Barclays, HSBC and Lloyds have become the first major banks to review overdraft charges, as it aims to help customers struggling financially through the coronavirus crisis. Barclays will waive overdraft charges for a fixed period while Lloyds Banking Group and HSBC are increasing fee-free overdraft buffers to £300. Barclays account holders will have any interest…
The UK’s three largest debt charities have called on the Government to instruct local authorities in England and Wales to suspend bailiff action for the duration of the Covid-19 outbreak. The move comes as Citizens Advice, Money Advice Trust and StepChange Debt Charity report that debt advisers have already begun to receive calls about bailiffs…
Citizens Advice says it has seen record-breaking demand for advice since the escalation of the coronavirus pandemic with the highest daily number of visitors to its website being topped four times last week. The debt charity says that web data shows a clear picture of the changing narrative of how this crisis is affecting people…
The Government has confirmed a £500 million hardship fund will provide council tax relief for vulnerable households. Local Government Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP has confirmed the government’s £500 million Hardship Fund will provide council tax relief to vulnerable people and households to help those affected most by coronavirus. The government has set out…
The incomes of self-employed people are ‘falling like a stone’ amidst economic disruption caused by Covid-19, according to charity the Money Advice Trust, which runs the Business Debtline advice service. The warning comes after Chancellor Rishi Sunak told MPs that constructing a scheme to protect the self-employed who are losing work because of the Coronavirus…
The TUC has called on the government to provide urgent aid to Britain’s five million self-employed workers. A new report published today says the current measures in place for self-employed workers are “inadequate” with many facing severe hardship over the coming months. The report calls on ministers to extend the wage subsidy scheme announced on…
The spending limit for contactless card payments will be increased from £30 to £45, with a national roll-out beginning from 1st April 2020, UK Finance has announced. The decision to raise the limit was taken following consultation between the retail sector and the finance and payments industry and follows similar increases in several other European…
The latest quarterly Moneyfacts UK Credit Card Trends Treasury Report, which studies the UK personal finance market (unsecured personal loans, credit cards and overdrafts), highlights that average unsecured personal loan rates have increased, with the lower tiers particularly impacted over the last quarter. In the past quarter, tiers to have seen average rates rise include…
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published new guidance for mortgage lenders and administrators and small business lenders. This supports the announcements made by the Chancellor earlier this week. The new mortgage guidance makes clear that firms should grant customers a payment holiday for an initial period of 3 months, where they may experience payment…
The Vision Blue Group has announced that it has rebranded as The Aryza Group. With a head office in Dublin, Vision Blue will bring together its range of financial services products, under a new brand designed to reflect the breadth of the offering to financial service providers and their customers. Colin Brown, Chief Executive Officer…