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Debt Collection Agencies in the UK Industry Data and Analysis
Debt collection agencies have operated in a high-demand but compliance-heavy environment in recent years. Surging energy and credit arrears, persistent business insolvencies and tighter conduct rules have defined the market. The Insolvency Service reported that 23,872 companies became insolvent in 2024, while Ofgem stated that domestic energy arrears reached £3.9 billion in the same year, both fuelling the flow of unpaid accounts to collection agencies. These trends have supported workloads across the business, consumer and utility markets, but recovery rates have slowed thanks to mounting regulatory pressures – collectors must now prioritise fair treatment and affordability checks under the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Consumer Duty. Still, over the five years through 2025-26, revenue is projected to climb at a compound annual rate of 2.4% to reach £2 billion, including a forecast rise 0.9%of in 2025-26. Profit has also inched up thanks to falling energy prices and automation reducing running costs, though increases in wages, business rates and compliance spending have limited margin growth.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released November 2025.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom operates under the SIC industry code N82.911. Debt collection agencies purchase debt portfolios from financial institutions and other companies at less than their face value. They then seek to recover the outstanding amounts. The industry also covers agencies that collect debts on behalf of clients, charging a fee or taking a percentage of the funds recovered. Related terms covered in the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom include accounts receivable, recovery rate and non-performing accounts.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom include Contingent-fee servicing, Portfolio-acquisition servicing and Fixed-fee servicing.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom include Metis Bidco Ltd, Cabot Credit Management Ltd and Arrow Global Ltd.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom in 2026?
The market size of the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom is £2.0bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
There are 431 businesses in the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom, which has declined at a CAGR of 3.5 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom?
The Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom?
The Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 2.4 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom are Metis Bidco Ltd, Cabot Credit Management Ltd and Arrow Global Ltd
What does the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom include?
Contingent-fee servicing and Portfolio-acquisition servicing are part of the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom is Metis Bidco Ltd.
How competitive is the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom?
The level of competition is moderate and decreasing in the Debt Collection Agencies industry in the United Kingdom.
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