Consumers struggle with financial literacy in the wake of the pandemic

Consumers are failing to measure up when it comes to understanding their finances, according to a survey of 24,000 European consumers by credit management group Intrum. While 58 per cent say they want to ensure they are in a stronger financial position before another global crisis, more than a quarter have less visibility of their…

Read more

2021 Credit & Collections Technology Company Power List announced

Credit Connect has announced its annual Credit & Collections Technology company power list for 2021. The third edition of the power list is a round-up of the most prominent innovating companies within credit and collections technology. Credit Connect has identified the top 20 ‘Premier’ innovators highlighting the achievements and successes of the top-performing companies. The…

Read more

Demand for consumer credit surges to £706m in October

Latest Bank of England data has shown that October saw a surge in credit card borrowing. Consumers borrowed a net additional £706 million last month, with new credit card borrowing accounting for £637 million of the credit, the largest amount of card borrowing since July last year. Between the start of the pandemic and April…

Read more

FCA revamps decision-making to tackle consumer harm

29th November 2021 Consumer Collections | #regulation

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has reformed its decision-making process to ensure it can make faster and more effective decisions for consumers, markets and firms. As part of its transformation to a more innovative and assertive regulator, more decisions will be taken by the FCA’s senior managers rather than by the Regulatory Decisions Committee (RDC). The…

Read more

Bristow & Sutor achieves 100% in industry audit

29th November 2021 Company News |

Enforcement specialist Bristow & Sutor has scored 100% score in a recent audit by the Civil Enforcement Association (CIVEA). Trade association, CIVEA represents enforcement firms across England and Wales. All members, including Bristow & Sutor, are required to follow a strict code of conduct, which exceeds statutory requirements and the National Standards. This code aims…

Read more

Money Statistics: November 2021

Here is an overview of The Money Charity’s latest statistics for November 2021 Personal debt in the UK People in the UK owed £1,749.2 billion at the end of September 2021. The average total debt per household, including mortgages, was £62,938 and per adult was £33,072, around 108.6% of average earnings. Net mortgage lending rose by…

Read more

Warning that fuel poor older households will top a million by the Spring without financial help

New analysis by Age UK has shown that without more Government financial help, fuel poor older households will top a million by the Spring. The charity has warned that soaring energy costs will push an estimated 150,000 extra older households into fuel poverty this winter as a result of of soaring energy prices. With around…

Read more

Three million households facing crisis as cost of living crunch bites

26th November 2021 Arrears and Recoveries | #debt

New research on the cost of living crunch by Citizens Advice has revealed that one in ten families, equivalent to 3.2 million households, are facing a financial crisis this winter. The charity analysed average income data against household spending on essentials like rent, bills and food to establish how many families can meet their living…

Read more

Call for ‘combined effort’ to safeguard consumers against debt packager companies

26th November 2021 Consumer Collections | #regulation

FCA approved, debt management firm, MoneyPlus Advice has enthusiastically welcomed the Financial Conduct Authority’s move to ban debt packager firms from receiving referral fees. MoneyPlus Advice says the proposed regulation will do little to prevent such firms from finding ways to avert these actions therefore, the involvement and support from other professional bodies, such as…

Read more

High cost credit options creating increase in debt levels in run up to Christmas

New research has found that the number of people with debt has increased by ten percentage points in just six months (64% to 74%), with variable workers, which includes gig workers and freelancers likely to be acutely impacted, alongside young people aged between 18 and 34, according to the latest findings from Credit Kudos’ Borrowing…

Read more

Orbit and Entice become the latest energy firms to go bust

26th November 2021 Business | #utilities

Ofgem has announced the collapse of two more energy firms as number of households affected by a supplier failure nears 4 million. That brings the total number of suppliers that have failed to 24 in fewer than 12 weeks, Entice Energy, which comprises both Entice Energy Supply and Simply Your Energy, and Orbit Energy, are to…

Read more

Arrow Global launches corporate restructuring business in Portugal

26th November 2021 Company News |

Arrow Global, a European investor and alternative asset manager in credit and real estate, has announced the creation of a dedicated corporate restructuring business to cater to the growing market opportunity in Portugal. The new business builds on Arrow Global’s market-leading experience and capabilities in Portugal through its Whitestar and Norfin servicing and asset management…

Read more

One in ten relying on Buy Now Pay Later for Christmas

25th November 2021 Alternative Consumer Lending | #BNPL

Almost one in ten people in UK (9%) are planning on using Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) for part of their Christmas shopping, Citizens Advice has found. Out of the 43% resorting to borrowing to help cover Christmas this year, one in five said they’ll be turning to BNPL to pay for at least part…

Read more