Consumers turn to humans over digital when facing debt problems

Digital tools are transforming customer service across every sector, but don’t replace the value of human empathy when people face financial difficulties, according to new research from Lowell. Conducted to mark National Customer Service Week, the research found that 81% of respondents believe it is important to speak to a human when they have a…

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Two thirds of social media debt advice is misleading

A joint study from credit management company Lowell and free debt advice provider Money Wellness has found that almost two-thirds (64.22%) of debt advice circulating on TikTok, Facebook, and Reddit is misleading, while an overwhelming 98.27% is unreliable. With over 10.1 million people in the UK currently over-indebted (FCA Credit & Loans survey), many turn…

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Cost of festive season set to rise

New research by Thinkmoney has revealed that the average household is set to spend £787 on the festive season an increase of £87 on last year. Despite spending more, many feel they are getting less, and some would rather skip the holiday altogether: almost a third of people (30%) say they would cancel or delay…

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The £65,618 cost of motherhood

6th October 2025 Consumer Collections | #family costs

Latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS has shown working mothers lose an average of £65,618 in pay by the time their first child turns five, as the ‘motherhood penalty’ impacts their financial security. Women’s earnings fall an average of 42%, or £1,051 a month, compared to what they were making a year…

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Time running out to prevent decade of falling incomes

26th September 2025 Consumer Collections | #falling incomes

New analysis from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) shows that the UK is on track for a decade of decline in families’ disposable incomes by the end of the parliament (September 2029). This comes after a decade of stagnant earnings growth following the financial crisis. By updating the March 2025 Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR)…

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September is the worst month for money anxiety

New research by Updraft has revealed that September is the worst month for money anxiety as September marks more than just the end of summer, but the start of the post-summer blues. The data shows that 31% of people feel anxious, 21% regret overspending, and only a third say they feel motivated to fix their finances after…

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Over half of retirees struggling with bills

12th September 2025 Arrears and Recoveries | #bills

Over half (54%) of pensioners on a low income find it a struggle to keep up with bills and credit commitments, causing misery and worry to hundreds of thousands of retirees. The findings are revealed in new research by the Living Wage Foundation based on polling of pensioners who are on a low income. The…

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Working parents household finances plummet as school term begin

Working parents’ confidence in the future UK economy and their future and current household finances has plummeted ahead of the start of the new school year according to Which?’s latest consumer insight tracker. In the month to 13th August, working age parents’ confidence in the future UK economy fell dramatically by 25 points from a…

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Half of grandparents funding family holidays

5th September 2025 Consumer Collections |

New research from AllClear has revealed that over half of parents (56%) have received financial help from grandparents for family holidays, while 54% say they’ve even footed the entire bill.  With the rising cost of living in the UK, grandparents appear to be playing a bigger role than ever before, with many stepping in to…

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Three in four people believe summer holidays are a luxury

Three in four people (75%) say that summer holidays are increasingly becoming a luxury that only some can afford, according to research by Compare the Market with over half (56%) of those intending to take a summer holiday this year concerned about the financial cost. More than one in four (28%) also admitted they felt…

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Consumers save £400 a year by cancelling subscriptions but still losing money to direct debit trap

New research from HSBC has revealed that while consumers are actively cutting back on subscription services, many are still losing money to ‘invisible spending’ – particularly through automatic payments they forget to cancel. The survey of 2,000 UK adults, released as part of HSBC Invisible Spending campaign, found that people are saving an average of…

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Consumer confidence up in August 

Consumers are more confident this month but are vulnerable to worries about rising inflation and potential tax increases, according to GfK’s latest consumer confidence index. The index rose to its highest since December at minus 17, up from minus 19 in July, boosted by a three-point improvement in households’ sentiment around their personal finances and…

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Inflation rise driven by rising cost of essentials

CPI inflation jumped 0.2 percentage points to reach 3.8 per cent in July. Worryingly, the rise was driven by the higher cost of essentials with faster price rises for energy (rising from 4.5 per cent in June to 8 per cent in July), petrol (up by 2p per litre in July) and food (4.5 per…

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