Over half of Gen X heading for inadequate retirement income

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…

Read more

Warning over spate of new ‘friendship fraud’ cases targeting older people

19th March 2026 Consumer Lending | #fraud

New TSB data shows a series of recent scams in which criminals use social media to lure people into online friendships, then extract money ranging into the tens of thousands. TSB’s fraud expert, Stephanie Harrison, warns that ‘friendship fraud’ mirrors romance scams in its approach – with fraudsters building trust and rapport before demanding money.…

Read more

Government announces Financial Ombudsman Service reforms

17th March 2026 Consumer Lending | #FOS reform

Plans to reform the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) have been revealed by the Government. The reforms will return the FOS to its original role as a simple, impartial dispute resolution service that resolves complaints quickly and effectively, while ensuring it operates within a clearer and more predictable framework alongside the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The…

Read more

Credit card repayment rates fall

A new analysis of its credit card data for 2025 by global analytics software specialist FICO has found a fundamental shift in market dynamics from traditional cyclical patterns to clearer management of affordability challenges. The year was characterised by consumers struggling to manage existing debt levels, with average balances reaching record highs while payment rates fell. The…

Read more

Fraud hits record levels

13th March 2026 Consumer Lending | #fraud

Fraud prevention service, Cifas has revealed that more than 444,000 cases were recorded to the National Fraud Database (NFD) in 2025, the highest number ever recorded in a single year, and a 6% increase on 2024. The scale of fraud continues to accelerate, with Cifas members recording more than 1,200 cases every day and preventing…

Read more

21% of first-time buyers believe they need to be debt-free for mortgage approval

New research from Compare the Market suggests there  is still some uncertainty around how credit cards factor into mortgage applications, with 21% of prospective first-time buyers believing they need to be completely debt-free to be approved for a  mortgage1 The survey findings indicate that around one in ten prospective first-time buyers believe they must never…

Read more

Man jailed for running illegal sale-and-rent-back scheme

A man has been jailed for running an illegal sale-and-rent-back scheme targeting struggling homeowners. Rajinder Gill and his accomplices were sentenced for their involvement in a sale-and-rent-back scheme. Gill has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for running a sale-and-rent-back scheme without being authorised and illegally providing credit agreements and mortgages.…

Read more

Revolut receives banking licence approval

12th March 2026 Company News | #banking licence

Revolut Bank UK has announced that it has received regulatory approval from the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) to exit the mobilisation phase, and launch as a bank in the UK. The launch comes with an existing base of 13 million UK customers and follows Revolut’s recent commitment to invest £3bn ($4bn) and create 1,000 high-skilled…

Read more

UK faces financial literacy crisis as households misjudge credit risks

The UK is facing a growing financial literacy crisis, with millions of households navigating credit without fully understanding how it works, according to new research from Creditspring.  As borrowing becomes faster and more accessible, consumers risk making costly, but entirely avoidable, financial decisions. Across the UK, understanding of even the most basic credit concepts remains…

Read more

FLA Members provided £163 billion of new lending in 2025

9th March 2026 Consumer Lending | #lending

New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that FLA members across the asset finance, consumer finance and motor finance markets provided a record £162.8 billion of new lending in 2025, 5% higher than in 2024. Of this total £40.3 billion was provided to businesses for investment in machinery, equipment, and vehicles,…

Read more

One in three have done nothing to prepare for their death

6th March 2026 Consumer Lending | #cost of death

New research from Aegon’s Money has found that one in three adults has done nothing to prepare for their death, while 83% of adults say financial preparation for death matters with 43% deeming  it ‘very important.’ A third (32%) have taken no steps at all, with only 38% having written a will, 26% having communicated…

Read more

Consumer finance grew by 6% last year

Latest figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that consumer finance new business grew by 10% in December 2025 compared with the same month in 2024. In 2025 as a whole, new business in this market was 6% higher than in 2024. The credit card and personal loans sectors together reported new business…

Read more

Consumer car finance grew by 2% in 2025

6th March 2026 Consumer Lending | #car finance

New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that consumer car finance new business grew 15% by value and 12% by volume in December 2025, compared with the same month in 2024. In 2025 as a whole, new business volumes grew by 2% compared with 2024. The consumer new car finance market…

Read more

1 3 4 5 6 7 230