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Our own data
Debt Solutions 4U applicant data, 2026
The figures we quote in our articles come from our own records: 3,920 credit reports and 2,133 debt review applications. This page says who was counted, when, and how many people stand behind each number.
What these figures are, and what they are not
Who is counted
People who came to Debt Solutions 4U for a debt assessment, a debt review application or a free credit check. They are not a sample of South Africa, and no figure here describes the country.
Aggregates only
Every figure is an aggregate. No individual can be identified from any of them, and no client case is published.
Medians, not averages
“Typical” means the median: the person in the middle. A few very large debts pull an average far above anyone’s real position, so averages are not used.
Different groups, different periods
Each block below has its own group, period and sample size (n). Two figures from different blocks should not be combined into a new one.
The share of income that applicants commit to debt is published separately, every month, as the South African Financial Pressure Index (SAFPI). That page holds the index, its monthly series and its income-band table.
How much of their income goes to debt
Among debt review applicants, January to September 2026 (n=1,831). Unsecured debt only: home loans and vehicle finance are not counted.
- 73.2% of debt review applicants spend more than 30% of their take-home pay on unsecured debt repayments.
- 35.8% of debt review applicants spend more than 75% of their take-home pay on unsecured debt repayments.
- 19.6% of debt review applicants owe more in unsecured repayments each month than they earn.
What people owe
Among 3,920 people whose credit report was pulled through Debt Solutions 4U, June to October 2026. Each had at least one credit account.
- The typical person who asks Debt Solutions 4U for help has 4 credit accounts with 3 different lenders; 29.3% have six or more accounts.
- Their typical unsecured debt is R12,742 and their typical unsecured repayments are R4,274 a month (n=3,862).
- For debt review applicants, that typical unsecured debt is about 1.7 months of take-home pay (n=1,879).
- 42.0% owe less than R10,000 in unsecured debt and 13.4% owe more than R100,000 (n=3,862).
- Only 16.3% have a home loan or vehicle finance.
By type of credit, based on 17,250 accounts
| Type of credit | Share of all accounts | Typical balance | Behind on payments | In default | People holding at least one |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal loan | 57.8% | R2,190 | 39.0% | 22.3% | 79.5% |
| Credit card | 13.8% | R3,346 | 61.1% | 45.2% | 42.5% |
| Store card | 10.4% | R2,869 | 54.9% | 30.4% | 32.7% |
| Cellphone contract | 4.7% | R2,486 | 53.0% | 43.0% | 18.6% |
| Furniture account | 2.5% | R10,300 | 60.7% | 35.9% | 8.6% |
| Vehicle finance | 2.5% | R214,338 | 37.4% | 18.2% | 10.1% |
| Home loan | 2.2% | R371,669 | 33.9% | 17.1% | 8.4% |
Personal loans and loan stacking
Among 3,920 people whose credit report was pulled through Debt Solutions 4U, June to October 2026; 9,965 personal loans.
- 79.5% of the people who ask Debt Solutions 4U for help hold at least one personal loan; 57.8% hold two or more, 40.4% three or more and 18.4% five or more.
- Among those with a personal loan, the typical number is 3.
- 72.4% of their personal loans are under R5,000 and 55.2% are under R2,500.
- 30.1% have three or more personal loans under R5,000 at the same time.
- For the typical person, 84.1% of their unsecured monthly instalments go to personal loans (n=3,862).
- 62.3% of personal loans were taken over 2 to 6 months (n=1,083 loans).
Borrowing right up to the point of asking for help
A smaller, more recent group: 681 people assessed whose credit report showed account opening dates, September and October 2026.
- 43.8% opened a new credit account in the 30 days before asking Debt Solutions 4U for help.
- 58.3% opened one in the 90 days before, and 30.1% opened three or more in those 90 days.
- 76.4% opened at least one account in the 12 months before.
- 44.3% of all their accounts were less than six months old (n=3,537 accounts).
- The typical personal loan was about 10 weeks old; the typical credit card was 3.3 years old and the typical store card 2.3 years.
How far behind people are when they ask
Among 3,920 people whose credit report was pulled through Debt Solutions 4U, June to October 2026.
