Mortgage possession rates fall

Latest 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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Consumer confidence hit 21 month high in July

Consumer confidence in the UK reached its highest level in 21 months in July, according to Barclays’ survey. About 30% of respondents expressed optimism about the economy, a 6% increase from June. Consumer card spending was up 2per cent, with discretionary spending also up 1.6 per cent. The new data follows a 1.9 per cent…

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PM vows crackdown on cost of living challenges

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has outlined a series of measures to tackle the cost-of-living challenges. The plan includes a ban on fake discounts and making it easier for people to opt out of unwanted subscriptions. Responding to the plans, Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said “For too long consumers have been tricked…

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40% of middle income earners struggle to cover a £300 bill

Middle income earners are increasingly falling into financial precarity, according to a report by lender Plend and investment specialist Triple Point, with 40% of those unable to cover a sudden £300 bill, the Financial Conduct Authority’s own benchmark for financial resilience, now earning above the national median salary. A third of UK adults (35%) are…

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UK workforce financial resilience falls

Financial resilience among the UK workforce has deteriorated over the last 12 months, with just one in four (25%) of people being classified as financially resilient compared to almost a third (32%) in 2025, according to Hymans Robertson. Meanwhile, those classed as financially vulnerable have risen to 42% compared to 36% in 2025. The drop…

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Northern Irish personal insolvencies increase whilst business insolvencies decline

Latest monthly statistics from the Insolvency Service have shown that personal insolvencies increased whilst business insolvencies declined in June 2026. The data showed that in June 2026, there were 189 personal insolvencies in Northern Ireland. This was 13% higher than in June 2025. The insolvencies comprised 136 IVAs, 20 bankruptcies and 33 DROs. The business insolvencies…

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Personal insolvencies increase by 5%

Latest monthly figures from the Insolvency Service for England & Wales for June 2026  show that there were 11,871 personal insolvencies,  5% higher than in May 2026 and 16% higher than in June 2025. The insolvencies consisted of 674 bankruptcies, 3,879 debt relief orders (DROs) and 7,318 individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs). The 7,318 IVAs registered in…

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Families face summer holiday childcare bill of £1,145 per child

Holiday childcare costs across Great Britain have risen by 5% in the last year, leaving working parents facing an average bill of £191 per child per week – or £1,145 for the six-week summer holiday according to Coram Family and Childcare research. The survey finds that holiday childcare continues to cost almost three times as much as after-school childcare during…

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The Government needs a complete plan to tackle financial exclusion

The Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy is a welcome first step, but it is not a complete plan to tackle financial exclusion according to a new Treasury Committee report. The strategy fails to show: Who is excluded, Where exclusion is concentrated, Which services and products are people excluded from and Why are they excluded. Without this information,…

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Insolvency Service new technology will cut DRO application time

Thousands of people in financial crisis will get faster access to the help they need, thanks to a £900,000 technology boost to speed up debt relief order (DRO) applications. The new technology will allow debt advisers to send DRO cases directly to the Insolvency Service portal. The move will make the DRO application process more…

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Debt charity welcomes BNPL regulation launch

14th July 2026 Buy Now Pay Later | #BNPL

StepChange Debt Charity has welcomed the long-awaited Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) regulation coming into force on Wednesday this week (15th July), which will mean all BNPL products come under FCA regulation and include consumer protections in line with borrowing such as credit cards and personal loans. The charity has laid out what the changes…

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DRO reforms have enabled more people to access debt relief

Recent changes to Debt Relief Orders (DROs) have successfully enabled more people in financial difficulty to access debt relief, according to an Insolvency Service review. The review assessed the impact of the 2021 and 2024 reforms, which raised the maximum debt level, increased the asset allowances, and widened access for people with low incomes and low…

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2026 Credit & Collections Industry Awards Review published

Credit Connect has published the annual 2026 Credit & Collections Industry Awards Review. The annual review highlights why the judges decided the winners at this year’s Industry Awards, which were announced in May in York. The review provides background and context for the award results, recognising companies for advancing industry standards and excellence. The review…

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