Dutch credit registrations and late payments drop sharply in 2025

The number of Dutch people registered with a credit at the Credit Registration Bureau (BKR) fell by 200,000 in 2025, and the number with payment arrears dropped to 434,000, or 2.9 percent of the population. However, the organization cautioned that its annual figures do not capture many individuals with debts.

By the end of 2025, BKR had registered 7.1 million people with credit, down from the previous year. The total number of credit contracts fell from 10.6 million to 10.2 million.

The decline in payment arrears was especially visible in revolving credits. Arrears on mortgages for the primary home decreased further to 32,000 from 37,000 a year earlier, continuing the downward trend of recent years. BKR called that a positive development.

The number of people with a debt restructuring arrangement also fell further. In 2025, 23,000 people received debt assistance, compared with 33,000 in 2024.

Larger municipalities, particularly the four largest cities, have concentrated payment arrears for several years. The numbers decreased there as well in 2025. In Schiedam, Rotterdam, and The Hague, about 7 percent of the population aged 18 and older still had payment arrears.

BKR said its figures do not give a complete picture. Private loans and credits from afterpay services such as Klarna are not included. Many deferred tax debts from the coronavirus period are also absent from BKR statistics.