A bumper set of reading this week. My top picks have to be two from the FCA - the urgent call for inputs in the next week about Ongoing support for consumers affected by coronavirus: mortgages and consumer credit and the massive Guidance for firms on the fair treatment of vulnerable customers.  Tweet of the week What family carers do - extraordinary, powerful letter in today’s … [Read more...]

My pick of last week's news is the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute's report on Making free debt advice accessible to people with mental health problems. Tweet of the week A reader gets her current Amigo loan wiped and a cash refund of just over £25,000 https://t.co/ZwLirOh7NO pic.twitter.com/2gbBKJVtRG — Debt Camel (@DebtCamel) July 25, 2020 Debt news Portfolio letter … [Read more...]

My pick of the week's news - at last the draft Debt Respite Scheme Regulations have been published - better known as the Breathing Space. Tweet of the week Today’s advice. 1. Never use google or other search engines to find debt advice. 2. If you do, scroll past the top results that have Ad by them. They pay google to be there. They may be crooks, they may mis-sell you things, at best … [Read more...]

My pick of last week's news is How the gambling industry got its claws into children. If you are interested in benefits policy, Testing times: Universal credit and the habitual residence test is excellent. Tweet of the week Mounting evidence, including today's research from @NAOorguk, shows that there is "nothing compassionate" about #UniversalCredit. If it's to act as a lifeline in … [Read more...]

In a very busy week, my pick of the news is that the Cabinet Office has launched  Fairness in government debt management: a call for evidence.  If you are a debt adviser, why not respond with some examples from your own clients - and pick up a few CPD points for doing this? Tweet of the week This comment from a reader today illustrates why @insolvencygovuk needs to dramatically reduce … [Read more...]

My picks of last week's news are the various stories about high-cost lenders. Tweet of the week The hell of being a #mortgageprisoner. In a single tweet. https://t.co/vNk796tnGt — Greg Wright (@gregwrightYP) June 24, 2020 Debt news High cost credit lenders in trouble: Update on Complaints Amigo RNS announcement: The VReq was intended to clear a backlog of approximately … [Read more...]

My pick of last week's news is the FCA extending deferrals for credit cards and loans. Tweet of the week This is not like a Tesco loyalty scheme, is it? GVC admitted in House of Lords testimony that 38% of ALL deposits come from these schemes (1.4 % of customers). Would we accept state supported home deliveries of vodka to alcoholics? https://t.co/PAhGACJ9J2 — Matt Gaskell … [Read more...]

My picks of last week's news are the extra £38 money for debt advice and StepChange's  Coronavirus - financial recovery strategy. Tweet of the week Historian here. We almost never use statues to teach history. We have a whole bunch of more efficient tools at our disposal, like, you know, BOOKS. What’s happening is that these young people HAVE learned the history, and that’s why they’re … [Read more...]

Image of the week from Sky News: 'Black Lives Matter' painted on road next to White House and street renamed by mayor:   Debt news Renters & Coronavirus: Ban on evictions extended by 2 months to further protect renters gov.uk: "The Master of the Rolls, as head of civil justice, has convened a judiciary-led, cross-sector, task-and-finish working group to consider and … [Read more...]

My pick of last week's news is Coping with housing costs during the coronavirus crisis which has figures to back up what advice agencies have been saying is happening. Tweet of the week Coronavirus: inside the food banks feeding the hungry during lockdown | The Sunday Times Magazine | The Sunday Times ⁦@BrixtonFoodbank⁩ ⁦@VauxhallFB⁩ ⁦@foodbankNorwood⁩ ⁦@WaterlooFB⁩ awesome volunteers … [Read more...]