Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
1.7 million single parent families, representing 57% of all single parent households with children at home, struggled to pay their bills in recent weeks, reflecting the worsening conditions for millions of families across the UK, according to comparethemarket.com’s Household Financial Confidence Tracker. The research found that four in ten (43%) two parent households with children also found…
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Male victims of financial abuse in Scotland will finally be able to take back some control over their finances without placing themselves at further risk of abuse from partners with the help of a new partnership between the Vulnerability Registration Service (VRS) and Abused Men in Scotland (AMIS), Scotland’s charity helpline for male domestic abuse. Abused…
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StepChange debt charity guided, advised or supported more than half a million people last year, according to the charity’s impact report for 2021. The support included providing full debt advice to over 157,000 people, helping clients to repay more than £402 million of debt, and seeing over 24,000 people becoming free from problem debt with…
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Credit Connect’s hosted its fifth Online Collections Technology Think Tank 3.2 last week which saw collections strategies and the impact of cost of living economic stresses discussed by twelve collections professionals from a variety of industry sectors. The themes of collections risk, customer engagement, affordability and the future of collections were discussed by panellists and…
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Britain’s toxic combination of low growth and high inequality has left it trailing behind the comparable economies of Australia, Canada, France, Germany and the Netherlands, with disastrous consequences for low- and middle-income households according to a new report from the Resolution Foundation. The report notes that the country is approaching a decisive decade of economic…
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New forecasts from Cornwall Insight are predicting that typical gas and electricity bills in England, Wales and Scotland could reach £3,363 in the new year. The figures have increased significantly from the £3,003 figure forecasted two weeks ago. Predictions for the Q4 2022 (Oct-Dec) Cap, have also seen a steep increase, and now sit at…
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One-in-six UK households (4.4 million) are now in ‘serious financial difficulties’ compared to one-in-ten (2.8 million) in October 2021 according to research by abrdn Financial Fairness Trust. The figures are worse than at any point during the pandemic. Of those 4.4 million in serious financial difficulties, to make ends meet 71% have reduced the quality…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and MoneyHelper are urging consumers to get help as soon as possible if they are struggling financially because of the rising cost of living. Millions of people get help with their finances every year. However, new research suggests many borrowers are missing out on available support. The research reveals some…
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New research from Credit Karma, consumers have spent over £5.6 billion using buy-now, pay-later (BNPL) services in 2022 so far, with an average spend of £396 per person. The research also found that BNPL has been a lifeline for 58% of the service users trying to manage the rising cost of living with the number of…
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More than three-quarters of disabled consumers have not shared their support needs with businesses and organisations when accessing essential services, according to the latest research from Experian. Some 85% of disabled consumers and those with support needs said they had not explained to their bank or building society how they could be better supported when…
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Here is an overview of The Money Charity’s latest statistics for June 2022 Personal debt in the UK People in the UK owed £1,786.6 billion at the end of April 2022. The average total debt per household, including mortgages, was £64,286 and per adult was £33,780, around 105.3% of average earnings Net mortgage lending rose by…
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The government has published breathing spaces data which shows breathing spaces rates were highest for people aged 25-44 (one in 445 of those aged 25-34 and one in 440 of those aged 35-44), and lowest for those aged 65 and over. In the first year of the support, there were 63,864 breathing spaces registered. One…
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Seven million households are living through a ‘frightening year of financial fear’, going without food, heating, toiletries and even showering as they try to cope with the cost of living crisis new research by Joseph Rowntree Foundation has found. The research found that low-income families have fallen behind on payments by an average of £1,600.…
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