Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
The Credit Services Association (CSA), the UK trade association for organisations active in the debt collection and purchase industry, has written to Ofgem to seek clarification in respect of the standards customers should expect in regards to the practices of administrators and accounts in arrears. It has also asked for reassurance that the integrity and…
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New research by Yorkshire Building Society has shown that more than one in five UK consumers feel worse off financially since the start of the pandemic. The research has indicated that two-thirds of those whose finances, who have been affected had suffered a negative impact on their mental health. Whilst over one in five (23%)…
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Latest ONS figures have highlighted that private renters on median income could expect to spend 23% of their income on a median-priced rented home in England. These figures are down from a recent high of 26.3% in 2016 because recently average wages have grown faster than average rents. The figures showed that East Midlands and North…
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The Government will today (Wednesday 6th October) withdraw £20 a week in support from Universal Credit claimants in a move that debt charity, StepChange says will have devastating consequences for its clients. Before today’s cut, among StepChange clients who rely on Universal Credit, the majority (59%) had more income than outgoings each month. Now, just…
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Nearly two thirds (64%) of furloughed adults have received some form of support beyond financial while being on furlough, research from Canada Life has revealed. With the scheme drawing to a close at the end of September, the findings demonstrate employers’ commitment to supporting their employees throughout the pandemic. Among those workers who received consistent…
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As the furlough scheme comes to an end this month, research from Canada Life has revealed how currently furloughed workers have boosted their income throughout the pandemic. The most common way of boosting finances was borrowing money on credit cards, with two in five (44%) saying they have considered or done this. This was closely…
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The Money and Mental Health Policy Institute have awarded Halifax and Bank of Scotland it’s Mental Health Accessible’ accreditation for businesses. They are two of the first three organisations to receive this accolade, following the accreditation of Lloyds Bank in 2020. This follows a comprehensive assessment by Money and Mental Health of how accessible Halifax…
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45% of vulnerable adults in the UK have experienced mental distress after being chased by organisations for missed payments or debt according to independent research carried out on behalf of the Vulnerability Registration Service (VRS), a not-for-profit company providing the UK’s first central vulnerability database. VRS says that the FCA’s guidance has been clear, organisations must…
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Citizens Advice has warned that 1.5 million working people on Universal Credit could be pushed into hardship this winter if their benefits are cut by £20 a week. The charity is anticipating a surge in families seeking its support as rising energy prices and higher living costs are compounded by the cut to Universal Credit.…
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The Government must do more to protect low-and-middle-income households from rising energy bills, with families on Universal Credit (UC) four times as likely as the wider population to be on pre-payment meters and therefore face higher energy bill hikes in October, new Resolution Foundation research had found. The Foundation notes that 4.4 million households on…
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The winding-up of the furlough scheme on 1st October threatens to add further pressure to household finances atop the triple threat of inflation, rising energy costs and covid uncertainty according to Interactive Investor. Consumers could also face an additional challenge of reining in spending which has escalated since lockdown. In a poll of 801 interactive…
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A new report is urging the Government to take the lead in supporting consumers to recover financially from the pandemic. Innovation Foundation Nesta has commissioned Guaranteeing a Rapid Recovery – a report from the Social Market Foundation (SMF) which sets a series of recommendations for government and innovators to support consumers as they recover from the pandemic. The research…
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Credit Connect’s hosted its third Online Collections Technology Think Tank 2.1 last week which saw the discussions focused upon collections strategy as we prepare to start to feel the impact of the pandemic and Brexit. Fourteen collections professionals from a variety of industry sectors joined the discussion on business transformation, customer engagement, affordability, vulnerability and…
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