Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
The number of decrees and total amount of debt registered against Scottish consumers in 2021 rose compared to 2020, according to figures released by the Registry Trust. The number increased from 13,308 in 2020 to 14,444 in 2021, a rise of nine percent. The total value rose even more, by 19 percent, from £37 million…
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The number of households suffering from ‘fuel stress’ spending at least 10 per cent of their family budgets on energy bills is set to treble overnight to 6.3 million households when the new energy price cap comes into effect on 1st April according to new research by the Resolution Foundation. The research shows that the…
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Benefits will need to be hiked by twice as much as planned this spring in order to protect millions of the poorest in society from the impact of surging inflation according to new analysis by the Insititute of Fiscal Studies (IFS). The analysis shows poorer households tend to spend almost three times as much of…
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Consumers using Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) are much more likely to be struggling according to latest research by debt charity StepChange. In response to the HM Treasury’s consultation on how to regulate BNPL StepChange is pointing to clear evidence that BNPL products are being widely used by people experiencing financial difficulty. For example, consumers…
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New rules home and motor insurance renewal rules brought in by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are expected to save consumers £4.2bn over the next 10 years. From 1st January 2022 insurers will be banned from quoting customers a higher price for renewing their home or motor insurance than they would pay if they were…
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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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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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The Money Advice Trust, the charity that runs National Debtline, has welcomed today’s action from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), to uphold complaints against a company found to have used ‘misleading’ and ‘irresponsible’ debt advice adverts. Online adverts from Financial Support Systems, trading as National Debt Service, were found to have misled consumers by suggesting…
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Ofgem failed to act against unfit energy suppliers for nearly a decade, leaving the market vulnerable to this year’s spike in wholesale prices according to a major new report from Citizens Advice. The charity has found that mistakes and missed opportunities left the market in a precarious position when gas prices surged in 2021. Since…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has appointed Stephen Braviner Roman as General Counsel and as a member of its Executive Committee following an open competition. Roman is expected to join the FCA in February next year. Megan Butler has announced she will step down from her role as Executive Director of Transformation in the spring.…
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The Financial Conduct Authority has proposed stronger requirements on oversight of appointed representatives. The consultation is aimed at improving the appointed representatives regime measures and tackling harm from this model. An appointed representative (AR) is a firm or person who carries on a regulated activity on behalf, and under the responsibility of, a firm authorised…
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The FCA is consulting on proposed changes to the fees financial services firms pay to cover the cost of regulation. The minimum fee, which has remained largely unchanged over the last decade, would increase from £1,151 to £2,200. The FCA is also proposing changes to the calculation of consumer credit firm fees to bring them…
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Zog Energy has ceased trading, the company claimed that it was unable to secure the gas hedges it previously agreed with its gas shipper CNG. The energy company has served around 11,700 domestic gas customers, is the 27th energy retailer to exit via the Supplier of Last Resort process so far this year. Under Ofgem’s…
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