The number of people listed as debtors in Poland’s National Debt Register (KRD) fell by 7% year on year at the end of the first quarter of 2026. Over the same period, the total amount of their outstanding debt declined by nearly 9%. The figures also show that the largest individual debtor recently had almost PLN 76 million to repay. Average debt in the period stood at just over PLN 21,000, more than PLN 400 lower than 12 months earlier. Meanwhile, the average debtor had been overdue on repayments for almost three years.
At the end of the first quarter of 2026, the National Debt Register listed 1.898 million debtors. This was 7% fewer than in the corresponding period a year earlier, when the figure stood at 2.041 million.
“This year-on-year decline should be assessed as a clearly positive development and cannot be regarded as a random statistical fluctuation. In my view, several factors may have contributed to the improvement. Above all, the labour market has stabilised in recent quarters. Unemployment has remained relatively low, while nominal wages have grown faster than inflation, improving households’ ability to meet their current obligations,” says Adrian Parol, legal counsel and restructuring adviser.
KRD data also show that the total outstanding debt of those listed in the register amounted to PLN 40.408 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2026. This was 8.7% lower than a year earlier, when the amount totalled PLN 44.264 billion.
“The pace of the decline in the value of debt is greater than the pace of the decline in the number of debtors. This suggests that some individuals have not only left the register, but have also repaid relatively larger liabilities. Other factors may also be at work. In recent years, settlements with creditors, debt restructuring and consumer bankruptcy proceedings have become more popular. More people are consciously taking steps to organise their financial situation instead of allowing their debt to accumulate passively,” Parol adds.
Debt declines across regions, except among people without a registered address
Looking at the situation across the country, the total amount owed by debtors listed in KRD fell year on year. Declines were also recorded across individual regions. The only increase was observed among debtors without a registered address.
At the end of the first quarter of 2026, this group owed PLN 878.134 million, compared with PLN 783.485 million a year earlier.
“This is an interesting phenomenon from the perspective of receivables management. Above all, one should not automatically assume that the lack of an address means deliberate evasion of creditors. It may result from various administrative and formal circumstances, among other reasons. However, the absence of up-to-date address data creates an additional obstacle for creditors in the debt recovery process. It limits communication possibilities, extends collection procedures and increases the cost of pursuing claims,” says legal counsel Adrian Parol.
Record individual debt falls from PLN 264 million to nearly PLN 76 million
As of 31 March 2026, the highest debt recorded for an individual in the register amounted to PLN 75.670 million and concerned a debtor from the Pomeranian Voivodeship. A year earlier, the highest figure had reached PLN 264.267 million and related to a debtor from the Podkarpackie Voivodeship.
“Debt exceeding PLN 75 million, and especially more than PLN 260 million, is not typical of an average consumer or private individual. Most often, such cases involve people who previously ran a business, are liable for business-related obligations, guaranteed loans, or participated in highly complex business processes that ended unsuccessfully. In practice, repayment of liabilities worth tens or even hundreds of millions of zloty by an individual is highly unlikely without asset sales, restructuring or an agreement with creditors,” Parol stresses.
At the end of the first quarter of 2026, the average debt of an individual listed in KRD was PLN 21,286. This was 1.8% lower than in the same period a year earlier, when the average amounted to PLN 21,687.
According to Łukasz Goszczyński, legal counsel and restructuring adviser at business law firm GKPG, the year-on-year decline is relatively small, but it fits into a positive trend visible in other indicators. Factors that may have affected the result include an improvement in the income situation of some households, rising wages and greater caution among consumers when taking on new obligations.
“During the period of high inflation, many families reduced spending and managed their household budgets more consciously. At the same time, an amount exceeding PLN 21,000 still represents a significant burden for the average household. For a person earning an average net salary, it is equivalent to several months of pay,” the GKPG expert adds.
Average overdue debt is becoming younger
At the end of the first quarter of 2026, the average debtor had been overdue on repayments for 1,051 days. A year earlier, the figure was 1,312 days.
According to Łukasz Goszczyński, the year-on-year decrease of more than 260 days should be regarded as one of the most positive changes in the entire set of data. As a result, average arrears are becoming more recent, while some very old liabilities have likely been repaid, closed or removed from the register.
However, the expert emphasises that this does not mean the problem has been solved. The average overdue period still stands at almost three years, which remains very long from the perspective of both creditors and debtors.
