Women more likely to become financially insolvent than men

The rate of women going financially insolvent in England and Wales has been higher than the rate for men for more than a decade, according to Insolvency Service figures.

The female insolvency rate (26.5 per 10,000 adults) was higher than the male rate (22.1 per 10,000) in 2024, marking the 11th year in a row that this has happened.

Women had a higher rate of insolvency than men across all age groups, except for those aged 65 and over, the Service said.

Women were more likely than men to have a debt relief order (DRO) or individual voluntary arrangement (IVA), while men were more likely than women to become bankrupt, the report found.

Previously, men were more likely than women to become financially insolvent, but the gender gap “noticeably narrowed from 2009 onwards”, the report said.

By 2014, women started to have higher insolvency rates than men. This change coincided with a decline in bankruptcies, which are more common for men than for women, the introduction and growth in the number of DROs, where the take-up rate for women was higher, and the narrowing and subsequent reversal of the gender gap for IVAs.

At regional level, the north east of England had the highest personal insolvency rate last year (33.4 per 10,000 adults), while London had the lowest (15.5 per 10,000).

The North East has been the region with the highest rate of insolvency every year since 2008, while London has been the region with the lowest rate each year since the records started, in 2000.

The report added: “The local authorities with the highest rates of individual insolvency were mainly in the north of England, including Halton (64.0 per 10,000), Kingston upon Hull (53.5) and Blackpool (50.1).

Get a free fractional share worth up to £100.
Capital at risk.

Terms and conditions apply.

Go to website

“The local authorities with the lowest rates were mostly London boroughs.”

The insolvency rate was higher in 2024 compared with the five-year average in 49% of local authorities and lower in 51%, the report said.

Simon Trevethick, head of communications at StepChange, said nearly two-thirds of the charity’s clients are women.

He said: “What’s more, our client stats show that women have a higher average expenditure and a lower average income than men – meaning their ability to pay debts or seek financial support is more difficult.

“This can be due to women being more likely to have childcare and caring responsibilities that affects their income and ability to build savings. Our client data also shows that the region with the highest proportion of StepChange clients is the north east.”

Grace Brownfield, head of influencing and communications at the Money Advice Trust, the charity that runs National Debtline, said: “This data … suggests that women continue to face greater financial vulnerability in society, possibly influenced by factors including the gender pay gap and a higher likelihood of managing a single-parent household and caring responsibilities.

“This could be impacting earning potential and financial resilience at a time when costs are incredibly high. Insolvency options can provide a vital lifeline to people struggling with unaffordable debts. But it’s important that people get free, impartial debt advice to work out the best option for them.”

Here are the 10 local authority areas with the highest personal insolvency rates in England and Wales in 2024, according to the Insolvency Service, with the rate per 10,000 adults:

1. Halton, 64.0

2. Kingston upon Hull, 53.5

3. Blackpool, 50.1

4. Stoke-on-Trent, 47.1

5. Nuneaton and Bedworth, 46.7

6. Stockton-on-Tees, 46.6

7. North Tyneside, 46.4

8. Chesterfield, 46.2

9. South Tyneside, 42.9

10. Calderdale, 41.9

Here are the 10 local authority areas with the lowest personal insolvency rates in 2024, according to the Insolvency Service, with the rate per 10,000 adults:

1. Kingston upon Thames, 9.5

2. Wandsworth, 10.4

3. Westminster, 10.5

4. Epsom and Ewell, 10.8

5. Camden, 10.9

=6. Richmond upon Thames, 11.5

=6. Harrow, 11.5

=8. Waverley, 11.6

=8. Guildford, 11.6

10. Hammersmith and Fulham, 11.9