Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Lantern Group has announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire specialist debt recovery law firm Ascent from Irwin Mitchell, subject to regulatory approval. The deal expands Lantern Group’s portfolio of regulated credit and recoveries businesses, which includes Lantern and Sonex. Ascent is recognised for its experience across collections and recoveries, litigation, enforcement, field…
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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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The Government has announced that hundreds of thousands of households will benefit from lower water bills after the Government announced a major reform of WaterSure. Low-income households that use high amounts of water can qualify to have their bills capped. They must have a water meter and either a specific medical condition or three or…
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The UK is set for a decent but one-off increase in living standards this year, and a bumper rise for lower-income families. But a fresh energy price shock risks ruining this good news, while the medium-term picture for living standards remains bleak, according to the Resolution Foundation’s overnight analysis of the Spring Forecast 2026. With…
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New figures published today by Registry Trust have shown that court judgment activity rose sharply in 2025, reaching its highest level since before the pandemic. A total of 1,196,174 new County Court Judgments (CCJs) were registered across the UK and Ireland in 2025 – a 10.1% increase year-on-year and the highest annual total since 2019, 1,163,903…
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New Compare the Market research has highlighted that the typical costs people may face when separating and setting up a home on their own, with total expenses ranging from £9,175 to £24,641, depending on housing and marital status. With 28.6 million households in the UK, married couples remain the most common family type, accounting for…
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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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Energy regulator Ofgem has announced a 7% (or £117) reduction of the energy price cap for the period covering 1st April to 30th June 2026. This change amounts to a reduction of around £10 a month for the average household using both electricity and gas. The price cap refers to the default tariff applied when a…
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New figures published by StepChange Debt Charity Scotland have revealed that the average debt among people seeking help from the charity has reached on average £20,116 per client, a 10% rise year-on-year, and the highest level recorded in over a decade. Two in three clients were in arrears on their household bills, owing an average…
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