To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of current levels of household debt.

I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Cabinet Office.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Glen Watson, dated January 2014

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking, what estimate has been made of current levels of household debt. (182109)

The office for National Statistics only publishes details of the combined financial liabilities of households and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH), rather than households alone. The most recent analyses can be found in table A64 of the United Kingdom Economic Accounts (UKEA) 2013 Q3, published on 20 December 2013. The UKEA is available on the National Statistics web site at:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/naa1-rd/united-kingdom-economic-accounts/q3-2013/index.html

This shows that, for households and NPISH combined, the total financial liabilities in 2013 Q3 were £1549.5 billion.