DocMuse is a private, paid service run by The Muse Technology EOOD (Bulgaria). It is not a UK government website and is not connected with GOV.UK, HM Courts & Tribunals Service or any other public body. It is not a law firm and is not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or any other legal regulator, so the Legal Ombudsman cannot consider complaints about it; its documents are not legal advice.
Acknowledgement of a debt, with an optional repayment plan (England and Wales)
England and Wales · in English · for debtors
€2.00Fill it in online free — pay only to download
11 questions · about 5 min
Made for use in England and Wales
Fill in the form
Your answers stay on this device for 7 days, or until you clear them.
- Instant download after payment
- Backup link emailed to you
- No account needed
For a debtor who confirms in writing how much they owe a creditor, and for the creditor who asks for it — a private loan, unpaid rent, money owed between friends or businesses. Signed by the debtor, it is an acknowledgement under sections 29 and 30 of the Limitation Act 1980, so the six-year limitation period starts again from its date; a debt that is already statute-barred is not revived. An optional plan sets monthly instalments. The debtor signs; the creditor keeps the original.
- Made for use in England and Wales
- Last updated October 28, 2026
- Document in English
Where a UK document reproduces the words of legislation or of a government publication — UK, Scottish or Northern Irish — it contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Published byDocMuse
When to use this document
- You owe money to a friend or relative in England and want to confirm the amount in writing.
- Your creditor asks you to sign something confirming the debt before agreeing to instalments.
- You lent money and want the borrower to sign how much they still owe you.
- You want to put a debt and a monthly repayment plan on paper in England or Wales.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Debtor
- Debtor's address
- Town or city
- Creditor
- Creditor's address
- Amount due
- What the debt is for (e.g. a loan made on …)
- Amount of each monthly instalment
- Day of payment
- Date of the first instalment
- Date
Common questions
- Does signing an acknowledgement of debt restart the limitation period?
- Yes, if the debt is not yet statute-barred: a written acknowledgement signed by the debtor, or a part-payment, starts the six-year period again from that date (sections 29 and 30 of the Limitation Act 1980). Once the six years have already run without one, a later acknowledgement does not revive the right to sue.
- Should a debtor sign an acknowledgement for a debt they partly dispute?
- Only for the amount they accept: write the agreed figure in the document, because an acknowledgement is evidence a court will rely on. Free, independent debt advice is available from MoneyHelper, National Debtline, StepChange and Citizens Advice before signing anything about a debt.
- Is an acknowledgement of debt the same as a court judgment?
- No. It proves the debt but cannot be enforced on its own: if payments stop, the creditor still has to send a letter before claim and claim in the County Court. It does make a later defence that the money was never owed very hard to run.
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
- Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked
DocMuse sells documents, not legal advice. Acceptance always depends on the recipient's rules and your local law.
Related documents
- Letter before claim for money a private person owes you (England and Wales)
For a private individual owed money by another individual — an unrepaid loan, a share of a bill, money paid for something never handed over. The letter sets out the debt and gives 14 days to pay or reply, as the Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct expects, and says you will otherwise claim in the County Court through Money Claim Online. It is not the letter of claim a business sends an individual, which follows the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims. Send it first class with a certificate of posting, and by email.
- Loan agreement between family or friends (England and Wales)
For two private individuals — relatives, friends, a couple — lending money to each other, with or without interest. The agreement records the amount and when it was paid over, the interest if any, the final repayment date or monthly instalments, and what happens if a payment is missed. A loan between private people, not made in the course of a business, needs no FCA authorisation, falls outside most of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and needs no registration or stamp duty. Both sign it, and each keeps a signed copy.
- Reply to a debt collector: prove the debt, or it is statute-barred (England and Wales)
For someone chased by a debt collector or debt buyer for a debt they do not recognise, dispute or believe is more than six years old. The letter does not acknowledge the debt: it asks for proof — the agreement, a statement of account, the default notice and the assignment — or states that the debt is statute-barred under the Limitation Act 1980 and will not be paid, which FCA rules require a firm collecting a regulated credit debt to respect. Send it first class with a free certificate of posting, and keep a copy.
- Offer of reduced payments to a creditor when money is tight (UK)
For a borrower or customer who cannot keep up with a loan, credit card, overdraft or bill after a change such as job loss, illness or a cut in income. The letter explains what has changed, offers a monthly payment you can afford and asks the creditor to accept it, freeze interest and charges, and confirm in writing. FCA rules require lenders to treat customers in financial difficulty with forbearance. Free debt advice is also available from MoneyHelper, StepChange and Citizens Advice anywhere in the UK, from National Debtline in Great Britain, and from Advice Direct Scotland and Advice NI. Send it by email and by first class post.
- Full and final settlement agreement to end a dispute (England and Wales)
For two people or businesses who have agreed to end a dispute — over money, goods, work done, damage or a deposit — by one paying the other an agreed sum. The agreement records the payment and when it is due, that once paid it settles all claims about the dispute, that neither side admits liability, and that each bears its own costs. It is not for a dispute with an employer: an employee's claims are settled only by an agreement made after independent advice, or through Acas. Both sign it; each keeps a copy.
- Complaint that a loan or credit card was unaffordable when you got it (UK)
For a borrower who was given a loan, credit card, overdraft limit, car finance or catalogue credit they could not repay without hardship. FCA rules require a lender to check creditworthiness and affordability before lending or raising a limit (CONC 5). The letter complains that the checks were not proportionate, sets out your finances at the time, and asks for interest and charges to be refunded and your credit file corrected. The lender has eight weeks; then the Financial Ombudsman Service is free.