What are joint debts?

A joint debt is any financial contract you share with someone else, like your partner. This could be a mortgage, loan, or bank account.

You and the other person are both responsible for the whole amount of money owed in a joint debt. Not just your own share or ‘half’.

You are both liable for the full debt if one of you cannot pay. This is called ‘joint and several liability’.

Get expert debt advice if you have been left with a joint debt you cannot afford.

There are no joint credit cards in the UK

This means you cannot have joint credit card debt.

There is a primary cardholder who is responsible for repaying all debts.

Even if they come from an additional authorised cardholder.

Joint and several liability can also apply to other debts, including household bills like rent, mortgage, council tax, water charges and utility bills.

Need debt help?

Use our online debt advice tool to get help with joint debts.