The 7 Best Debt Collection Services in the UK in 2023

Unpaid invoices can have very real implications for your business. A recent report from Nerdwallet found that 55% of SME's in the UK have outstanding invoices from the 2022/23 tax year, and over a third of the businesses they spoke to said they were considering reducing spend in other areas because of this, by doing things such as downsizing their offices or even pausing recruiting.

With the UK still on “recession high alert” in the final quarter of 2023, a healthy cash flow is arguably now more important to small businesses than ever, and debt collection services are a great way to stay on top of this. Their teams will pursue your customers for payments, helping to maintain your business's cashflow and freeing you up to continue running your venture.

We've researched the top debt collection services in the UK and found Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd to be the best overall, beating the competition with its speed and value for money. However, depending on your needs, other companies might be a better fit.

To discover them, read on, or you can use our free comparison tool to receive bespoke quotes from trusted providers – you can then compare these quotes to make the right decision for your business.

1. Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd – Best overall debt collection agency in the UK

What we like about Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd

Each debt recovery case needs to be approached differently, and that’s exactly what DCBL does – all for a fixed price, with no hidden costs (as we cover more in-depth in our DCBL review). Experience has shown DCBL that a phone call will often only get you so far; person-to-person contact improves its success rate, and its staff aren't afraid of this approach. If it’s quick results and a professional service you’re after, you’d be hard pushed to find better service.

While its Trustpilot score could be better (4/5), it does boast over 2,000 reviews (much more than most of the companies we researched), which is a testament to its efficiency.

Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd pricing

Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd's prices are custom and only available upon quoting. That said, we can help you find out exactly how much your business would pay for their services by using our free comparison tool to get quotes tailored to your needs.

2. Safe Collections – Best for a personalised approach

What we like about Safe Collections

Safe Collections packs overdue invoice recovery services as well credit improvement assistance tools, which is given a personalised touch by its often-praised managing director, Adam Home. Several customer reviews we looked into commend him directly for being an experienced port of call, explaining in detail what to expect of the company, and giving solid debt collection advice overall. This advice can go from steps you can take to ease your debt collection or even how to avoid debt collection scams.

In addition to enforcing county court judgments and tracking down elusive debtors, Safe Collections can help you improve your cashflow with its outsourced credit control solution. It also offers consultancy services, helping you to run your credit control more efficiently.

Safe Collections pricing

Safe Collections works on commission per every collection, and therefore does not charge advanced or fixed fees. The commission itself is bespoke but, crucially, it's only charged if the collection is successful.

3. DLC – Best for large, corporate companies

What we like about DLC

DLC focuses solely on servicing large corporate clients, and is extremely professional and works with each individual client to ensure that the best options for their needs are met. The company has received accreditation from a number of respected credit and trading standards organisations. It aims to help clients recover debts successfully, and to ensure fairness for debtors.

On the flip side, DLC doesn't have any Trustpilot presence, which is likely due to the fact that it belongs to a financial conglomerate (in this case, Cabot Financial).

DLC pricing

DLC's pricing is bespoke and pricing will depend on what you require.

4. Darcey Quigley & Co – Best for small businesses and individuals

What we like about Darcey Quigley & Co

Darcey Quigley & Co assigns each debt collection or credit management case to a dedicated consultant who handles it and will report to you. This approach is sure to give small business owners and individuals extra peace of mind. In addition to debt collection, the company also offers credit control management and sales ledger recovery solutions.

Darcey Quigley & Co pricing

Darcey Quigley & Co's fees start from 3% for its debt collection services, while the precise percentage you'll pay will be disclosed in your quotation. However, its fees will only be applicable if the collection is successful.

5. Access Credit Management – Best for businesses with international clients

What we like about Access Credit Management

Access Credit Management specialises in dealing with both UK and international debt, meaning it’s the best option for businesses that deal with overseas clients. The company's core services include debt recovery, outsourced credit collection, and insolvency options.

Access Credit Management pricing

Operating on a contingency basis, you won't need to pay anything to use these debt collection services. If the debt is recovered, a percentage will be taken by Access Credit Management.

6. Hilton-Baird – Best for outsourcing all your debt recovery needs

What we like about Hilton-Baird

Hilton-Baird's services include debt recovery, receivables management, debt purchase, and credit control services –among others. It also caters to multiple industries across the UK, such as the financial and retail sectors.

A reliable collection agency that can deliver effective results, Hilton-Baird is well-suited to businesses owners who are looking to free themselves up completely from the in and outs of debt management.

Hilton-Baird pricing

Hilton-Baird doesn't provide general pricing information, so you'll need to contact the agency to receive a quote.

7. Legal for Landlords – Best for landlords

What we like about Legal for Landlords

If you're just starting out in your debt collection process and are not yet certain of the options available to you or just need some guidance, Legal for Landlords offers free advice, which you can easily book online.

Legal for Landlord's debt recovery services include debtor tracing, pre-court action letters, and small claims representation. The debtor tracing, which can take up within 7 to 14 days, costs £79 + VAT – with an employment check also available for a bespoke fee.

For small court representation, possible for debts up to £10,000, the company charges £519 + VAT plus court fees, which depend on the amount you're claiming. If you win, you're able to enforce this payment for up to six years.

Legal for Landlords also offers two enforcement services, for cases where you already won a legal case against the debtor. The Attachment of Earnings Order (AOE), which instructs the debtor’s employer to deduct money from their wages to pay you back, costs £499 + VAT. Alternatively, a Writ allows the seizure of debtor's assets to pay their debt and its costs start at £499 + VAT.

Previous customers reported that Legal for Landlords offers efficient and great service that makes the process easier, which earned the company a 4.8/5 score on Trustpilot, with over 3,800 reviews.

Legal for Landlords pricing

Legal for Landlords pricing will depend on which of the services you'll require it to perform. These services include (all prices are exclusive of VAT):

• Residential debtor tracing: £79
• Attachment of Earnings Order: £499
• Writ: From £499
• Small claims representation: £519

Next steps

If you’re a UK business owner and finding it difficult to recover unpaid debt, we highly recommend talking to a debt collection agency. According to the aforementioned survey conducted by Nerdwallet, the number of unpaid invoices has increased over the 2022/23 financial year; this means that as the UK continues to skirt on the edge of an economic recession, the issue of unpaid debt is becoming increasingly unmanageable for SME's that don't have the right support. 

To find a debt collection agency that is the best fit for your requirements, use our free comparison tool. We'll need to know the amount of debt you're chasing, where your debtors are based, and if they're businesses or individuals. The agencies we match you with will be in touch with obligation-free quotes and advice that is tailored to your business's unique circumstances and needs.

It is worth noting that writing off unpaid debt doesn't have to be an inevitable part of doing business. Leave it to the professionals, and recoup what you’re owed.