Central Bank survey finds 61% of borrowers struggle to repay debts on time

A majority of borrowers in Uzbekistan are experiencing difficulties repaying their debts on schedule, according to a new survey by the Central Bank, which also found that nearly half of indebted respondents spend more than half of their income servicing loans.

Photo: Kun.uz

The survey, which covered the first half of 2026, involved 5,800 respondents across the country and assessed household debt burdens by taking into account both bank loans and non-bank borrowing.

Households with five family members accounted for the largest share of respondents, at 28%.

Most participants reported that their average monthly household income from primary employment did not exceed UZS 12 million. An additional 19% said they had supplementary sources of income, with 58% of those earning up to UZS 4 million per month from those additional activities.

According to the Central Bank, 77% of respondents said they or at least one member of their household had outstanding debt obligations, including both bank and non-bank liabilities.

Among all participants, 68% reported having bank loans. One in five of those borrowers also had debts from non-bank sources.

Most borrowers report repayment difficulties

Housing-related expenses were the most common reason for borrowing, with 20% of respondents taking out loans to purchase or renovate a home. Another 18% borrowed to buy a car.

The survey also found that 8% of borrowers had taken out additional loans to repay existing debts.

Overall, 61% of respondents with debt said they faced difficulties making repayments on time.

Despite these challenges, 47% of indebted respondents expect their ability to repay loans to improve over the next six months, while 42% believe their financial situation will remain unchanged.

Meanwhile, 15% of all respondents said they or a member of their household expected to need additional borrowing within the next six months. Among them, one-quarter planned to use new loans to purchase or renovate housing.

Debt burden remains high

The survey found that borrowers with bank loans have an average debt service burden of 51%, meaning they spend more than half of their income on debt repayments.

Nearly half of indebted respondents, 47%, have a debt burden exceeding 50% of their income.

According to the findings, 68% of borrowers make monthly debt payments of less than UZS 6 million.

Loan terms also vary considerably. Almost half of respondents, 48%, borrowed for periods shorter than three years, while 27% said it would take five years or more to fully repay their debts.