Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Rising energy prices over the last two decades have squeezed incomes for low-and-middle income families and contributed to a ‘comfort crunch’ as more of their budgets are spent on household essentials, according to new Resolution Foundation research. The report notes that non-housing essentials – food and drink, utility bills, clothing and footwear, childcare, and road,…
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New research from Zurich Municipal has found that an increasing number of parents are struggling to fund the cost of school trips for their children. Over one in ten (13%) revealed they have had to work overtime to meet the cost of the away day or residential trips, with a similar number (9%) admitting they…
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A new report from the Resolution Foundation has found that the average UK household will see income grow by only 1 per cent, around £300, between 2025 and 2030, whilst the poorest families may see a 1 per cent decline in living standards. The Foundation says the outlook for living standards across Britain is bleak.…
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Almost a third of Gen Z (31%) and Millennials (28%) aren’t confident managing their current financial situation according to new research from the Investment Association. Money is a taboo topic for many with people more likely to discuss politics and current affairs (50%) than money and finances (29%) at the dinner table, according to new…
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Latest figures published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government show that council tax arrears have increased by over £600 million, with total debt reaching £6.6 billion, an increase of over 80 per cent since before the pandemic. The data reveals 400,000 more households fell into council tax arrears between 2022 and 2024, with 1.8…
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Moving away from the Ofgem fixed price cap and towards a flexible system of energy pricing – where costs vary according to region and time of day – could reduce the price of electricity by 4p/kWh by 2040, offering households savings of £200 a year, on average according to Resolution Foundation research. The research notes…
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Fears about the future have become part of daily life for more than one in three (36%) young people across the UK, according to new research from Co-op and Barnardo’s. The survey. to over 2,000 people aged 10-25 found that just 30% said they believe they will achieve their dream job, while more than a quarter…
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The Government has announced that the Warm Home Discount will be expanded, meaning 6 million households will receive £150 off their energy bills this winter. The Government says that this major expansion of support for working families is the latest in a raft of cost of living support made possible because the government has stabilised…
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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced new welfare legislation which aims to ensure there are robust protections in place to support the most vulnerable and severely disabled. The Government says. that nearly 4 million households are set to benefit from the uprating of the Universal Credit standard rate, the largest, permanent real-terms…
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New research has found that the majority of the public opposes the welfare changes announced by the Government this year. Twice as many people feel the Government’s changes were the ‘wrong choice’ (54%) than the ‘right choice’ (26%). Over half (53%) of 2024 Labour voters felt that the Government had made the wrong choice, but…
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New polling commissioned by charity Independent Age, reveals that 82% of people think the UK Government should be providing more support to older people. The polling also shows the importance of this issue at the ballot box, with more than four in five (81%) saying that policies to support older people in poverty would influence…
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Latest data from UK Finance has found that the total interest-only mortgage stock (including part and part) fell by 17 per cent in 2024 and has reduced by 78 per cent in number and 61 per cent in value since 2012 (when this data was first collected) There were 541,000 pure interest-only homeowner mortgages outstanding…
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A large number of people across the UK report facing financial hardship, with one in five adults having less than £100 in cash savings, a figure that has remained unchanged for two years, according to research by Royal London. With little or no financial buffer, individuals are highly vulnerable to rising costs and unexpected expenses. The report…
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