The use of bailiffs to collect debts owed to local authorities in England and Wales has risen by 7 percent in two years, driven by a surge in the use of bailiffs to collect parking debts, according to new research by the Money Advice Trust, the charity that runs National Debtline and Business Debtline. More than 2.6 million…
New TUC analysis has shown that unsecured debt per household has risen to record levels. The average household debt rose to £15,880 in the first quarter of 2019, up £1,160 on a year earlier. With over half of households report having unsecured debt, most commonly in the form of credit card debt (60%), overdraft (28%),…
Citizens Advice Scotland has called for action to reduce the ‘five week wait’ that claimants of Universal Credit (UC) face before receiving their first payment. In the run-up to the UK government’s spending review later this week, CAS has published a new ‘Voices From the Frontline’ briefing which summarises the impact this delay has on people,…
New data from Citizens Advice shows 49% of benefit claimants affected by the benefits freeze have struggled to meet essential costs such as rent, household bills and food while 40% have lost sleep due to money worries in the past 12 months. The findings are worse for Universal Credit claimants, with over half (55%) having…
Here is an overview of The Money Charity’s latest statistics for August 2019: Personal debt in the UK People in the UK owed £1,642 billion at the end of June 2019. This is up from £1,596 billion at the end of June 2018, an extra £887 per UK adult over the year. The average total…
Universal Credit is causing tenants to get behind with their rent according to new research for the Residential Landlords Association (RLA). It reports that 54 per cent of those private landlords who have let to tenants on Universal Credit in the past 12 months have seen them fall into rent arrears. Of these, 82 per…
The debt advice sector has developed a first of its kind apprenticeship qualification. The qualification Standard and End Point Assessment have now been submitted to the approval board of the Institute of Apprenticeships. It is expected that the apprenticeship will launch within the next six months. The apprenticeship is a cross-sector qualification developed in collaboration…
Consumers struggling to make ends meet are being urged to avoid loan sharks at all costs as latest figures show debt advice enquiries have hit a record high. The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents councils in England and Wales, is urging people desperate for a loan to steer clear of illegal money lenders who…
Up to half of older homeowners are using equity release to repay debt as they struggle to meet payments, new analysis from independent equity release adviser Key shows. Analysis of customer data suggests that 30% of people are using equity release to repay unsecured debt while 20% are using it to repay mortgages. Debt is a…
The income squeeze that followed the last financial crisis has left low and middle-income households more vulnerable to the next economic shock than they were in 2008, according to new analysis published by the Resolution Foundation. The report titled ‘A problem shared?’ examines the distributional impact of recessions in the light of the financial crisis.…