The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has confirmed it is introducing reforms to fix a dysfunctional overdraft market. These changes will make overdrafts simpler, fairer, and easier to manage and will protect the millions of consumers that use overdrafts, particularly more vulnerable consumers. The changes represent the biggest overhaul to the overdraft market for a generation.…
Read moreUK Asset Resolution (UKAR) has announced that it has now repaid its £48.7 billion taxpayer loan. The loan was not expected to be repaid until the mid-2020s but has been able to do so more quickly by selling off packages of loans to private equity buyers. UKAR which incorporates Bradford & Bingley was created in October…
Read moreThe Credit Services Association (CSA) has expressed dismay at suggestions that seemingly only the Financial Services community should be ploughing even more money into the debt advice before current concerns have been properly addressed. The CSA says that calls from Sir Hector Sants for creditors to pay more than the ‘£80 million’ they already contribute…
Read moreIntrum has announced that has reached an agreement with Piraeus Bank to acquire it’s Recovery Management Services platform; Recovery Banking Unit. The Unit will be hived-down into a separate legal entity, valued at €410m, which will be fully consolidated by Intrum. Intrum will acquire 80 per cent of the shares in the new company corresponding…
Read moreAn independent report says urgent action is required by all energy companies, regulators and government as well as price comparison websites (PCWs) – with support from consumer groups and charities – to better identify customers in vulnerable circumstances and improve the help and support given to them. The report by the Commission for Customers in…
Read moreIt would take the average person in the UK 26 years and 9 months to pay off the average credit card debt, if they only make the minimum payment each month, according to the May 2019 Money Statistics, produced by The Money Charity. With the average credit card debt per UK household standing at £2,655 in March…
Read moreHere is an overview of The Money Charity’s latest statistics for May 2019: Personal debt in the UK People in the UK owed £1,633 billion at the end of March 2019. This is up from £1,588 billion at the end of March 2018, an extra £852.40 per UK adult over the year. The average total debt per…
Read moreLatest household finance update statistics from UK Finance, show that £11.4 billion was spent on credit cards in April 2019 this was 11.7 per cent higher than the same month in 2018, This growth in spending reflects consumers’ increased preference for using credit cards as a means of payment, particularly online, because of purchase protection…
Read moreFinancial wellbeing is deteriorating at its fastest pace since September 2017 despite a sustained rise in income from employment according to a new report IHS Markit. The report found that household finances were squeezed to the strongest extent since September 201 whilst workplace activity and incomes from employment continue to rise. The outlook towards future…
Read moreTesco Bank has announced that it has ceased new mortgage lending and is actively exploring options to sell its existing mortgage portfolio, including the complete transfer of related balances and ongoing administration of relevant accounts. The Bank, which has offered mortgages since 2012, currently serves over 23,000 customers with total lending balances of £3.7billion. Gerry…
Read moreThe average consumer doesn’t begin to worry about their debt until it hits £6,012, a new study has found. The research also revealed many only consider themselves to be ‘in debt’ once they are £3,882 in the red. But they only begin to see the deficit as a ‘serious concern’ when they owe more than…
Read morePeople are at risk from fraudsters masquerading as enforcement agents (bailiffs) and small businesses are a popular target, according to the civil enforcement industry’s trade body Civil Enforcement Association (CIVEA). The warning comes after CIVEA identified cases of fraudsters using the government’s public register of enforcement agents to demand payments for bogus government debts. The…
Read moreThe latest UK card stats reveal that the growth in credit card spending is down to 4.9% in February. In February 2018 the corresponding figure was 8.3%. However, the use of credit cards continues to increase as a payment method in the UK. There were 246 million transactions on cardholders’ credit cards in February 2019,…
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