Unsecured debt reaches £300bn

17th October 2017 Consumer Collections |

Over the past year, UK consumers’ unsecured debt, amassed primarily on credit cards, student loans, car financing and overdrafts, has reached an all-time high of close to £300bn, or £11,000 per household, growing at a faster rate than at any time in the past 15 years, According a new PwC analysis report. As evidence of…

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‘Growing debt burden’ on young people – FCA Chief

16th October 2017 Consumer Collections |

The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) has warned of a pronounced build-up of debt among young people. In an interview with the BBC, FCA Chief Andrew Bailey has highlighted the ‘growing debt burden’ on young people. The warning, which follows a tour of visits by Andrew Bailey to debt charities including National Debtline, coincides with new…

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MALG announces line up for annual conference

16th October 2017 Consumer Collections |

The Money Advice Liaison Group (MALG) has announced its line for its 30th annual Conference. The conference provides money advisers, creditors, and stakeholders with an opportunity to network and debate current and future issues in the spirit of ‘working together to improve the lives of people in debt’. The 2017 conference, sponsored by Cabot Credit…

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FEATURE: A customer-centric approach to collections

13th October 2017 Consumer Collections |

How cloud technology can improve collections performance In today’s world, few consumers are immune to the risk of personal debt. The uncertain nature of the global economy is creating a new breed of debtor, in the form of a consumer who has temporarily fallen on hard times, after living their whole lives as reliable bill-payers.…

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Credit card debt among over-55s reaches a six-year high

12th October 2017 Consumer Collections |

Research data by Aviva has shown that credit card debt among the over-55s has reached a six year high of £1,052, up 9% since last year and the highest level since Aviva began collecting the data in 2011. The findings come from its latest Real Retirement Report series, which suggests that both secured and unsecured debts are…

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Consumer borrowing motivation explored in report

12th October 2017 Consumer Collections |

A research report from Equiniti Credit Services depicts a rising market for credit in the UK, with consumer motivations for borrowing split between funding aspirational items such as holidays and household goods (47%), and managing or consolidating existing debt (53%). The report has also identified a stark age group difference in attitudes to technology with…

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Half a million people will enter poverty if benefits freeze

10th October 2017 Consumer Collections |

Latest research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) has highlighted how a benefits freeze will affect families- the majority of which are in work. The freeze is the single biggest policy driver behind the expected rise in poverty by the end of the Parliament. JRF is calling for the Government to target its resources better…

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Consumer finance increases by 4% in August

6th October 2017 Consumer Collections |

New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that consumer finance new business in August grew by 4% compared with the same month last year. Credit card and personal loan new business together grew by 4% compared with August 2016, while retail store and online credit new business increased by 7%. Second…

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Bank of Mum & Dad borrowing creates family guilt

5th October 2017 Consumer Collections |

The concept of the ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’ is growing in importance but more than half of potential first-time buyers expecting to receive financial help from family to complete their purchase would feel guilty about doing so, new research reveals. The latest First-Time Buyers Report by Yorkshire Building Society shows 66% of UK adults aged 18-40…

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Credit Kudos receives green light from FCA

3rd October 2017 Consumer Collections |

Credit Bureau, Credit Kudos has announced its has received Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) authorisation. Credit Kudos are building a new credit scoring system to tackle the problem of increasingly persistent consumer debt. Commenting on the announcement, Freddy Kelly, founder and CEO of Credit Kudos said: “Credit is a crucial instrument for so many of us,…

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Parents cutting back in retirement to leave inheritance

2nd October 2017 Consumer Collections |

Research by Saga Money found that while retired people want to save to pass on an inheritance, their children would rather they spent the money on living today.. More than eight in ten children say they would rather their parents spent their money in retirement than leave them an inheritance, yet four in five parents…

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Millennials feel that ‘pay as you go lifestyle’ is their only option

2nd October 2017 Consumer Collections |

Research from independent car buying site, carwow, reveals that nine in ten Millennials are renting or leasing modern day essentials such as cars, homes and mobile phones because it’s the only way to afford to them.  Due to soaring living costs, a poll of 2,000 car owners by carwow shows that one in two millennials…

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Personal Insolvency rate higher for females

2nd October 2017 Consumer Collections |

The Insolvency Service has released a statistical breakdown of individual insolvencies in England and Wales, by region, county, unitary authority and local authority levels. The statistics also include age and gender breakdowns of individual insolvencies at region level. The statistics cover the calendar years 2000 to 2016. Main Messages  The total insolvency rate increased for…

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