have not made a payment or written acknowledgement of the debt in that time. A statute barred debt cannot be enforced through the courts. If a creditor is pursuing a statute barred debt, you can write formally notifying them of this, and they are obliged to stop collection action.

Yes. If you are disputing a debt, or if contact is causing distress, you can write to the creditor asking them to communicate in writing only, or to cease contact while a dispute is ongoing. Persistent unwanted contact may constitute harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. FCA-regulated creditors must also follow the FCA's Consumer Credit sourcebook rules on fair treatment.

If you are in severe financial hardship — for example due to long-term illness, disability, or unemployment — some creditors, particularly regulated lenders, will consider writing off a debt as a last resort. You will need to provide a financial statement demonstrating that you genuinely cannot repay. This is not guaranteed, but is worth requesting before considering insolvency options.

Write formally to the creditor or debt collection agency requesting a full statement of account and proof that the debt is yours. Under the Consumer Credit Act 1974, creditors must provide a copy of the original credit agreement on request (for CCA-regulated debts). Until they do, enforcement is restricted. If you believe the debt is the result of fraud or identity theft, report it to Action Fraud and request a notice of correction on your credit file.