Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Suppliers to the retail sector are urged to closely monitor payment risk as businesses enter the critical Christmas trading period amid weak consumer confidence and rising costs. Trade credit insurer Atradius says the golden quarter could expose a growing divide between resilient retailers, who can keep investing, and those facing greater financial pressure. Atradius’s latest…
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Money and Mental Health’s Board of Trustees has announced that Conor D’Arcy has been appointed as the organisation’s new Chief Executive. D’Arcy has been Deputy Chief Executive of Money and Mental Health since 2024, having also acted as Interim Chief Executive from May 2023 to April 2024. He previously served as the charity’s Head of…
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A new report by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) is calling for a fresh approach to consumer finance, highlighting its role in employment, mobility and financial inclusion – and the need to better support people who are declined credit. The FLA says the national debate about consumer credit focuses heavily on debt and financial…
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Analysis by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has found that council tax arrears rose by almost £1,500 every minute last year as ministers face calls to stop struggling households being pushed deeper into problem debt. The data showed that unpaid council tax in England increased by £782 million in 2025/26, taking the total outstanding…
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Latest Red Flag Alert research from BTG has revealed that the number of UK businesses in ‘significant’ financial distress increased by 1.6% year-on-year to a record 738,144 in Q3 2026 and the highest level since the research began in 2004. The findings indicate the extent of the financial pressures facing businesses. BTG’s latest research also…
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Two men from Leicester who committed over £187,000 worth of fraud have been sentenced at Inner London Crown Court. The duo also exposed victims to a further £300,000 in attempted losses, which were flagged and stopped by banking systems. The sentencing follows an investigation and arrest by a specialist banking industry-sponsored police unit, the Dedicated…
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The IoD Directors’ Economic Confidence Index, which measures business leader optimism in prospects for the UK economy, rose to -45 in October 2026 in the run-up to the Budget, from -54 in September, the highest the index has been since May 2025. The Chancellor’s Budget did not have a significant impact on the headline index.…
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Opus Advisory Group, the UK’s largest independently owned restructuring and advisory firm, has announced the acquisition of Bretts Business Recovery, an established insolvency practice based in Dartford, Kent. Founded in 2012, Brett Business Recovery has built a strong reputation for providing insolvency and business recovery advice to businesses across the region. The acquisition will see…
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Insolvency-related activity rose across several key sectors in the third quarter of 2026, highlighting uneven pressure on businesses, according to R3’s latest quarterly Business Health report. This is despite overall levels of distress remaining largely stable. The report, based on Creditsafe data, found there were 6,939 insolvency-related activities in Q3 2026, including administrations and voluntary…
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Mortgage approvals for house purchases fell to their lowest level in nearly three years, with the Bank of England reporting 53,443 approvals in September. This follows a rise in mortgage rates linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict. Meanwhile, remortgaging approvals increased to 42,600 from 34,000 in August. Net borrowing of mortgage debt by individuals…
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Business confidence rose six points to 47% in October as economic optimism and firms’ own trading outlook improved, according to the latest Lloyds Business Barometer. Business sentiment is higher than at the start of the year, with firms referencing strong demand, while cost pressures continue to present a challenge. Optimism in the wider economy rose…
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A snap poll by the Institute of Directors following the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget statement, more than half of business leaders (53%) viewed the Budget negatively. In contrast, just 19% viewed the Budget positively, giving an overall net satisfaction score of -35%. Business leaders did, however, express support for several individual measures announced by the Chancellor:…
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The Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) is calling for greater collaboration between lenders, industry bodies and policymakers following concerns raised by members about emerging trends in loan stacking and the potential consequences for the financial resilience of UK businesses. Loan stacking occurs when businesses take out multiple loans or financing arrangements, sometimes in quick succession,…
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