Schufa Report: 8.1 Percent of Consumers in Payment Difficulties

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Schufa Report: 8.1 Percent of Consumers in Payment Difficulties.

More and more people in Germany are no longer keeping up with their bills: According to a new analysis by the credit bureau Schufa, the share of consumers with payment disruptions rose to 8.1 percent last year – an increase of 0.2 percentage points compared to the previous year (7.9 percent).

That may not sound like much at first, but it means: more than one in twelve adults in Germany has at least one open, significantly overdue claim. This continues a trend that has been visible for years – driven by high living costs and a weak economy.

What Schufa counts as a "payment disruption"

Schufa, headquartered in Wiesbaden, evaluates millions of data records for its annual analysis. A "payment disruption" is defined as a claim that remains unpaid after several reminders and is reported to a collection agency or to Schufa itself. For the past year, the credit bureau classifies 8.1 percent of consumers in Germany this way – up from 7.9 percent the year before.

The reasons: living costs and economic weakness

Schufa identifies two main drivers: persistently high living costs – from rent to energy to food – and the weak economy, which makes real wage gains difficult for many households. Those who unexpectedly receive a large bill in this situation slip into a debt spiral faster than in years with more stable purchasing power.

Schufa chief Birkholz: pressure is increasing – but no "debt crisis"

Schufa CEO Tanja Birkholz puts the development in perspective for the German Press Agency:

An increasing share of consumers is coming under financial pressure.

At the same time, she warns against exaggeration: Birkholz does not see a "debt crisis" in Germany. The large majority of consumers can still pay their bills on time.

Private insolvencies are also rising

Despite the reassuring tone, the number of private insolvencies in Germany is increasing. Once stuck in a debt spiral, it is hard to get out without professional help – such as debt counseling or a consumer insolvency procedure. Schufa advises those affected to act early rather than ignoring reminders.

Buy-Now-Pay-Later: convenient, but increasingly risky

A growing risk factor, according to Schufa, is installment purchases on the internet. According to a survey by the credit bureau, one in three German consumers (33 percent) has used Buy-Now-Pay-Later offers in the past six months – that is, "buy now, pay later" models, which are especially common for fashion, electronics, and travel bookings.

What can be practical in individual cases becomes problematic when several small installments add up and the overview disappears. Schufa observes that missed BNPL installments are increasingly contributing to reported payment disruptions.

What this means for consumers

If you notice that a bill no longer fits into the current month, the most important step is: don't stay silent. Three points that help in such cases:

• Talk to the creditor early. Many providers offer deferrals or installment plans before a collection agency is involved.
• Use debt counseling. There are free, independent counseling services that help with creating a restructuring plan.
• Use BNPL consciously. Those who use "buy now, pay later" should firmly plan the installment in their monthly budget.

Status: October 8, 2026.