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Debt consolidation

• Consumers `increasingly experiencing debt problems` [07/09/2009]
  The number of consumers in the UK suffering with debt problems is increasing, it has been claimed.
• Over-50s `better at managing credit card debt` [03/09/2009]
  Consumers aged 50 and over are better at managing credit card debt than their younger counterparts, it has been suggested.
• New banking rules `may restrict access to loans` [03/08/2009]
  Consumers may find it more difficult to access loans and other forms of credit as a result of new responsible lending rules which have been proposed by the government.
• UK `must reduce consumer debt` [24/06/2009]
  People are being more sensible with their money and are reducing their levels of personal debt, which is good for the UK, it has been claimed.
• 700k `on Debt Management Plans` [05/06/2009]
  Official insolvency figures are neglecting to include the 700,000 people who are currently on Debt Management Plans (DMPs), it has been revealed.
• Recession `could lead to financial problems for retirees` [27/05/2009]
  Retirees could be left facing financial difficulties - potentially including debt problems - as a result of the economic downturn, it has been suggested.
• Charity sees increase in debt, mortgage and loan arrear enquiries [16/04/2009]
  A branch of charity Citizens Advice has reported an increase in the number of enquiries it has received concerning a range of issues, including debt, mortgages and secured loan arrears.
• Retirees` finances `may be damaged by rate cut` [18/03/2009]
  The recent reduction in the UK`s base rate of interest of 0.5 per cent may have a detrimental effect on the finances of retirees, it has been claimed.

Debt advice

• Government warns about rising credit card debt [05/03/2010]
  The latest figures from the Bank of England (BoE) have shown that in January, the country`s total credit card debt stood at £61.5bn, the Press Association reports.
• Debt - the 12-month view [04/03/2010]
  In January, UK citizens - between them - borrowed £500 million more than they repaid, in terms of unsecured debt (credit cards, unsecured loans, etc.).
• Amount of `bad debt` written off reaches 16-year high [03/03/2010]
  The latest figures from the Bank of England (BoE) suggest that individuals and businesses defaulted on £6.1bn worth of mortgages and loans during the final quarter of 2009 - the highest amount since 1993, when the figures were first collected in this format, the Telegraph reports.
• Deeper into debt: middle-class poverty [02/03/2010]
  The recession has also affected a lot of people with comfortable lifestyles, an article in The Independent reminds us.
• Debt taken on by individuals increased in January [01/03/2010]
  According to the latest figures from the Bank of England (BoE), the total amount of debt owed by individuals increased by £2.0bn in January.
• Debt Relief Order (DRO) rules may be changed [25/02/2010]
  The rules about Debt Relief Orders (DROs) may be relaxed, the BBC reports, allowing more people to clear `modest` debts through this new form of insolvency.
• Overdrafts: five million Britons `permanently` in debt [24/02/2010]
  According to comparison website moneysupermarket.com, five million Britons are permanently overdrawn, the Guardian reports, meaning they are always in debt to their bank.
• Mortgage lending drops to decade low [23/02/2010]
  According to figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), the amount of mortgage debt being taken on has dropped to a decade low.

IVAs

• Consultation on debt management launched [21/09/2009]
  The government has launched a consultation on debt management schemes.
• Govt aid for those struggling with mortgages `too late for some` [15/09/2009]
  Although the government has "woken up" to the problems facing some homeowners in terms of their mortgage repayments, it is "too little, too late" in certain cases.
• Pensions `no problem` for IVAs [04/06/2009]
  Britons have been told not to worry that they could lose their pensions when setting up Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs).
• UK reaping what it has sown in terms of personal debt, expert claims [04/02/2009]
  The UK is reaping what it has sown in terms of the high levels of personal debt possessed by many consumers.
• Struggling consumers `likely to default on TV subscriptions` [15/01/2009]
  Paid-for TV subscriptions are among the bills most likely to go unpaid by consumers who struggling with their personal finances - potentially including those with debt problems.
• Consumers `struggling to cope with mounting debt` [25/12/2008]
  A quarter of UK consumers are struggling to cope with their mounting debts, new research indicates.
• Bankruptcy increases by 7% [17/11/2008]
  The number of consumers in England and Wales facing bankruptcy increased by seven per cent during the third quarter of this year, it has emerged.
• `More Brits applying for personal loans` [24/09/2008]
  In the light of growing personal finance difficulties, increasing numbers of UK consumers are opting to take out personal loans.

