SCOTS consumers have been forced to pay £11.2 million more in court judgment claims over personal debt in a year.

The Registry Trust has warned consumers about borrowing too much, as its new figures showed that the value of judgments against consumers has soared by 22 percent from £50.9 million in 2014 to £62.1 million in 2015.

And the total number of court judgments over consumer debt in Scotland has seen an annual rise for first time in more than four years during 2015, going up by five percent to 21,131.

The group has been studying the civil claims over the cases which would involve money owed in credit cards, store cards, overdrafts, loans and rent arrears.

The Registry Trust, the non-profit organisation which collects judgment information in Scotland on small claims and summary causes, says the judgements are "incontrovertible proof" of unmanaged debt.

Citizens Advice Scotland believed the debt issue is the result in a drop in household income, rather than increased debt.

Last year the Resolution Foundation think-tank found that average incomes in 2014 were just 1.9 per cent higher than they were in 2007-08, before the economic downturn. Income in working-age households was 4.6 per cent lower.

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“There was a clear weakening in consumers’ ability to manage repayments last year,” said Malcolm Hurlston, the Trust chairman. “It is a time for extra caution in borrowing."

According to the Trust report, the total number of small and summary cause claims, where the amount sought is up to £5000, increased five per cent to 19,167, while the total value increased 13 per cent to £27.9 million. Meanwhile, the total number of ordinary cause claims, where the amount sought is over £5000, also increased by five per cent, with the total value rising 31 per cent to £34.2 million.

The average value of a judgment stood at £2,939 in 2015, a 16 per cent increase on the previous year.

There were, however, 25 per cent fewer judgments than in 2010, said the Registry Trust. While the total value of judgments increased 22 per cent to £62.1m in 2015, this represents a decrease of almost half on 2010 once inflation is considered.

Keith Dryburgh, CAS policy manager said their experience showed a shift away from consumer debt to issues over council tax and rent arrears.

He said: "This suggests that a lack of income is a significant factor in the debt cases that we see. Priority debts are also more serious for consumers, as the consequences can be bankruptcy or eviction. Citizens advice bureaux are also reporting an increasing number of ‘crisis’ cases, where clients have little debt, but very little or no income with which to buy essentials."

Citizens Advice Bureaux in Scotland advised on over 100,000 new debt issues last year – around 270 for every day of the year. This amounted to almost £142 million worth of debt brought by clients.

In Scotland, typical hourly wages fell by 6.4% between 2009 and 2014, but this drop is not as great as across the UK, with wages down by an average of 9.3%, according to Resolution Foundation research.

The Registry Trust also found that the total number of judgments against Scots businesses also rose by five per cent to 4,624, reversing the trend of improvement seen in recent years. And the total value of judgments increased six per cent to £31.1m, the highest level of unpaid debt for more than six years.

“There are worrying signs for the economy in the unexpected rise in judgments against businesses,” said Mr Hurlston. “The trend will need careful watching in the first quarter of 2016.”

Figures from the Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB), for the last three months of 2015 reveals that there were 2,345 personal insolvencies a 5.2 percent rise on the previous quarter.