Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
A new IFS and LSE report, published as part of the IFS Green Budget and funded by the Nuffield Foundation, has suggested that the Government could ease cost-of-living pressures caused by high electricity prices by promoting time-varying electricity tariffs. The report says that. the Government should promote the take-up of contracts with time-varying electricity prices…
Read more
Millions of households that appear financially secure today could be vulnerable to future financial shocks, according research by Yorkshire Building Society in collaboration with the University of Bradford, which provides a practical framework for understanding financial vulnerability and resilience. Drawing on data from 10,000 UK adults and advanced predictive modelling, the report finds that many households…
Read more
A new survey by credit card brand Aqua has revealed that almost two in five people (38.8%) typically run out of money before their next payday. Almost a quarter of people (23%) worry every day about having enough money till payday, highlighting the financial pressures many households may face when trying to make their income…
Read more
Latest monthly figures from the Insolvency Service for England & Wales showed that personal insolvencies decreased by 2% in August 2026 compared to the previous month, with 11,644 individuals entering insolvency in England and Wales. This was similar to July 2026 and 3% higher than in August 2025. The personal insolvencies consisted of 725 bankruptcies,…
Read more
New analysis from debt advice provider PayPlan has found that the average person seeking debt advice in 2026 is juggling 10 separate unsecured debts (such as credit cards, personal loans and overdrafts) totalling £22,717 – and is left with just £194 a month once essential living costs are met. The findings, drawn from 24,406 people…
Read more
The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) has reported a significant escalation in customer complaints, with figures reaching a 20-year high. CCW’s latest annual household complaints report reveals that complaints from household customers escalated to the watchdog increased by 84% in 2025-26, up to 15,115 from 8,235 in the previous year. It marks the steepest year-on-year…
Read more
A National Student Money Survey has found that 63% of respondents skip meals at least some of the time to save money. The data showed that surveyed students spend an average of £1,146 per month on living costs (£1,326 per month in London) with on average, Maintenance Loans fall short of spending on living costs by £467…
Read more
More than 120 organisations, including Energy UK and Age UK, are urging the Government to remove policy levies embedded in energy bills. The organisations have signed a letter to the government warning that high electricity costs risk driving business closures and job losses, and exacerbating cost of living challenges, unless the government acts in the…
Read more
Water, energy and broadband regulators should do more to fulfil their critical role in supporting consumers struggling to afford their bills. In a new report, following an inquiry informed by evidence from expert witnesses Martin Lewis, Citizens Advice and the Consumer Council for Water, the PAC lacks confidence that water regulator Ofwat, energy regulator Ofgem…
Read more
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) must work more closely with households, communities and industry to ensure the food supply chain can withstand increasingly likely and severe shocks, including extreme weather events, cyber-attacks and disease outbreaks, according to a new National Audit Office (NAO) report. The Government has designated food as one…
Read more
New research from Aqua has revealed that almost two in five people (38.8%) typically run out of money before their next payday, while more than a quarter have money left over 28.2% of people have some money left over before their next payday, while 22.8% say their money usually lasts until payday. However, 38.8% find themselves…
Read more
New research from PwC highlights the disparity in household spending power across the UK, with some neighbouring towns and local authorities having significant gaps in disposable income. The research shows the scale of the North-South divide in household spending power, with every northern region of England falling below the UK average while households in London…
Read more
Parents and guardians face a request to spend money on their child’s school life more than once a fortnight, costing them nearly £500 a year, according to research from savings app Spring. The study found that families receive an average of 21 requests for school-related spending or contributions during each 38 week academic year. These…
Read more