Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
New consumer survey and spending data from the Vanquis Financial Wellbeing Index has revealed that one in three workers earning under £40,000 are creating additional income streams to make ends meet. At the same time, households continue saving less than £3 in every £100 earned. Despite widespread efforts to manage money carefully, many households simply…
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The latest data from the ONS on households’ costs highlights the higher rate of inflation that renters are experiencing compared to homeowners. Mortgagors and outright owner occupiers each had the lowest annual inflation rate of all tenure types, of 3.6% in the year to March 2026 with mortgagors experiencing a slight decrease from 3.7%; both…
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Energy regulator Ofgem has announced a 13% increase in the energy price cap for the period covering 1st July to 30th September 2026. The price cap refers to the default tariff applied when a customer has not signed for a fixed-rate tariff. It sets a maximum rate per unit and a standing charge that can…
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Research conducted by Updraft has revealed that Brits are expected to accumulate an average of £1,641 in credit card debt over the summer months, with many falling into the trap of overspending, missing grace periods and accruing interest. In fact, for some, summer 2025 spending may not even be paid off yet. Updraft surveyed 2,002…
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Credit Connect has announced its 2026 Industry Leaders list. The Leaders list was announced as part of the inaugural Industry Leaders Dinner at the Eastwood Hall in Nottingham, which is part of the Credit Connect Spring series event. The Spring event series also includes the Commercial Credit & Collections Conference, Credit & Collections Think Tank…
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Latest monthly figures from the Insolvency Service for England & Wales have indicated that personal insolvencies fell by 10% when compared to March 2026 but were 7% higher than in April 2025. The data showed that 10,920 individuals entered insolvency in April 2026. The insolvencies consisted of 701 bankruptcies, 4,033 debt relief orders (DROs) and…
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Energy bills are forecast to rise by £209 to £1,850 a year for a typical dual fuel household from July, according to Cornwall Insight’s final forecast for the July – September 2026 Default Tariff Cap (price cap), released following the close of the observation window on 18th May. The new cap would represent an increase…
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Over half (57%) of Scots have experienced problem debt, new research suggests, underlining the scale of financial pressure facing households as a new Scottish Parliament gets underway. New Censuswide polling commissioned by StepChange Scotland reveals 57% of adults in Scotland have a lived experience of problem debt, with almost two in five (38%) saying they…
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Research from St James’s Place has shown that average household wealth has fallen 17.5% over the last year, dropping from £126,482 to £104,329. More than a third of people said their financial position has worsened over the last twelve months, while one in five households now say they are struggling financially. The data finds that…
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Latest data from UK Finance has shown that the overall proportion of mortgages in arrears remains low, at 0.91 per cent of homeowner mortgages and 0.47 per cent of BTL mortgages. In the first quarter of 2026, there were 79,110 homeowner mortgages in arrears of 2.5 per cent or more of the outstanding balance. This…
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Energy regulator Ofgem has announced it closed its investigation into British Gas on its treatment of customers who had a prepayment meter (PPM) installed without their permission, with consumers set to benefit from the settlement agreement made with the regulator. Ofgem’s investigation concluded that British Gas failed to meet the standards required of an energy…
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Water companies are failing to win back customers’ trust amid deepening concerns over the fairness and affordability of water bills, a new report has revealed. Trust in water companies across England and Wales has reached a new low, according to the Consumer Council for Water’s (CCW) annual Water Matters report, which has been tracking household…
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Households reduced spending in April, marking the first annual decline in card spending since late 2024. Barclays reported a 0.1% fall overall, with travel spending dropping 5.7% as consumers became increasingly cautious. Fuel spending rose sharply due to higher oil prices and concerns linked to Middle East tensions. The data showed that consumer card spending…
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