Personal insolvency numbers have continued to fall throughout 2021, as COVID stimulus measures and bank forbearance help keep household budgets in the black.

According to the latest Australian Financial Security Authority figures, there were 2621 personal insolvencies in Australia in the September quarter – down 2.3 per cent from the June quarter and down 12.3 per cent from the September quarter last year.

They are the second-lowest quarterly personal insolvency numbers in the data series, which goes back to 2007.

In the December quarter 2019, before COVID struck, there were 5280 personal insolvencies and in the two years leading up to the pandemic, quarterly numbers were between 5000 and 8000.

In the latest figures, there were falls in all states and territories, except Tasmania.

Among the 2621 personal insolvencies, there were 1617 bankruptcies (down 5.6 per cent year-on-year), 966 debt agreements (down 22.5 per cent), 35 personal insolvency agreements (up 52.2 per cent) and three insolvent deceased estates.

In the September quarter, 34.2 per cent of bankruptcies were business related, compared with 40.9 per cent in the September quarter last year.