Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Latest data from the Equity Release Council has found that total lending fell to £574 million in Q1 2026, down 9% on the previous quarter (£632 million) and 14% year-on-year (£655 million). Customer numbers also declined, with 12,958 new and returning customers accessing housing wealth, down 7% on the quarter and 10% annually. The data…
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Latest data from Rightmove has found that higher mortgage rates have pushed monthly repayments above the cost of renting for the first time since June 2025. The average advertised monthly rent across the UK is currently £1,547, compared to an average new monthly mortgage payment of £1,670. Rightmove used the current average asking price for…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published a review into whether Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) help consumers understand borrowing costs, with the regulator seeking views on whether it should change how these are communicated in credit advertising. APRs indicate the yearly cost of borrowing, including interest and fees. A representative APR means at least half…
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Nearly one in eleven people in Britain say they are living with dental pain because they cannot get treatment, according to research by banking app thinkmoney. The data showed that while 11% of people say they avoid the dentist as they are scared of the drill, almost as many – nearly one in ten (9%)…
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New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that consumer finance new business grew by 5% in February 2026 compared with the same month in 2025. In the first two months of 2026, new business in this market was 4% higher than in the same period in 2025. The credit card and…
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Some of the UK’s leading lenders have expressed their frustrations with UK banking regulation in a new report from the Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME). AFME welcomes the FPC’s move to lower its benchmark for Tier 1 capital requirements, which reflects both the effectiveness of postcrisis reforms and improvements in risk measurement. However, AFME cautions that a reduction…
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Latest Bank of England data has shown that net borrowing of mortgage debt by individuals increased to £4.8 billion in February, from £4.2 billion in January. The rise in February is also above the previous six-month average of £4.5 billion. The data also shows that net mortgage approvals for house purchases increased to 62,600 in…
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GfK’s index of household sentiment dropped to minus 21 in March from minus 19 in the previous month. This is the weakest reading since April last year. The data showed that the decline was driven by a six-point drop to minus 37 in expectations for the UK economy over the coming year. There was also a six-point…
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Consumer confidence in the UK has reached an all-time low, according to analysis by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) survey conducted by Opinium. The survey, taken from March 10 to March 13, revealed a drop in consumer expectations for the economy to -53, down from -30 the previous month. Personal finance expectations also fell to…
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More than 12 million adults with credit products aren’t confident they understand APR, one of the most important measures of borrowing cost, according to new research from Creditspring. The data also suggests that millions of UK adults are using loans, credit cards, and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) products without fully understanding key terms or…
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Latest FICO analysis of credit card data for January 2026 shows a post-Christmas reduction in spending as customers prioritised payments after the festive break. However, with spending lower year-on-year and increases in missed payments, the financial pressures that were a feature of the UK economy for the majority of 2025 have continued into the new…
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The number of Africans applying for, or planning to apply for a UK mortgage is falling as foreign nationals continue to struggle to navigate the UK home loan system, according to research by Afin Bank. The research by the specialist lender found that 38% had a mortgage in 2026, compared with 48% in 2025 and…
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New research from The Social Market Foundation has warned that many workers may face a ‘pension shock’ in the coming decade, as they realise their retirement income is likely to be significantly lower than expected. Gen X (those born between 1965 and 1980) fall in the gap between the two pension systems. Many were too…
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