Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that inflation hit 5.1% in the 12 months to November, exceeding forecasts of a 4.7% increase and driving the rate further beyond the Bank of England’s (BoE) 2% target. The rate up on the 4.2% recorded a month earlier and means inflation is now at its…
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Researchers from abrdn Financial Fairness Trust have issued a stark warning on the post-pandemic outlook for living standards in the UK following an extensive review of over 200 reports examining the impact of the pandemic. Although the macro-economic forecasts for the UK are comparatively positive, at a household level the situation is more mixed. The…
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Open banking provider, Yolt has announced a strategic partnership with The Digital Debt Resolution Agency (The Digital DRA) to harness open banking payment and data services to improve debt resolution in the UK. Yolt’s Account Information Service (AIS) and Payment Initiation Service (PIS) provided to The Digital DRA, will go live in January 2022 and…
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Energy suppliers will undergo financial stress testing from January to measure their resilience against a range of scenarios in a raft of new measures announced by Ofgem which aims to boost financial resilience in the energy sector. Ofgem says that where stress testing reveals weaknesses, the regulator will agree an improvement plan for companies to address any concerns, particularly where consumers are…
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New research Opinium has found that 8% of retired people are concerned about being able to pay bills. The research found that 41% said being able to pay their bills in retirement was a realistic goal. Worryingly 8% did not think it was a realistic prospect, whilst 11% did not think it was realistic that…
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Major banks have signed a new voluntary agreement that could see more shared banking hubs open in UK towns and villages. The agreement will see an independent assessment carried out by Link each time a branch is shut. These reviews could recommend a shared branch is opened, an ATM installed or a Post Office upgraded.…
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A careful Christmas is on the cards for nearly half the UK as people worry about possible Covid rule changes and shortages in the shops, new research* from financial services insight experts Consumer Intelligence shows. Its nationwide study found around one in three (31%) consumers say they are still being cautious while another 14% are…
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Analysis from the New Economics Foundation (NEF) has found that half of UK families have seen their disposable incomes shrink in the last two years, with the poorest half of the population seeing their incomes squeezed by £110. The report also shows that the richest 5% are £3,300 a year better off. The analysis found…
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Fintech, Paylink Solutions has hired Crispin Neads as Head of Development to drive product development and enhance its digital affordability applications for the financial services industry. Neads has decades’ experience of fintech after delivering transformation programmes and product development through previous technology leadership roles at Experian and Iress. He is now going to focus on…
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The Government has announced that it will fund £510 million to target fraudsters lying to the DWP about their benefit claims. The money will be used to improve the department’s capability and capacity to detect and deter benefit fraud and catch fraudsters, recovering more taxpayer money that funds essential public services. This crackdown will include…
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Consumers experiencing financial difficulties as a result of economic abuse will receive further support to help them regain control of their finances and their independence, as part of an updated industry Code. The changes, in UK Finance’s revised voluntary Financial Abuse Code of Practice, will enable the industry to continue its commitment to helping victim-survivors…
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New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) have indicated that’s second charge mortgage new business volumes grew by 43% in October 2021 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),…
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Rising living costs, reduced incomes, and cuts to support among the easons more people than last year will turn to borrowing to pay for the festive season according to research by StepChange debt charity. The report says that this Christmas will be a time of financial distress for many households, with more people expecting to…
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