In a quiet week, my two top picks are my article on UK credit records & scores and the Times article - unfortunately behind a paywall - on Hostile environment: immigration system keeps families like ours in debt. Debt news CRUEL UNIFORM Payday lenders are targeting skint parents and charging 1,333% interest on children’s school gear Sun: The loan shark-style firms’ websites feature … [Read more...]

The quiet announcement that CAP isn't taking on any new debt clients until 2020 has come as a shock to the sector. Tweet of the week I’ve only spent 25 years stopping thousands of Glaswegians being evicted or repossessed from their homes. Got £1.7bn back in bank charges for free. Wrote the payday loan & bedroom tax guides that were downloaded hundreds of thousands of times. Yet GCC … [Read more...]

My pick of last week's news is one you may not have read Have retirement interest-only mortgages flopped? Tweet of the week I have absolutely zero sympathy for banks. They brought it on themselves. Had they dealt with PPI when concerns were first raised about sales process, then dealt with complaints properly, then didn’t fight tooth and nail against payouts...they mightn’t be in this … [Read more...]

My pick of last week's news is the news that bailiffs made to wear body cameras - but to be effective it needs independent complaints and regulation as well. Tweet of the week End of another exhausting week in #debtadvice, not helped by heat, no air con at work, & thunderstorms causing sleepless nights! But... 2 great outcomes for clients have cheered me. This is what I go to work … [Read more...]

My pick of last week's news is Single dad with just £4.61 took own life after waiting weeks for Universal Credit. This isn't just a benefits story, it also illustrates the failure of the regulatory system that allowed unaffordable high cost credit to be given. And it is a failure of debt advice provision that could have got this poor man the support he needed. Debt Advisers know how to reach … [Read more...]

Three picks this week: the call for evidence on IP regulation,  the campaigning report: Regulating the credit card market - why we need a cap on costs, and my article on Amigo loans – more refunds being paid (it's nice to have some good news!). Tweet of the week INSOLVENCY SERVICE: *picks up cat* *places cat adjacent to flock of pigeons* *backs away … [Read more...]

My pick of last week's news is The car industry needs to be more honest when selling car finance. Tweet of the week Nobody loves a traffic warden ... apart from this guy who ticketed Tommy Robinson's campaign bus outside the Old Bailey and laughed off all the abuse from Yaxley-Lennon's band of thugs.pic.twitter.com/Zl75zKN2aG — Another Angry Voice (@Angry_Voice) July 5, … [Read more...]

My pick of last week's news is Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away! bailiff entered house unlawfully. Tweet of the week Child poverty and hunger thread 1. In the mid 70s my mum and dad were separated, I was the youngest. Mum was exhausted with life, crap at managing money and addicted to Valium/ opiate pills - I was 14 at Eastbank Academy school — Janey Godley (@JaneyGodley) June 28, … [Read more...]

The news story of the week has to be the Treasury's announcement of the breathing space to start in 2021. But Panorama's Easy money, tough debt? should be watched by anyone with an interest in personal debt in Britain. And if the Mail's as yet unconfirmed scoop that the Money Shop goes under is correct, that will be another lot of payday loan victims who do not get full … [Read more...]

My pick of last week's news is the Supreme Court judgment in Samuels v Birmingham City Council but if you want an interesting read you may not have seen, look at Consumers Are Becoming Wise to Your Nudge. On a personal note, I was very proud to be elected as a Trustee of the Institute of Money Advisers this week. Tweet of the week @KarlTurnerMP asked @MelJStride if he could have a … [Read more...]