Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published a package of reforms to the mortgage market rules to support borrowers to find it easier to remortgage, saving time and money. The FCA says that under the new changes, borrowers will find it easier to reduce their mortgage term, helping to lower the total cost of borrowing…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has proposed new regulations for Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) providers, requiring them to ensure that borrowers can afford repayments and to offer support in the event of financial difficulties. The rules will come into effect when BNPL falls under the FCA’s oversight next year, granting borrowers protections similar to…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) have announced reforms with an aim to modernise the financial redress system to help prevent it from becoming overwhelmed, delaying consumer compensation. Currently, the majority of complaints are resolved by firms, and the redress system works well for individual cases that come to the Financial…
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In the first phase of reforms to the Senior Manager Certification Regime (SM&CR), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) are proposing to streamline the regime to make it more effective and efficient and to drive growth in financial services. As the government consults on legislative changes to the regime – including…
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The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA’s) annual report has shown that over 1,600 websites suspected of promoting financial services without permission were suspended, removed or blocked in 2024. The regulator also collaborated with big tech platforms, resulting in over 50 apps being removed from Google Play and the App Store, helping the regulator to block fraud at…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has fined Monzo Bank £21,091,300 for its inadequate anti-financial crime systems and controls between October 2018 and August 2020. Monzo also repeatedly breached a requirement preventing it from opening accounts for high-risk customers between August 2020 and June 2022. Monzo’s customer base has grown rapidly, increasing almost tenfold from around…
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UK Finance has backed calls that the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) should be stopped from acting as a quasi-regulator”and insists on a timetable of reform for the body. The move comes in the banking body’s submission to the government ahead of the Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Mansion House speech later this month and the Treasury’s Financial…
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Lenders said they lifted the availability of household secured credit in the three months to the end of May and expect to do so again over the coming quarter, according to a latest Bank of England survey. The survey found that lenders reported that the availability of both secured and unsecured credit to households increased…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has extended rules on bullying, harassment and violence Previously, it was often unclear when these types of behaviours would amount to a conduct rules breach in a firm other than a bank. From !st September 2026, the same rules will be extended to around 37,000 other regulated firms, increasing consistency…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced that it is developing new rules aimed at helping consumers move their savings from cash into shares, with the regulator looking to reduce the ‘advice gap.’ The proposed rules would allow financial firms to offer targeted support, replacing the current system that distinguishes between ‘guidance’ and ‘financial advice’. …
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New research from TransUnion UK has revealed that over eight million people are using Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) for items under £50, whilst 4% put purchases under £25 on this short-term credit. Over a quarter (26%) of people now prefer to use BNPL over credit cards for everyday spending, with 18 to 24-year-olds (20%)…
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A criminal has been sentenced at Inner London Crown Court to over a year in prison for operating a SMS Blaster to conduct a mass smishing campaign against victims with the intent to harvest their personal details to be used in fraud. The sentencing follows an investigation and arrest by the Dedicated Card and Payment…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has released a discussion paper on mortgage market rules to help boost home ownership. The FCA says that first-time buyers, the self-employed and people borrowing into retirement could benefit from further possible changes to mortgage rules. The regulator says that the mortgage market has changed considerably over the years. First-time…
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