Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
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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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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Consumer confidence in the future UK economy has plummeted over the last year according to Which?’s Consumer Insight Tracker. According to the tracker, consumer confidence has tumbled by 31 points over the last year, from an average of -9 between May and July 2024 to an average of -40 between May and July 2025. This…
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Summer 2025 is proving even tougher for families, with 81% of parents feeling financially stressed and 52% worse off than last summer, according to new research from credit-building business Loqbox. The data shows households feeling the squeeze, driven by pricier holidays, rising childcare costs, and mounting back-to-school expenses, with 52% feeling worse off than in…
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New data from TransUnion has revealed that more than two in five (43%) consumers are optimistic about their household finances over the next 12 months. The figure is up from 41% in Q1 2025 and is a significant increase from a low of 26% in Q3 2022. Gen Z showed the largest year-on-year (YoY) increase…
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Nationwide has become the first financial services provider to launch a free telephone benefits calculator service, helping people understand and claim the support they are entitled to. The ‘Better Off’ calculator, which will be able to be used by anyone, not just Nationwide customers, has been launched in partnership with social policy data experts, Policy in…
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A quarter (5.7 million) of the UK working age population don’t think they’ll ever be financially independent, according to Scottish Widows’ latest Retirement Report. The most commonly cited indicators for achieving financial independence included being debt-free (56%), having sufficient emergency savings (51%) and comfortably meeting daily expenses (43%). Looking at financial resilience, the data published by…
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New research from HSBC has revealed that three in four people (75%) consider financial compatibility essential. The nationwide survey of 2,000 adults explored how modern couples navigate finances – from dating apps to wedding vows – and the pressures, expectations and unspoken rules that come with spending in relationships. The impact of this silence is clear, with 58%…
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Gen Z is rewriting the rule book when it comes to overspending – from fashion to frappés or the glow of ‘glass skin’ to bingeing on Stranger Things, new research from Nationwide reveals. The research highlights that younger generations are prepared to invest in feeling good, brand identity and self-care – even if it means…
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The system of regulating water companies needs “a complete overhaul” as the sector hikes customer bills to expand failing infrastructure and tackle pollution, according to a new report by the Government’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The report says that the water system has been left to sink for too long, with hikes in customer bills…
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A new study by KidsKnowBest, has revealed that financial anxiety is not a distant adult concern, but a present reality for UK children aged 7-14. Nearly half (46%) children are worried about money and their future and one in four children (24%) are explicitly anxious about basic needs. More than half (55%) of respondents revealed…
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New data from Coram Family and Childcare’s annual Holiday Childcare Survey has found that childcare costs have gone up by 4% since last summer. The data shows that working parents face an average bill of £179 per child per week – £1,075 for the six-week break. Commenting on the data, Susannah Streeter, Head of Money…
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New research commissioned by debt resolution specialists, DCBL has found that more than half (51%) of people aged 55+ say apps now help them manage their money. The research also showed that over three-quarters (76%) say they would proactively manage their finances via an app or online portal if their bank or finance provider gave…
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