More than three million people have been frozen out of credit in the past 12 months, despite mainstream lenders promising to increase access, according to new research. Almost one in five people who applied for credit in the last 12 months – either a credit card, personal loan or mortgage – had their applications refused,…
Read more118 118 Money has received full authorisation from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Since launching in Cardiff, Wales in 2013, the lender has issued more than £150million in unsecured personal loans ranging from £1,000-£5,000, to customers who are unable to receive credit from their banks. Mark Burgess, COO and Interim CEO of 118 118 Money…
Read morePoorer people in Britain are being excluded from the financial system and forced to rely on expensive and substandard banking products, according to a new report. There are 1.7 million adults in the country that do not have access to a bank account, the report said, raising the risk that they will turn to high-cost…
Read moreTarget Group has signed a deal to supply its Bluechip Web Portal to Bridging Finance Solutions (BFS), the short-term property finance provider. To further improve processing efficiencies BFS panel solicitors will have access to their allocated cases via the portal and will be able to upload documentation and leave case notes, which updates the Bluechip…
Read moreLondon fintech startup TransferWise has teamed up with UK-based, digital-only Starling Bank in a partnership aimed at providing easier and cheaper international money transfers. Launching in the UK this summer, the service will enable customers to make transfers from the UK across the 35 currencies available in the TransferWise app, including the euro, US dollars,…
Read moreOver 600,000 consumers of short term loans may no longer have access to credit, according to a report by the Consumer Finance Association (CFA) and economic analysts, Oxera. Without access to a regulated form of finance many consumers are unable to take action to manage their cash flow or cover emergency financial costs. They could end…
Read moreThe latest complaint figures released by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) shows that Payday loans complaints have risen by 22%. Complaints to the financial ombudsman about payday loans have risen to almost 200 a week. During the second half of 2016 the Financial Ombudsman Service received 5,095 new payday lending complaints, up 22% on the first six…
Read moreThe number of guarantor loan problems Citizens Advice has helped people with has risen by 40% over the last year, latest figures show. When taking out a guarantor loan the borrower gives the name of a guarantor, normally a friend or family member, who is then pursued for payment if the borrower can’t repay. Last…
Read moreSome doorstep lenders are taking advantage of their position and putting people at risk of serious debt problems, Citizens Advice warns. A new report published by the charity today has identified a number of concerning practices by some doorstep lenders. The evidence, submitted to the Financial Conduct Authority today as part of its review into…
Read moreWhich? is calling for the regulator to act on un-arranged overdraft fees after new research finds charges from big high street banks could cost up to 180% of the amount borrowed. The Which? research has found that consumers needing as little as £100 could be charged up to £156 more by some major high street banks…
Read moreBuddy Loans has received full accreditation from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), enabling the U.K.’s leading guarantor loan provider to give more consumers access to credit. The Cheadle-based company was set-up in 2013 by entrepreneurs Guy Mackenzie and Nicholas Zapolski, to provide consumers, who have been refused loans from mainstream lenders, with affordable credit. Buddy…
Read moreNava Finance Limited today announced that the Financial Conduct Authority has confirmed that as of 27 January, 2017 Nava Finance Limited is authorised and regulated by the FCA, enabling Nava to begin offering personal loans to UK consumers. The company is now focused on working towards an initial launch date, which will be announced when…
Read moreThe British Bankers’ Association (BBA) has releases it’s latest figures indicating a growth in consumer borrowing during December, but there are signs that demand may soften in 2017 as consumers and businesses anticipate higher interest rates. Gross mortgage borrowing totalled £12.6bn, up 3.6% from December 2015; while net mortgage borrowing grew by 2.5% compared to December…
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