The number of household over-indebtedness files has been falling since the start of the year

Between January and the end of April, some 39,000 over-indebtedness files were filed with the services of the Banque de France against nearly 45,000 a year earlier, which represents a drop of around 13%. This may indeed seem surprising in the current context of high inflation. In reality, according to the Senior Deputy Governor of the Banque de France, Denis Beau, we are on a downward trend observed for several years.

Several factors explain this downward trend, first of all the implementation of “social shock absorbers” during the Covid crisis. Among these shock absorbers is partial unemployment partly covered by the State which has allowed the households affected to maintain their income. Then, better consumer awareness of hidden consumer credit, all those companies that canvass and defraud people in good faith by phone who get trapped. And then the law which imposes on the banks more prudence to grant loans to households which encounter difficulties and which we know will be difficult for them to repay.

These provisions may help to avoid breakage but do not prevent many households from encountering more and more difficulties. Without opening over-indebtedness files and being filed with the Banque de France, nearly 190,000 French people encountered difficulties in the first quarter of loan repayment, 15% more than during the same period of the year. last year. With the black dot rising on the horizon that are home loans. With zero or very low rates, many households have borrowed in recent years to invest in real estate or buy their homes. Today, rates are beginning to rise, opening the way, in the long term, to more expensive repayments.