More than a third of worried about affording energy bills this winter

Over 10 million households (37%) are worried about how they’ll afford their energy bills this winter, according to new research from Citizens Advice. With the latest energy price cap expected to drive bills up to a three-year high – fueled by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East – the charity warns that millions of…

Read more

One in three Gen Z skipping meals because of food costs

Gen Z are being forced to go hungry as food costs soar, with almost one in three skipping meals or eating less – nearly three times the rate of 35–44-year-olds according to research from the cashback app Tuck. The study of 3,291 UK consumers found that 33% of Gen Z shoppers have started skipping meals or…

Read more

UK AI-savvy generation has a financial confidence gap

New analysis from Lloyds Banking Group suggests that while younger adults have the digital know-how, it’s older generations who are using experience to make the most of tech when managing their money. The research showed that more than three in four (76%) 18 to 24-year-olds have used AI for personal finance – making them the…

Read more

Two in five expect their finances to worsen over the next year

New research from StepChange Debt Charity has revealed growing concern about household finances, with millions of people worried about how they will cope as energy costs are expected to rise ahead of winter. The data shows that two in five (41%) British adults, equivalent to around 22 million people, expect their finances to worsen over…

Read more

Energy price cap will rise by 4% from October

Energy regulator Ofgem has announced a 4% increase in the energy price cap for the period covering 1st October to 31st December 2026. The energy price cap protects around 22 million households on default tariffs by limiting the maximum rates and standing charges that energy suppliers can charge. It is updated every three months to…

Read more

Energy bill debt hits £6bn

Latest figures from Energy UK show that domestic customer energy debt is likely to have hit a record £6 billion in the first half of this year and – with the price cap for October expected to be at a three year high which see energy debt reach £7 billion by the end of 2026.  Energy UK had already warned about the growing debt problem earlier this year in a report, which revealed that the…

Read more

StepChange announces cyber resilience partnership with ANS 

25th August 2026 Appointments |

Debt charity, StepChange, has announced that it has enhanced its cybersecurity with digital transformation specialist ANS’ Security Operations Centre (SOC) service, giving the charity access to round-the-clock cybersecurity monitoring and threat detection without significantly expanding its internal security team. As demand for digital debt advice continues to grow, StepChange’s 2030 strategy focuses on delivering secure, resilient online…

Read more

Household energy prices expected to rise again in October

21st August 2026 Consumer Collections | #energy bills

Energy bills are forecast to rise by 4% from October, according to Cornwall Insight’s final forecast for the Default Tariff Cap (price cap). On a unit-for-unit basis, this would see bills rise to their highest level since July 2023. Under Ofgem’s new definition of a typical consumer introduced in July 2026, the annual cap is…

Read more

Parents can expect to spend more than £15,500 on a child’s school years

Families could be spending over £15,500 on hidden costs including school clubs, uniforms and trips over a child’s school career, according to new Nationwide research. School clubs account for the biggest share of that cost, with parents spending an average of £700 each year on clubs and associated costs, almost twice as much as uniform…

Read more

Two-thirds of consumers fear PM’s policies could leave them worse off

Prime Minister (PM) Andy Burnham’s early cost-of-living measures may have given households some immediate relief. Still, nearly two-thirds of UK consumers (63%) are concerned that the Government’s recently announced policies could ultimately leave their household worse off, according to new research from Novuna Personal Finance. The findings come after the Government decided to remove VAT…

Read more

Personal insolvencies remain stable

Latest monthly figures from the Insolvency Service for England & Wales showed that personal insolvencies  remained broadly stable in July 2026 compared to the previous month, with 11,926 people entering insolvency compared to 11,934 in June. Personal insolvencies were 14% higher when compared to  July 2025, when the figure was 10,454. The insolvencies consisted of…

Read more

FCA bans senior manager of debt management firm

19th August 2026 Consumer Collections | #FCA ban

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has banned Howard Roland Duckett from working in financial services due to a serious lack of honesty and integrity. Duckett was a senior manager at Beauforce Corporation Limited, a debt management firm. The High Court has disqualified Mr Duckett from acting as a company director for 10 years. It found…

Read more

Financial resilience crisis leaves millions vulnerable to income shocks

Millions of working households could see their finances unravel far sooner than they realise, according to new analysis from Royal London, which warns that the UK’s financial resilience remains worryingly weak despite signs of recovery from the cost-of-living crisis. The report found that the average UK adult scores just 33% on its Financial Resilience Barometer,…

Read more

1 2 3 625