Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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New research from Nationwide has revealed the biggest mistakes made by today’s students at university – with money worries topping the list far more than they did for previous generations. Notably, current students are significantly more likely than parents to regret financial mistakes made, not budgeting or tracking spending (20%), and overspending (18%) – a…
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Research from Pay.The UK has suggested that school leavers may say they feel confident about money, but many are losing cash due to poor everyday money admin habits. The survey of over 2000 school-leavers aged 16-19 found that while seven in 10 (69%) claim they feel confident that they have the skills and ability to…
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Latest data from UK Finance has found that residential and buy-to-let mortgage arrears and possessions fell in Q2 2026. A total of 1,150 homeowner mortgaged properties were taken into possession, an 8% fall from the previous quarter and a 14% decrease compared with the same period a year earlier. There were 630 buy-to-let mortgaged properties…
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Consumer confidence in the UK reached its highest level in 21 months in July, according to Barclays’ survey. About 30% of respondents expressed optimism about the economy, a 6% increase from June. Consumer card spending was up 2per cent, with discretionary spending also up 1.6 per cent. The new data follows a 1.9 per cent…
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Prime Minister Andy Burnham has outlined a series of measures to tackle the cost-of-living challenges. The plan includes a ban on fake discounts and making it easier for people to opt out of unwanted subscriptions. Responding to the plans, Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said “For too long consumers have been tricked…
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A targeted energy discount scheme could save eligible households £175 and soften the impact of any further gas price shocks this winter. But the Government will need to act fast to have a scheme ready by January 2027, the Resolution Foundation warned. Despite the Prime Minister’s welcome day-one VAT cut on electricity bills, further escalation…
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Middle income earners are increasingly falling into financial precarity, according to a report by lender Plend and investment specialist Triple Point, with 40% of those unable to cover a sudden £300 bill, the Financial Conduct Authority’s own benchmark for financial resilience, now earning above the national median salary. A third of UK adults (35%) are…
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