Credit card debt

• Credit cards: data to be shared on people at risk of debt problems [26/11/2008]
  A number of credit card companies are getting together to share information on consumers who may be at risk of falling into financial problems, it has been revealed.
• Disposable incomes `falling` [06/11/2008]
  The disposable incomes of UK consumers have declined significantly over recent years, new figures reveal.
• Credit cards `being used to pay off debts` [27/10/2008]
  Consumers struggling with their personal finances in the UK are increasingly relying on credit card spending as a way of paying off other debts.
• `Not surprising` loans are becoming more expensive [09/10/2008]
  Given the fact that the credit crunch was precipitated by bad debt, it is not surprising that cheap credit is drying up, it has been suggested.
• Consumers stretching personal finances in DIY stores [22/09/2008]
  Consumers in the UK may be stretching their personal finances by splashing out in DIY stores.
• Credit card debt `to last for over 30 years` [05/09/2008]
  Consumers who opt to pay off the minimum amount of credit card debt each month could be repaying their balance until August 2039.
• Newly-weds `risking debt problems` [03/09/2008]
  The cost of so-called "newly-wed nesting" is causing many people in the UK to risk getting into debt problems, it has been suggested.
• Save to prevent home disasters [29/08/2008]
  Those worried about debt problems may want to put money aside in case of home disasters.

Debt in scotland

• Initiative announced to support Scottish people in debt [21/01/2009]
  An initiative designed to make sure that the Scottish government is doing all in its power to help people struggling with debt has been announced.
• More Scots with extreme credit card debts, charity reports [05/11/2008]
  More consumers in Scotland are reporting financial problems such as extreme credit card debts, it has emerged.
• Govt actions `could lead to debt for pensioners` [08/10/2008]
  The government`s response to the banking problems in the UK could lead to a deepening of the pensions crisis.
• Middle-class families in south-east `most in debt` [02/09/2008]
  Research conducted into debt patterns among consumers across the UK has revealed that middle-class families in London and the south-east are the most affected.
• Scottish bankruptcies double [21/07/2008]
  The number of individuals in Scotland declaring bankruptcy has increased more than two-fold in the space of a quarter, new figures have indicated.
• BBC Scotland looks at effects of debt on health [11/07/2008]
  Volunteers have been sought to take part in an investigation looking at the physiological effects of debt.
• Scotland avoids house price decline [04/07/2008]
  Property in Scotland has avoided the national drop in prices, according to Nationwide`s recent figures.
• Optimism for Scottish economy [26/06/2008]
  Latest economic figures from Lloyds TSB Scotland indicate a slowdown but growth overall.

Bankruptcy

• Debt in Swindon `on the rise` [21/04/2009]
  Debt levels in Swindon are on the increase, new figures suggest.
• New debt management option "a positive step" [17/04/2009]
  A new debt management option has been described by one expert as "a positive step".
• Consumers `should get advice over IVAs, bankruptcies and DROs` [02/04/2009]
  People who are struggling with debt problems should seek advice, it has been claimed.
• Women `less likely to file for bankruptcy` [27/01/2009]
  Female consumers are less likely to file for bankruptcy than their male counterparts, it has been suggested.
• Councils `filing for bankruptcy for those who fail to pay tax` [21/01/2009]
  Some consumers who are failing to pay their council tax are facing the prospect of bankruptcy, new figures suggest.
• Consumers lying about finances [12/11/2008]
  More than one-third of UK consumers have lied to a partner, friend or relation about the state of their finances, it has been revealed.
• Rise in bankruptcies revealed [10/11/2008]
  There has been an increase in the number of consumers in the UK who are going bankrupt, it has been found.
• Scottish bankruptcies on the rise, new figures suggest [17/10/2008]
  The number of consumers declaring themselves bankrupt in Scotland has risen significantly this year, new figures reveal.

Mortgage and remortgage

• Struggling mortgage holders `should seek advice` [18/09/2009]
  Mortgage holders who are struggling to make their repayments should seek advice, an expert has said.
• Remortgage enquiries `rise in June` [11/08/2009]
  The number of people enquiring about remortgaging rose in June, new figures indicate.
• Mortgage approvals `up in June` [30/07/2009]
  Mortgage lending in June was at its highest level in more than a year, new figures reveal.
• UK mortgage market remains weak, CML says [23/07/2009]
  The mortgage market in the UK remains weak, according to an industry body.
• Consumers `should avoid lying on mortgage applications` [15/07/2009]
  People should resist any temptations to lie on their mortgage applications, an expert has said.
• BoE releases Trends in Lending report [23/04/2009]
  A report entitled Trends in Lending has been released by the Bank of England (BoE).
• Brits `prioritising debt repayment` [20/04/2009]
  Consumers in Britain are increasingly prioritising debt repayment, new research suggests.
• "Sensible lending" needs to be restored for home buying [20/04/2009]
  Banks need to resume "sensible lending" if the house buying market is to be restored to health.

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