How Long Does an Attachment of Earnings Order Last?

If you’ve been told you’ll have an attachment of earnings, or if you’ve just found out you have one, you might be worried. You might be asking: “how long will this last?” or “how will this affect my earnings?”

You’re not alone. Every month, more than 170,000 people visit our site for advice on dealing with debt.

In this article, we’ll explain:

•  Why you might have an attachment of earnings
•  How long an attachment of earnings can last
•  What to do if an attachment of earnings is making things hard for you
•  How an attachment of earnings could affect your job
•  How to stop an attachment of earnings

We know this is a tough time for you; some of us have been in the same boat. We’re here to help you make sense of it all.

How long does an attachment of earnings last?

An attachment of earnings order will last until all of the debt has been paid back. Your company or any new employer will continue to take money from your wages until everything has been back.

If you have one of these orders as part of an administration order that only lasts for three years, you may end the order without paying back everything owed to lenders and companies.

How much can be taken on attachment of earnings?

The amount the court will instruct your employer to deduct is related to your income and essential costs. You will only repay what you can reasonably afford after essential expenses. 

Moreover, the court sets a protected earnings rate, which is the amount of money you must receive from your take-home wage each month. If you do not earn this amount, you will not repay anything. 

If you think you are paying too much, you can apply to the court to have your payments reduced by completing form N244. 

If your employment ends, the payments also end but the order does not stop. Once you have a new employer you have to tell them about the order within seven days. If you fail to inform your new employer, it’s a criminal offence. 

When does the money start being deducted?

Once the Attachment of Earnings Order (AEO) is granted, your employer will initiate deductions. This means that fines associated with the AEO will appear on your payslip, and you’ll begin making payments from your very next wage.

Can my employer charge a fee?

Some employers will charge a £1 administration cost to process the payment. 

How do I appeal an attachment of earnings order?

You have 14 days to inform the court that you disagree with the terms of the AEO.

You will need to write to the court and explain why you think the AEO is wrong. From my experience, the most common examples include:

• You think that the court has set the instalments too high
• You want to request that the AEO is suspended while you explain to the court, in detail, why your employment might be affected.

A hearing will then be arranged. You must go to the hearing and take a detailed personal budget and information about any debt repayments or other outgoings that you have.

You can then explain to the judge holding your hearing why you think that the AEO will cause serious problems or how your job will be affected.

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Will an attachment of earnings order affect my job?

The will not affect the debtor’s job in most situations. There are a handful of finance jobs that could be affected. You can even request the order is stopped if your employment might end due to the order. But there is no guarantee you will be successful.

If you are concerned that your employment is under threat by the order, you should seek immediate debt help from or Citizens Advice. 

How many attachment of earnings can you have at one time?

If you have multiple CCJs in your name and those creditors want to receiver the debt through these types of orders, you can apply for an order called a consolidated attachment of earnings order. Your single monthly deduction will then be used to repay all your debts. 

Be aware that when the orders are consolidated, the courts take a 10% fee from the money which is paid to creditors, meaning it costs more. 

You must make this application in writing and provide evidence of your income. You can do this with the help of my budgeting guide!

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Can you stop an attachment of earnings order?

When you complete the form sent to you in the post, there is an option to ask for the order to be stopped. Two common reasons for requesting this are:

1. It could cause you to lose your employment (financial industry workers)
2. It will cause you financial hardship

It may be possible to cancel the order if you have been out of work for a long time. You will need to contact the courts and make this request. 

What if I Don’t Comply with an Attachment of Earnings Order?

Attachment of Earnings Orders are legally binding.

This means that failure to comply with an AEO may result in a fine or, in extreme cases, even imprisonment.

How to avoid an attachment of earnings order

If you have been issued with a CCJ, the best way to avoid an attachment of earnings order is to repay the debt in full or agree to a different solution. If you are struggling to find a way to pay off the judgment, you should seek advice from a charity. 

If you have yet to be issued with an order from a judge to repay your debt, it’s still worth assessing various debt solutions. I discuss a number of them on this page!