Intrum’s annual European Consumer Payment Report has shown that consumers can meet their immediate needs, but their reliance on borrowing has increased dramatically, suggesting that pressure is growing beneath the surface. The data showed that late payment levels have remained static; 72% of consumers have borrowed money or used credit to pay bills in the past…
Read moreConsumer credit borrowing grew to £2.5 billion in August, up from £2.1 billion in July and above the previous 6-month average of £1.9 billion. Within this, credit card borrowing was £1.2 billion in August (up from £0.9 billion in July) and borrowing through other forms of consumer credit (such as car dealership finance and personal…
Read moreThe Credit Services Association (CSA), the trade body representing the UK debt purchasing and debt collection industry, has published new guidance to address widespread and harmful misinformation about Deeds of Assignment (DOA) and Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs). The guidance follows discussions with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The new guidance is available on the…
Read moreMillions of households that appear financially secure today could be vulnerable to future financial shocks, according research by Yorkshire Building Society in collaboration with the University of Bradford, which provides a practical framework for understanding financial vulnerability and resilience. Drawing on data from 10,000 UK adults and advanced predictive modelling, the report finds that many households…
Read moreNew research from Trust Payments has found that missed payments in the consumer credit and collections sector are not solely a question of customer willingness, with industry professionals also pointing to administrative errors, limited payment options and communication failures as contributing factors. The findings come as millions of UK consumers continue to experience difficulty meeting…
Read moreA new survey by credit card brand Aqua has revealed that almost two in five people (38.8%) typically run out of money before their next payday. Almost a quarter of people (23%) worry every day about having enough money till payday, highlighting the financial pressures many households may face when trying to make their income…
Read moreLatest monthly figures from the Insolvency Service for England & Wales showed that personal insolvencies decreased by 2% in August 2026 compared to the previous month, with 11,644 individuals entering insolvency in England and Wales. This was similar to July 2026 and 3% higher than in August 2025. The personal insolvencies consisted of 725 bankruptcies,…
Read moreNew analysis from debt advice provider PayPlan has found that the average person seeking debt advice in 2026 is juggling 10 separate unsecured debts (such as credit cards, personal loans and overdrafts) totalling £22,717 – and is left with just £194 a month once essential living costs are met. The findings, drawn from 24,406 people…
Read moreMore than six million people who expect to pay housing costs in retirement don’t know how they’ll afford them, according to the latest research from Royal London. The research found that around one in three UK adults (34%), equivalent to 18.7 million people, either expect to pay housing costs in retirement or are already doing so. Four in ten (39%) of the approximately 16…
Read moreHouseholds will have suffered a £2,400 financial hit, on average, from the Iran war by the end of 2027 according to new analysis by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) calculating that there has been jump in inflation since the conflict began, and weaker wage growth, will knock £1,100 off the real income…
Read moreNew research from StepChange Debt Charity has revealed growing concern about household finances, with millions of people worried about how they will cope as energy costs are expected to rise ahead of winter. The data shows that two in five (41%) British adults, equivalent to around 22 million people, expect their finances to worsen over…
Read morePrime Minister (PM) Andy Burnham’s early cost-of-living measures may have given households some immediate relief. Still, nearly two-thirds of UK consumers (63%) are concerned that the Government’s recently announced policies could ultimately leave their household worse off, according to new research from Novuna Personal Finance. The findings come after the Government decided to remove VAT…
Read moreLatest data from UK Finance has found that residential and buy-to-let mortgage arrears and possessions fell in Q2 2026. A total of 1,150 homeowner mortgaged properties were taken into possession, an 8% fall from the previous quarter and a 14% decrease compared with the same period a year earlier. There were 630 buy-to-let mortgaged properties…
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