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Energy firms `not refunding overpayments automatically` Average household £7 a week richer but debt levels remain high Consumers `cutting back on credit card debt` Mortgage debt often greater than house value Household energy bills `could top £4,700 a year by 2020` Many over 50s `facing financial difficulties` CML lowers repossession prediction Higher electricity prices will pay for carbon capture Unemployment set to rise Inflation speculation `greatly exaggerated` Unemployment reaches 12-year high UK recovery `to start in 2010` People `may be risking finances due to lack of pension savings` Economy `may be bottoming out` Fuel poverty still putting billpayers at risk of debt More than 20% using savings to `pay down` debt Housing market - buyer interest is up ISA rate cuts could raise debt risk Online retail sales to grow Consumers take up gardening to avoid debt

A third of Britons claim to be `unaffected` by credit crunch

19/06/2008

Over a third (36 per cent) of British consumers believe the current economic downturn will not affect their lives, research by Zurich has revealed.

More than a fifth (21 per cent) of those questioned by the insurance provider think "credit crunch" is a media-created term and less than a third (29 per cent) of consumers have looked at their personal finances in light of it, a finding described as "worrying" by Zurich`s Tony Solomon.

The business development director of Zurich UK Life commented: "With the credit crunch bringing spiralling living costs, from fuel to food to interest rates, families are seeing their budgets stretched to the limit."

Obtaining advice and reviewing financial affairs is "crucial" according to Mr Solomon.

The survey, conducted by YouGov, found that over half of consumers (52 per cent) continue to think property is a good investment.

For the 18 to 24 age group, the highest financial priority was to own a car, followed by becoming debt-free with no credit cards or overdrafts.

Credit Action figures put the UK`s total personal debt at £1,436 billion at the end of April, an increase of 8.4 per cent in 12 months.

Energy firms `not refunding overpayments automatically` 01/07/2009 - A new report by consumer group Which? has claimed that Average household £7 a week richer but debt levels remain high 01/07/2009 - During May, a typical household had £164 a week left Consumers `cutting back on credit card debt` 01/07/2009 - Many UK consumers are cutting back on the amount of Mortgage debt often greater than house value 01/07/2009 - According to the latest findings from global rating agency Fitch,