Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Nearly a third of people (34%) organising a funeral for a COVID-19 related death has been pushed into financial difficulties according to Sunlife’s ‘Cost of dying’ report. The report also reveals that funeral costs have risen for the seventeenth year in a row, with the average cremation now costing £3,885 and the average burial £5,033,…
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The Government must immediately stop all bailiff doorstep visits to prevent serious risks to public health, a coalition of charities has warned. Taking Control, a group campaigning for regulation of the bailiff industry, is urging the government to extend the suspension of bailiff enforcement of rental evictions (announced on Friday 8th January) to include a…
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A new report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has suggested that the poorest families hardest hit by pandemic will find it hard to recover. The ‘State of the Nation’ report, warns that ministers must make tackling poverty an economic priority in 2021 or they risk being defined by a record of worsening hardship. The report…
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New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that consumer finance new business fell in November 2020 by 16% compared with the same month in 2019, and remained 18% lower in the eleven months to November 2020 than in the same period in 2019. The retail store and online credit sector reported…
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New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that Second charge mortgage new business volumes fell by 28% in November 2020 Commenting on the latest new business figures for the second charge mortgage market, Fiona Hoyle, Head of Consumer & Mortgage Finance at the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA), said “The level…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has proposed an extension to a ban on repossessions until April. The updated guidance on mortgages and consumer credit repossessions. follows a November announcement on further support for mortgage and consumer credit borrowers experiencing payment difficulties as a result of the pandemic. This included guidance for firms on the treatment of…
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The Government has launched a new consultation which is launched aimed at extending debt solutions and helping vulnerable people in financial distress get a fresh start. The proposals have been outlined by the Government to increase the financial eligibility criteria for debt relief orders (DROs), helping more people deal with financial difficulties to get a…
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The Zinc Group announces the launch of a new service designed to identify and service the needs of the growing number of vulnerable customers in a post-Covid-19 environment, through its new trading style ‘Safe-Harbour’. The company says that Safe-Harbour has been in development over the last 6 months of 2020 and was launched in January…
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Ascent Performance Group, the financial services outsourcing business and part of the Irwin Mitchell Group, has announced that it has acquired Excel Collection and Enquiry Services. Ascent says that the deal will strengthen its market-leading position in the provision of field and affordability services to major financial institutions such as banks and building societies. The…
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A new report by the Credit Services Association (CSA) says that taxpayers could be saved huge sums if debt collectors are allowed to take on a bigger role in collecting unpaid coronavirus loans. The trade body is calling for an investment in BBL Engagement Scheme and use of professional collections agencies to ensure fair and…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned that up to 4,000 financial services companies were at a ‘heightened risk’ of collapse even before the second wave of coronavirus struck. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published the results of its coronavirus financial resilience surveys. The surveys were sent to solo-regulated firms to inform the FCA…
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The third national lockdown announced by the Government this week will see the majority of university students stay at home rather than return to their campuses and courses in person. However, staying with families beyond the Christmas break is set to put additional pressure on household finances, according to research from comparethemarket.com. The findings show…
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Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) is warning of a council tax debt ‘explosion’ as the impact of the pandemic makes a bad situation even worse in 2021 as clients have racked up millions in arrears. Council tax debt is currently the number one debt issue the Citizens Advice Bureau network sees. Analysis of figures for 2019/20…
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