Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced changes to the definition of income between consumer hire leases and consumer credit after a response to its consultation. In December of last year, the FCA made a call for leasing businesses to respond to the regulator. Under the current rule, FCA fees for regulated credit agreements such…
Read moreHere is an overview of The Money Charity’s latest statistics for April 2018: Personal debt in the UK People in the UK owed £1.578 trillion at the end of February 2018. This is up from £1.53 trillion at the end of February 2017– an extra £1,169.92 per UK adult. Per adult in the UK that’s an average debt of…
Read moreThe first non-bank payment service provider (PSP) has joined a UK payment system settling in central bank money. TransferWise, a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)-regulated PSP facilitating the international transfer of payments, is now a direct participant in the UK’s Faster Payments system. A key component of this work involved the Bank extending settlement account access…
Read moreAccording to research by Callcredit Information Group, 30% of consumers see defaulting on a loan payment as being the fault of the lender rather than the borrower. The study also revealed that consumers are increasingly feeling financial pressure, with almost half (45%) saying the financial burden on their personal finances has increased and that they…
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Mortgage lending for first-time buyers, home movers and remortgages increased in February 2018 compared to the previous year according to UK Finance’s latest mortgage trends. Total homeowner purchases, which combine both home movers and first-time buyers, reached 50,000, the highest level for February since 2007. There were 25,200 first-time buyer mortgages completed in February 2018, some…
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The proliferation of new payment methods, e-wallets, and blockchain cryptocurrencies has allowed cheap and rapid payments for everything from holiday cash to business to business transfers. However, this boon is part and parcel of the new ‘trust economy’ and it is not risk-free. Businesses will have to intelligently respond to the increased hazards posed by…
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The availability of consumer credit dropped “significantly” in the first quarter of 2018, according to a survey of credit conditions published by the Bank of England. The Credit Conditions Survey asks banks and building societies about the past three months and the next three months as part of the Bank’s role in maintaining financial stability. The Bank…
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The Credit Services Association (CSA) is concerned that new guidelines for debt advisors could keep customers in debt for longer by failing to reflect their true financial position, and in the worst case push them into unnecessary and potentially damaging insolvency. The CSA believes that the revised guidelines – presented by the Money Advice Service…
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Zopa has announced a governance restructure in advance of launching its next-generation bank. The re-structure will establish separate boards for the Zopa P2P business, proposed bank (subject to banking licence approval) and Group in order to facilitate the increasing scale of the business, ensure good corporate governance and protect the interests of its customers. The…
Read moreThe number of fines handed out for money laundering and terrorist financing rule breaches has fallen 20 percent in the last year as tougher enforcement delivers a wake-up call, anti-money laundering and Big Data specialist Fortytwo Data reveals today. It follows record enforcement in 2015/16 when 1,170 professionals – including lawyers, accountants and those in…
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The Credit Services Association (CSA), has announced the first of the major sponsors for the 2018 UK Credit and Collections Conference (UKCCC), which this year moves to Crowne Plaza, Stratford Upon Avon. Conexus Recovery and Field Services, which has clients across the banking, utilities, retail and debt purchasing sectors, is returning as a sponsor and…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published its business plan for 2018/19 which sets out the key priorities for the coming year. The FCA says the priorities in this year’s business plan reflect the high level of resource needed to dedicate to European Union (EU) withdrawal, given its impact both on our regulation and the…
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New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) shows that growth has continued in the second charge lending market in February, compared with the same month in 2017. Commenting on the February 2018 new business figures for the second charge mortgage market, Fiona Hoyle, Head of Consumer and Mortgage Finance at the Finance…
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