Wellington, Oct 29 NZPA - More New Zealanders are having bigger debts due to job loss and taking longer to pay them back, a collection agency says.

Baycorp figures released yesterday show average debt for collection was $814, increasing 49 percent since 2006's figure of $544.

People were also taking at least 50 percent longer to repay debts, and fewer than 40 percent honoured their promises to pay up, the Press reported.

The number of debts referred to the company had increased since mid-2007, with most people failing to pay because of a single event, Baycorp chief executive Geoff Harper said.

Previously, reasons for falling into debt included divorce or illness, but increasingly people were attributing losing their jobs, he said.

Those aged 46 to 65 were being hit hardest by the financial conditions, compared to younger people who could return to live with their parents, Mr Harper said.

Those between 46 and 55 had the highest levels of debt, averaging $900 -- up 32 percent from 2005's figure of $ 686, while those under 25 averaged $568 of debt, increasing only 22 percent since 2005.

People increasingly sought payment plans to clear debt, rather than paying it all off at once, and the company had also invoked 200 percent more summary judgments -- calling on the courts to reclaim owed money, he said.