- 74.7% of the people who ask Debt Solutions 4U for help are already behind on at least one account, and 56.3% have at least one account in default.
- 25.3% are up to date on everything when they ask; 25.7% are behind on every account they have.
- Accounts that are behind are typically 5 months in arrears, and 19.4% are more than a year behind (n=7,794 accounts).
- The typical person who is behind owes R5,488 in arrears in total (n=2,963).
Who applies for debt review
Among debt review applicants, January to September 2026.
- 86.6% of debt review applicants are employed; 6.4% are self-employed, 5.2% unemployed and 1.8% pensioners (n=2,133).
- Their typical take-home pay is R7,400 a month, and 66.9% take home under R10,000 (n=2,131).
- 53.4% are men and 46.6% are women (n=2,432).
- 50.6% live with family, 44.8% rent and 4.6% have a bond (n=2,133).
The household budget
Among 2,129 debt review applicants who completed their monthly budget. Expenses are self-declared.
| Expense | Share who pay it | Typical amount | Typical share of income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food and groceries | 82.9% | R1,200 | 16.0% |
| Public transport | 53.0% | R650 | 9.1% |
| Water and electricity | 50.9% | R350 | 4.3% |
| Rent | 44.8% | R1,500 | 18.7% |
| Cellphone | 44.2% | R300 | 3.6% |
| School fees | 30.0% | R700 | 8.3% |
| Life insurance | 27.5% | R291 | 3.3% |
| Fuel | 24.8% | R800 | 6.2% |
| Maintenance | 24.1% | R600 | 8.3% |
| Medical aid | 13.4% | R400 | 4.8% |
- Typical living costs among debt review applicants are R4,000 a month, or 55.2% of income.
- Typically R3,130 is left after living costs, before any debt is paid.
- 61.2% cannot cover their unsecured repayments from what is left (n=1,878); for them the typical gap is R3,712 a month (n=1,150).
- For 10.9%, living costs alone are more than they earn.
- Only 13.4% have medical aid.
Where the people who contact us live
Based on the home address of 3,308 people. This shows who finds Debt Solutions 4U as well as where debt is, so it does not rank provinces by indebtedness.
| Province | Share |
|---|---|
| Gauteng | 32.8% |
| Western Cape | 20.4% |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 13.6% |
| Eastern Cape | 7.6% |
| Mpumalanga | 7.6% |
| Limpopo | 6.4% |
| North West | 5.3% |
| Free State | 3.9% |
| Northern Cape | 2.5% |
| Metro (n=3,138) | Share |
|---|---|
| Cape Town | 13.7% |
| Johannesburg | 12.1% |
| Ekurhuleni | 8.4% |
| Tshwane | 7.9% |
| eThekwini | 7.4% |
| Nelson Mandela Bay | 3.0% |
| Buffalo City | 1.4% |
| Mangaung | 0.9% |
57.7% live in one of the eight metros.
When and how people ask for help
Based on 15,062 first contacts through the website and chat, December 2025 to October 2026, and 15,340 chat conversations, November 2025 to October 2026. Chat topics were counted by keyword, so the true shares are somewhat higher.
- 53.9% of first contacts reach Debt Solutions 4U outside office hours (Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00), and 21.9% on a weekend.
- 16.6% come between 18:00 and 22:00, and 13.9% between 22:00 and 05:00.
- Wednesday is the busiest day (17.4%). Contacts are spread evenly through the month.
- The typical first message is 4 words long, and 15.7% of people come back on a later day.
- 17.8% of chats ask about getting a loan, 11.7% about a credit score or credit report, and 9.8% about leaving debt review or a clearance certificate.
- Among people who went on to register (n=4,797), 9.4% came after being declined for credit somewhere else.
How to cite this
Debt Solutions 4U applicant data, 2026. Aggregate figures from debt review applications and credit reports, compiled 2026-10-05.
Free to cite with attribution. Please keep the population (“among people who asked Debt Solutions 4U for help”) and the sample size with the figure. We do not supply client cases, and we do not supply figures we have not published.
Media and research enquiries
A named, NCR-registered debt counsellor is available for comment.
Compiled 2026-10-05 from Debt Solutions 4U records. Debt Solutions 4U is an NCR-registered debt counselling practice (NCRDC2423).
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