Mortgage searches surge in March as economic uncertainty drives borrower action

Mortgage adviser activity rose sharply in March, with total searches reaching 2,150,593, as borrowers responded to ongoing economic uncertainty and shifting mortgage pricing, according to the latest Mortgage Market Snapshot from Twenty7tec. Data from Insight Pro shows this represents a 19% increase compared with February and a 17% rise year on year, marking the highest…

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FCA bans CMC’s misleading adverts

15th April 2026 Consumer Lending | #motor finance

Adverts which used edited, unauthorised clips of Martin Lewis to make misleading claims about average motor finance compensation and used the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) logo without permission have been banned by the FCA. Conclusive Financial Ltd (Conclusive), a claims management company (CMC) which also trades as PCP Refunds, was required to remove its advertising…

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FCA outlines new open finance measures

14th April 2026 Consumer Lending | #open finance

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has outlined new measures that aim to give consumers and businesses greater control over their financial data to help secure better deals. The FCA says that open finance will unlock the potential for people and businesses to share their financial data securely with a range of financial services providers, helping…

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Consumer car finance new business volumes grows by 2%

10th April 2026 Consumer Lending | #motor finance

New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that consumer car finance new business volumes grew by 2% in February 2026 compared with the same month in 2025. The corresponding value of new business was 5% higher over the same period. In the first two months of 2026, new business volumes grew…

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Rising borrowing costs knock housing buyer demand

Latest data from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has found the market losing momentum as rising borrowing costs and wider geopolitical uncertainty weighed heavily on buyer confidence and sales activity. New buyer enquiries fell to a net balance of -39%, down from -29% in February, marking the weakest reading since August 2023. Agreed…

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Consumer finance grew by 5% in February

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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Lenders call for overhaul of banking regulation

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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Homeowners looking at £4k mortgage cost hike as a result of Middle East conflict

Mortgage rates have risen significantly since the start of the war in Iran, leaving homeowners facing steep increases in monthly payments – at a time when living costs are already rising across the board, warns Sprive. According to Moneyfacts, the lowest available 2-year fixed deal before the start of the conflict in the Middle East…

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Government announces crackdown on costly subscription traps

7th April 2026 Consumer Lending | #subscriptions

The Government has announced a crackdown on unwanted and misleading subscriptions, which will save consumers around £400 million every year. The new rules will make it simpler and far less painful to escape unwanted subscriptions, stop people from being silently rolled onto expensive contracts and ensure that companies are upfront and open when selling subscription…

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FCA publishes redress scheme for the motor finance sector

31st March 2026 Consumer Lending | #motor finance

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced a £9.1 billion motor finance redress scheme, a significant reduction from earlier estimates of £11 billion. The number of qualifying agreements has decreased from 14.2 million to 12.1 million, leading to lower overall costs. Millions of motor finance customers will receive compensation this year under a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)…

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Mortgage borrowing increased to £4.8bn in February

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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New accessibility guidelines launched for payment cards

UK Finance has launched a new Accessible Cards Code of Practice, designed to help customers with accessibility needs or impaired vision use payment cards in-store and online. The Code means the UK is the first country in the world to have national common accessibility guidelines for flat printed payment cards. The new guidelines cover physical…

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Iran conflict sends ‘ripple of fear’ through consumer confidence

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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