Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Consumer sentiment has dropped sharply since the conflict in the Middle East escalated, according to a survey by Barclays. The survey found that around 80% of consumers are concerned that the conflict will increase inflation and energy costs. Nearly half of the respondents said they had already started adjusting their spending behaviour. The data showed…
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The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) says allowing five water companies to increase their customers’ bills even further will heap more pressure on households already struggling to absorb recent price hikes. CCW has responded to the final determinations of the Competition and Markets Authority which has ruled on the appeals made by five water companies – Anglian Water,…
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New Age analysis of DWP data has found that, despite the rise in women’s State Pension age, the number of female pensioners in the UK has fallen by 740,000 since 2010-11, while the number of women living in poverty has stayed steady at 1.1 million. Age UK warns that this is a failure of policy and…
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Research from the Current Account Switch Service shows that a third of people (34%) say ‘No‑spend February’ is the point in the year when they finally tackle the life admin tasks they have been putting off, from cancelling unused subscriptions to checking whether their financial products still offer great value. The findings highlight the financial…
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GfK’s Consumer Confidence Barometer Index has shown a drop of three points to -19 in February. Three measures were down, one was up, and one was flat, compared to last month’s announcement. The drop reflects growing concerns about personal finances and a reluctance to make significant purchases. Neil Bellamy, Consumer Insights Director at GfK, an NIQ…
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The Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) new powers to reach further into citizens’ lives must be used effectively and proportionately. In a new report on benefit fraud and error, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) promises continued scrutiny of how the DWP will work to resolve the cases of carers wrongly pursued for overpayment debts,…
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Financial anxiety is significantly impacting the daily lives and well-being of millions of people across the UK, according to new research from financial education charity Money Ready. The study reveals that 39% of adults feel anxious when they think about money – and this anxiety extends into having a real effect on people’s wellbeing, behaviour…
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Four in five (80%) of adults believe younger generations are worse off now than two decades ago, according to research from Hymans Robertson Personal Wealth. More than half (59%) blame the rising cost of living as a key pressure, while almost half (43%) highlight increasing housing costs. Surprisingly, almost three-quarters (74%) of over-55s say young…
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Consumer confidence fell by 1.1 percentage points during the final quarter of 2025, from -10% in Q3 2025 to -11.1%, according to the latest Deloitte Consumer Tracker. The fall in confidence, based on responses from 3,200 UK consumers aged 18+, was driven by declines in five of the six measures included in the index. The…
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Desperate families are finding themselves forced to borrow from illegal loan sharks as a consequence of getting into severe debt due to the high costs of paying for the funerals of loved ones, according to research by Funeralexperts.com. The data revealed that around 32,400 people (3%) of the 1.08 million people who were forced to…
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New research by Moneybox has found that half (50%) of respondents said rising costs of everyday expenses (e.g. bills, food, transport) were triggering feelings of anxiety or stress when it comes to their money. A further third (34%) said unexpected expenses or emergencies (e.g. car/home repairs, family emergencies) and a fifth (22%) mentioned a general…
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Dubbed ‘divorce month’, January has famously been cited as the time of the year when family lawyers see a surge in those looking to end their marriages. According to current data from Google, searches for ‘divorce’ in the week beginning 11th January are at their highest in 12 months in the UK. Family lawyers also…
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New analysis from debt management firm Lowell has found that 61% of households (17 million) don’t have sufficient emergency savings to cover these unexpected costs without turning to credit. At the time of reporting, the cheapest fridge/freezer available at Argos would set someone back £160, a washing machine £189 and a dishwasher £189. Replacing a…
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