Almost 450,000 Swedes were in debt to the Swedish Enforcement Authority at the turn of the year, and the total debt is now SEK 154 billion. This is an increase of a full 76 percent compared to five years earlier.
I remember when three or four years ago we discussed wiping out 100 billion in debt and that it was a lot. Now we are up to 154, says Davor Vuleta and adds:
It is very serious.
44 million a day
Compared to 2024, the debt total had increased by a total of SEK 16 billion last year - or SEK 44 million a day. Just over a third of Swedes' total debt is interest and fees.
It shows how quickly the debts grow, interest and fees are added and it becomes much more difficult to pay, says Davor Vuleta.
He believes that recent years of high inflation, high electricity prices and several interest rate increases in a short period of time can explain the sharply increased debt in Swedish households.
There was no money in wallets and we are very indebted in Sweden, so when this happened it showed how vulnerable we are, he says.
It will be a lesson for us: It's time to put on the brakes, stop living beyond our means, and create the financial margins that you need to have in case something happens.
Young people have criminal debts
The debts of young people also stand out. 657 people under the age of 18 have debts with the Swedish Enforcement Authority, 67 more than in 2024. But their debts, totaling 50 million kronor, have increased by 62 percent in one year.
In most cases, these are crime-related debts, often compensation for damages.
It is difficult for us to say exactly what is causing this, but we read in newspapers that more minors are being drawn into crime and convicted, and logically it is possible that these are the individuals we see in the Enforcement Authority's register now, says Davor Vuleta.
But there is positive news: the future looks brighter. According to the Swedish Enforcement Authority's forecast, the trend is expected to reverse and the number of people in debt will decrease in 2026.
The economy has stabilized, interest rates have been lowered and inflation is stable. But we always have a lag so it is not visible in our records yet, says Davor Vuleta.
