Warning over rise of rogue retailers

Lloyds Bank is warning that rogue retailers are preparing to rip off shoppers in the January sales, offering big online discounts to lure people into purchasing items that are never dispatched. The number of rogue retailers identified by Lloyds in January 2024 was 140% higher than the normal monthly average across the year, indicating that…

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Households confident over their 2025 finances

3rd January 2025 Consumer Lending | #finances

The majority of UK households are heading into 2025 feeling financially secure, but more people think the health of the economy is worsening than improving according to KPMG’s UK Consumer Pulse survey. The analysis shows that 57% of people feel financially secure, while just a fifth (21%) feel insecure. While half of those polled said…

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Business leaders cautious on 2025 outlook

The Institute of Directors (IoD) Economic Confidence Index, which measures business leaders’ optimism about the UK economy, crept up to -61 in December 2024 from -65 in November. The rise represents the fourth-lowest reading of the index since its introduction in July 2016. Business leader confidence in their own organisations also rose to +8 in December, from…

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60% of young adults understand their credit score

3rd January 2025 Consumer Lending | #credit risk

Younger Brits are proving to be savvier with their finances than older generations, a new survey has shown. The study, conducted by credit score app CredAbility, reveals that nearly 60% of young adults (18- to 34-year-olds) understand their credit score and how it works, compared to just 42% of over-55s.  The study also found that…

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Pre-payment customers paying 30% of income on energy bill

3rd January 2025 Consumer Collections | #energy bills

New research by the Resolution Foundation has highlighted the challenges faced by the 4 million UK households who pay for energy via pre-payment meters (PPMs). High prices and the concentration of energy use in the winter months mean that, on average, households with a PPM will need to spend more than 30 per cent of…

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