The number of people in a government debt management scheme has dropped by 17% compared to 2021, continuing a 10-year trend, statistics agency CBS has found.

In 2022, some 1.9 thousand people were taking part in the debt clearing trajectory Wsnp, which helps people arrange terms with creditors. That is 400 fewer than in 2021.

Some 4.9 thousand people quit the scheme, compared to 5.8 thousand a year earlier.

The number of single households dealing with problematic debts saw the biggest increase with a rise of 39%, or 735 people.

The number of people taking part in the regime has been steadily falling since 2012 when local councils became the first port of call for debtors before they had to enter the government scheme. The number of people in a Wsnp trajectory has fallen by some 86% since then.