The year 2025 brought a clear improvement in the timely repayment of financial obligations by Polish consumers. The latest data from the BIG InfoMonitor Debtors Register and the BIK credit database show that the number of people with overdue payments fell again, and the total value of unpaid obligations also declined. Despite these positive changes, the scale of arrears remains substantial—by the end of December 2025, Poles’ overdue debts totalled PLN 81.3 billion.
Fewer debtors and a lower total value of arrears
At the end of 2025, nearly 2.4 million people in Poland had overdue financial obligations. Compared with the previous year, this represents a decrease of more than 140,000 individuals, or 5.5%. A year earlier, the number of unreliable payers fell by 129,000, while in 2023 the decline was much smaller—only 15,500.
For the first time in several years, the total value of overdue liabilities also fell at the same time. In 2025 it decreased by almost PLN 3.5 billion, or roughly 4%. This marks a significant shift compared with earlier years, when the total value of debt continued to rise despite a stabilisation in the number of debtors.
Non-credit obligations dominate the arrears structure, accounting for around 54% of total overdue debt. These include unpaid utility bills, telecom services, rent, alimony, fines and similar liabilities.
Better household finances supported by improved economic conditions
Analysts point to a more favourable macroeconomic environment as the main driver of the improvement in household finances. Falling inflation, interest-rate cuts and rising wages increased Poles’ real purchasing power, enabling more people to pay their obligations on time.
At the same time, the gender structure among unreliable debtors has remained stable for years. About 63% of people with arrears are men and 37% are women.
As Paweł Szarkowski, President of BIG InfoMonitor, notes, however, new challenges are emerging despite the overall improvement. While the number of debtors is falling, the average amount of overdue debt per person is increasing.
The average debt per debtor is rising
The average overdue debt per debtor is now nearly PLN 34,000. A year earlier it was PLN 33,400, and two years ago around PLN 31,300. This suggests that the people who remain in debtor databases are facing increasingly serious difficulties in servicing their obligations.
By estimates, an average earner would need as many as five average net monthly salaries to repay such debt. The situation is further complicated by the fact that some debtors simultaneously hold several different types of arrears.
Nearly 380,000 individuals recorded in BIG InfoMonitor and BIK have problems repaying both credit and non-credit obligations. This accumulation of arrears increases the risk of financial difficulties deepening in the future.
Overdue Payments Index at its lowest level in years
The positive trend is also reflected in the Poles’ Overdue Payments Index (IZPP), which measures the number of unreliable debtors per 1,000 adult residents. At the end of 2025, the index stood at 77.9, the lowest level since 2017.
At the same time, regional differences remain pronounced. Depending on the voivodeship, the index ranges from 43 to 104 debtors per 1,000 residents.
Eastern Poland performs best
The lowest number of unreliable debtors per 1,000 adult residents was recorded in the Podkarpackie region—just 43. The highest levels occur in western Poland. Lubuskie again posted an unfavourable result, with 104 debtors per 1,000 residents. It was followed by Zachodniopomorskie (101) and Dolnośląskie (97).
Year on year, the largest decrease in the number of unreliable debtors per 1,000 residents was recorded in Dolnośląskie and Pomorskie—down by six in each. A decrease of four per 1,000 residents was reported in Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Mazowieckie and Wielkopolskie.
In terms of the decline in the total value of debt, the best results were recorded in Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lubelskie and Świętokrzyskie, where arrears fell by 8.2%, 8% and 7%, respectively.
The largest regions still carry the biggest debt totals
Mazowieckie still recorded the highest total amount of overdue obligations—nearly PLN 16.3 billion. Next came Śląskie with PLN 9.2 billion and Dolnośląskie with PLN 7.3 billion.
The largest reduction in total arrears was recorded in Śląskie, where debt fell by more than PLN 0.5 billion. The lowest totals are found in Świętokrzyskie, Opolskie and Podlaskie—each currently below PLN 1.7 billion in unpaid obligations.
Most debtors are in midlife age groups
Although improvement is visible across all age groups, the largest number of unreliable debtors remains among people aged 35–44. This group includes nearly 610,000 individuals with arrears totalling PLN 19.1 billion.
The second-largest group is aged 45–54, with around 552,000 debtors. However, this is the group with the highest total value of overdue debt—PLN 26.3 billion.
In terms of improvement pace, the best results were recorded among people aged 25–34: the number of debtors in this group fell by 7.4%, or roughly 34,000. Among the youngest adults aged 18–24, the decline was much smaller—about 1.2%.
Young adults repay faster, seniors face growing difficulties
Changes in the debt structure reveal clear generational differences. Among the youngest adults and those aged 34–44, the average value of overdue obligations fell slightly over the past year. This may reflect greater financial awareness and stronger economic education among younger generations.
The opposite trend is visible among older groups. For people aged 55–64, average arrears rose by more than PLN 2,300 to PLN 46,700. Among seniors aged 65+, the average increased by around PLN 1,800, reaching over PLN 34,000.
According to Dr hab. Waldemar Rogowski, Chief Analyst at BIG InfoMonitor, older generations more often struggle with larger financial commitments such as mortgages or family maintenance costs, which translates into higher debt levels.
The biggest debtors still owe enormous sums
Despite the overall improvement, cases of extremely high indebtedness persist. The ten largest debtors in Poland hold a combined total of more than PLN 560 million in unpaid obligations.
For many years, the top of this negative ranking has been held by a 69-year-old man from Lubelskie, whose arrears to creditors now exceed PLN 98.4 million.
Cautious optimism
Data from BIG InfoMonitor and BIK suggest that Poland is entering a period of gradual improvement in household financial health. The number of unreliable debtors is falling, and the total value of overdue obligations has begun to decline.
At the same time, the rising average debt per debtor and the growing difficulties faced by some older people show that excessive indebtedness remains a serious challenge for Poland’s economy and financial system.
