Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
More than £1 billion in incorrect Universal Credit (UC) payments have been blocked by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in a drive to stop people falling into financial difficulties. The milestone was reached after a programme to review payments was ramped up last summer, with more than one million cases now looked at.…
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The annual cost of household bills has risen by £112 on average year-on-year, according to new research by Compare the Market. The research analyses the cost of energy, water, home insurance, motor insurance, and council tax. It reveals that the combined cost of these household bills has risen by 2% on average, compared to 12…
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The Chancellor of Duchy of Lancaster The Rt Hon Pat McFadden has announced that the Government will consult on council tax debt collection practices. This announcement comes as new StepChange polling revealed today finds that over eight in ten (84%) UK adults oppose households having to pay their annual council tax bill in full if…
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Landlords across England and Wales who are struggling to get their properties back because of months of delays and a ‘postcode lottery’ in the County Court system are being urged to enforce their judgments through the High Court according to the High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA). Landlords across England and Wales currently face significant…
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Fraud prevention service, Cifas is urging residents to consider consequences of Council Tax fraud when battling rising costs, as new research highlights an alarming trend in individuals dishonestly claiming the Single Person Discount (SPD). The SPD is a 25% reduction on Council Tax bills for households with only one adult. However, a recent Cifas survey of…
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Birmingham’s residents are set to be hit hardest by rising council tax rates for 2025/26, new research by Go.Compare Home Insurance has found. Households across the city will pay an extra £43.1 million this tax year – the largest overall increase of any local authority in England.[ The country can expect a total council tax…
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Council tax bills in England have risen by almost £7.3 billion over the past four years, according to new research into the increase in tax rates by Go.Compare. Birmingham has seen the largest jump in costs across all eligible properties, totalling an extra £136.8 million during this period. Croydon has experienced the highest increase per property…
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A new survey by Ocean Finance has found that 73% are worried about affording their essential bills this Spring. Millions of households across the UK are set to be hit with yet another wave of bill increases this April, with hikes expected across council tax, broadband, water, energy, and phone contracts. 42% say they’ve already…
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StepChange Debt Charity’s 2024 Statistics Yearbook, published to mark the start of Debt Awareness Week, has revealed tha the average StepChange client is £3,911 in arrears on household bills, a jump of 25% from £3,124 in 2023. Overall, the average amount of debt per StepChange client jumped 7%, from £16,706 in 2023 to £17,936 in…
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In a new report, the Credit Services Association (CSA), the UK trade body for the debt collection and debt purchase sector, has called on the Government to improve its methods for collecting debts to help service users more effectively and boost collections revenues. The report praises the accomplishments of the Government Debt Management Function and…
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A coalition of organisations including StepChange Debt Charity, Christians Against Poverty, Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, Money Advice Trust and six others has written to the Government reiterating a call to end imprisonment for non-payment of council tax. The coalition claims the rule is “outdated” and “disproportionate,” as it continues to campaign for reform…
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New Enforcement Board (ECB) research has found that 6% of civil enforcement doorstep interactions are a breach of current standards. The research, commissioned by the ECB and led byagency M.E.L Research, represents the first comprehensive study of its kind. Researchers analysed a substantial, randomly selected sample of over 600 videos of interactions between enforcement agents…
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A two-year study by Fair4All Finance has identified that more than half of adults are living in financially vulnerable circumstances in 47 local authorities across the UK. The research identifies rising living costs, low or unstable incomes, persistent debt and a lack of ‘safety nets’ such as insurance, credit and savings among the factors which leave…
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