Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
New research published today by the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute is urgently calling on the government to introduce clear rules to stop lenders inundating people with letters, calls, texts and emails about missed payments. Money and Mental Health says this is causing unnecessary distress at at time when 50% of people who are behind…
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The proportion of mortgage balances in arrears increased to the highest level in six years in Q3, with Bank of England data showing that the proportion of total loan balances with arrears increased from 1.02% to 1.14%, quarter-on-quarter. This is the biggest proportion since Q2 2017. The latest statistics show that the value of outstanding…
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Latest figures from UK Finance have predicted that mortgage arrears as set to rise in 2024. The research also found that there has been an estimated 4,400 repossessions in 2023, noting that this was ‘an incredibly low number by historic comparisons.; It also highlighted that over 99% of the 10.8 million mortgages in the UK…
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The growing gap between the ‘haves and have-nots’ is growing according to a report by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ). The analysis that that the UK is in danger of sliding back into the ‘Two Nations; of the Victorian era marked by a widening gulf between mainstream society and a depressed and poverty-stricken underclass,…
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New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that second charge mortgage new business volumes fell by 13% in October 2023. Commenting on the latest new business figures for the second charge mortgage market, Fiona Hoyle, Director of Consumer & Mortgage Finance and Inclusion at the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA), said…
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A new report titled, ‘Getting the Message’ by StepChange Debt Charity has found that people’s ability to access and then act on debt advice hinges on the language, tone and presentation of communications. The debt charity also argues that firms across the financial services landscape need to continually test and learn with how they interact with…
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Financially vulnerable people are twice as likely to end up in debt each time they take out a new credit product, according to new research from AI powered transaction analytics firm, Fuse. More than four in ten (44%) people in this group say they’ve ended up in debt after taking out a credit product in…
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Latest research from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has found almost half of UK adults (47%) feel pressured to spend above their means during Christmas to provide for loved ones, rising to almost two-thirds (64%) for those with children under 18. Two in five (40%) UK adults, and over half of those (52%) with children…
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One in five (18%) adults, the equivalent to 9.7 million people, have missed a payment in the last 12 months according to research from Bluestone Mortgages. The missed payment includes utility bills or credit cards (both 7%), tax bills or loan repayment (both 5%). Additionally, 7% of those with a mortgage have missed a payment. Seven…
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Credit Connect hosted its third in-person Credit & Collections Technology Think Tank in mid-November in Manchester which saw credit and collections strategies and the impact of the cost of living discussed by sixteen professionals from a variety of industry sectors at the Midland Hotel in Manchester. The themes of cost of living impacting customer engagement,…
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New research by abrdn Financial Fairness Trust has found that 65% of UK households (18.4 million) have consumer debt and there are signs that credit stress may be worsening, with two-in-ten (16%) owing money due to missing at least one repayment on a credit commitment, up from 11% in May 2023. Over four-in-ten households (12.5…
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Here is an overview of The Money Charity’s latest statistics for November 2023 Personal debt in the UK People in the UK owed £1,845.6 billion at the end of September 2023. The average total debt per household, including mortgages, was £65,724 and per adult was £34,700, around 100.7% of average earnings. Net mortgage lending decreased by…
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UK outsourcing specialist Sigma Connected has announced its expansion into the United States as it secures its first two new clients in the country. The company which offers ‘white label’ customer contact centre and debt collection services across the financial services, telecommunications, energy and retail sectors, has launched Sigma Connected US LLC. Services will be…
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