Millions of people on benefits will get £150 off their electricity bill this winter through the UK's Warm Home Discount (WHD) scheme. The Warm Home Discount scheme has been running since 2011, giving £140 off your electric bill. But this year a lot has changed: the amount has gone up to £150; the criteria have changed - the government expects 750,000 more people will qualify, most … [Read more...]
Other Money
I write about a lot of Personal Finance that isn't directly about problem debts. Those articles are gathered here.
Spending - reducing or controlling it is usually essential if you want to reduce your debts. So Budgeting is another big topic.
Your grandparents used a pen and paper, but now we have Apps to make all this easier.
Mortgages - sometimes thought of as the only good sort of debt!
Credit ratings - important if you have too much debt or very little!
Defaults – have you been given bad information?
In the last week, three readers have queried what they have been told about defaults and their credit record: Ms A: I have debts that have been defaulted for about 4 years. I have set up a debt management plan and Payplan say that if my debts are sold then the new debt company can place a brand new default on the loan and the default date would be when the new debt company (not the originator) … [Read more...]
A new financial start in 2022 – clear debts, save more
Is your main aim in 2022 to be better with money, clear your debts or save a house deposit? This could be a New Years Resolution - perhaps the result of a Christmas financial hangover. You could think of this as being a financial detox for when your bank balance looks sick and your debts look bloated. Or you could need it at any time during the year when you realise things have to … [Read more...]
Sales bargains, and how to avoid the bad buys!
The number of people setting off for the shops in post-Christmas sales in 2021 was down by more than a third compared with 2019. Lots of us are still bargain hunting though, we have just switched to online. But in-store or online, how do you spot the real bargains? It's great to take advantage of a Sale - but can you be sure you are not the one being taken advantage of? There is a whole … [Read more...]
Can I get a mortgage with recent defaults?
A reader, Mr D, asked: My partner and I have a combined income of £56,000, We have a deposit of £28,000 (inheritance) and are looking to become first time buyers at a price of £230,000. We have defaulted debts that are being paid off, and previous history of payday loans from over 2 years ago from a time when our financial situation was much more difficult. The defaults are about 18 months … [Read more...]
ClearScore adopts the new Equifax credit scoring out of 1000
In mid November 2021, ClearScore has finally adopted the new 1000 Equifax credit scores. Equifax credit scoring changed in April 2021, when it switched to calculating scores out of 1000 - they used to be calculated out of 700. It also changed the bands used to describe your credit rating. Equifax didn't make an announcement about these changes. The Equifax Credit Report & Score was … [Read more...]
“Will Experian Boost help my credit score?”
A reader asked if she should sign up to Experian's Boost. Are any disadvantages? Would it really help her credit score? Experian's new Boost facility was introduced in the UK in November 2020: it can increase your Experian Credit Score by a maximum of 101 points; it is set up so it can never harm your credit score. Hundreds of thousands of people have used it. Let's see how it … [Read more...]
Apps that help you budget or save money
Here is my pick of apps and other #FinTech (Financial Technology) products that help you budget and save if you live in the UK. My interest here is people who are short of money. It doesn't include apps getting you to invest in the stock market. But these budgeting apps will also help anyone who doesn't have debt problems but wants to save more, for a house deposit, a big holiday or to … [Read more...]
Should you get a joint account for the bills?
Should we use a joint account for everything? Or get a joint account only for the bills? How will a joint account affect our credit scores? Is it best to both use the same bank? I've seen a few questions about how couples share finances recently, so I've brought them together into one article. Should we use a joint account for everything? Don't rush into this! Not only are you linking your … [Read more...]
How much must you earn to replace the £20 UC cut?
The government wants people to work more to replace the £20 Universal Credit (UC) cut coming up in October. If you would like a simple guide to UC, written by people who are "experts by experience", check out Universal Credit: A guide by claimants, for claimants. Many people would love to earn more but can't get the hours. Others can't work for health reasons or caring … [Read more...]
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