Fewer Norwegians have payment defaults

Norwegian kroner State BudgetNorwegian kroner. Photo: Pixabay

Norwegians with payment problems owe less money than a year ago, but the number of payment defaults increase, according to new figures.

224,274 individuals over 18 years were listed with an overdue payment, a decrease of 0.3 percent compared with a year ago, according to figures from Lindorff.

In the second quarter this year those with payment problems owed 32,780 kroner each, a decrease of 7.8 percent compared with the second quarter last year.

But the number of deficiencies per person increases, from 4.9 cases on average in the second quarter of 2015 to 5.3 in the second quarter of 2016.

– There is a development we are concerned about. When problems pile up, it becomes harder to get out of the situation and find a good solution, says Anette Willumsen, CEO of Lindorff Norway.

Total payment defaults grow in all counties, and the growth is greatest in Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder with respectively 16.7 and 16.5 percent.

– Payment difficulties increase in the oil belt and Telemark and Agder counties and Rogaland.

Here the payment defaults grow faster than in the rest of the country. It is linked to rising unemployment in the oil belt, says Willumsen.

Payment problems are most common among men, young and old, according to Lindorff.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today