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Consumer Credit and Mortgage Debt Continues to Rise in the UK 
Consumer credit in the UK increased by £100m during June, the Bank of England revealed this morning.

The institution also said that remortgages and other debt secured on properties rose by £300m over the month, taking overall credit growth to £400m.

Consumer credit includes credit card and personal loan debts, as well as those derived from other advances.

The Bank of England said that included in the overall net £100m increase was a £200m rise in credit card lending.

However, this was partially cancelled out by a fall of £100m in lending from other loans.

The overall upwards trend suggests that banks and other credit card firms, encouraged by the low Bank of England rate and reports of "green shoots" of recovery from the recession, are becoming more willing to lend to consumers.

When the June results are taken into account, the overall amount owed through consumer credit has risen by 1.9% in the UK over the last 12 months.

Moreover, the three-month annualised growth rate to June 2009 was found to have increased to 0.6%, compared to May 2009's 0.5%.

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Student Debt 
University and Higher Education can be an expensive time and for many is just not an option. It is therefore not suprising that many graduates are coming out with a considerable amount of debt and are just too poor to repay this.

"Around 702,000 former students are unable to meet minimum repayments because they are failing to earn enough, it was disclosed.

The number of graduates from England deferring loan payments increased by 160,000 in just a year.
The rise was blamed on a dramatic shortage of decent jobs combined with the effects of the credit crunch.

This information emerged just days after it was disclosed that one in 10 students were unemployed after leaving university last year.

More graduates were also in low paid jobs, such as bar staff, labourers, shelf-stackers, parking attendants and cleaners.

Student leaders warned that debts would grow further following a Government decision to freeze grants and loans in 2010 while imposing an increase in tuition fees. Some universities have called for existing £3,100-a-year fees to more than double"

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The Extent of the Debt Problem 
An article in the Telegraph highlights the full extent of the debt crisis that many people are facing. In fact, the article suggests that one on ten of those declared bankrupt could owe as much as £60,000.

"The latest research into the state of households' finances also showed the average debt among people experiencing bankruptcy, a debt management plan or an Individual Voluntary Arrangement is £25,115.

But nearly a quarter of those in debt do not know how long it will take them to pay it off.

The study also highlighted the problem of borrowers failing to discuss their financial woes, with one in seven refusing to seek any help at all due to the social stigma of admitting they cannot manage alone.

Nine out of 10 said the impact on their credit rating is a key reason for not declaring themselves bankrupt, while almost two thirds cite long-term credit issues as being the most frightening aspect of serious debt.

Jessica Bown, of Talkaboutdebt.co.uk – the debt help website which carried out the research – said: "The main concern is that while the fear factor is preventing people from talking about debt and seeking help, their debts continue to mount.

"By seeking advice early, they can stop the problem from escalating, and prevent the stress caused by serious debt taking over their lives. People get stuck in a vicious circle of fear and inaction, which in reality only makes the problem bigger."

The article shows that getting help early is crucial. If you are currently experiencing debt problems then see how an IVA could help you.

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Provident Financial 
According to an article in the Guardian Provident Financial have seen a big increase in their profits. However there has been much criticism over their interest rates.

"Doorstep lender Provident Financial today reported a rise in profits as the credit crunch continues to squeeze household budgets – but was attacked by children's charity Barnardo's for charging "extortionate" interest rates.

The company, known as "the Provvy" to many, agreed some of its customers were being charged annualised interest rates of up to 545%, but said it played a valuable role in improving people's living standards – and keeping some of them out of the clutches of loan sharks. Its business practices have certainly impressed some City analysts. Numis Securities today hailed it as "probably the most profitable bank in the world".

Provident Financial, whose consumer credit arm sells small loans door to door, said pre-tax profits rose 3.5% to £53.1m in the six months to 30 June. It has more than 2.1 million customers, 400,000 of whom hold its credit cards. Peter Crook, chief executive, said that despite the challenging environment, the company expected to deliver "continuing quality growth" during the next few months.

His firm has seen a big rise in loan applications since the high street banks began to tighten lending criteria. The home credit industry is where rejected applicants from the high street lenders – some with poor credit histories – can turn for loans.

Barnardo's today called on the Office of Fair Trading to investigate the practices of lenders that "prey on the poor". It was concerned about the pressure on people to take out "punitively high-interest" loans. The charity said the firm's "extortionate" interest rates "are typical of many doorstep lenders which will continue to flourish unless the government steps in".

Barnardo's chief executive, Martin Narey, said many low-income families were forced to "take what they can get" because banks did not want their custom. The charity cited examples of Provident loan calculations, claiming that, for a £500 loan over 31 weeks, the total repaid would be £775, an interest rate of 365% APR. For a £500 loan over 23 weeks, the total would be £747.50 – an interest rate of 545% APR"

If you have found yourself in debt then why not have a look and see if an IVA can help you.

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Credit Card Companies 
There are always stories about credit card companies and how they can be very selective over who they will give credit too. Often they will select those who are likely to be unable to meet repayments, although they tend to avoid those who have had severe debt problems. An article in the Times provides more information on this.

"The government’s consumer watchdog will be writing to the Financial Services Authority over concerns that credit card providers are refusing to offer credit to “unprofitable” customers, as revealed by The Sunday Times last week.

The Money section has been inundated with e-mails and letters after our story last week that wealthy individuals, with near-perfect credit scores, are being denied popular new credit cards. Scores of readers say they have had similar experiences and do not understand why they have been rejected.

Many assume it is because they don’t make any money for providers because they pay their bills in full each month — and so do not generate income through high interest charges.

The two most complained about providers are Abbey and Lloyds, both of which offer perks.

Abbey has been advertising its Zero card — one of the few that does not charge foreign loading fees when used abroad for purchases. However, Abbey is the only credit card provider to charge if you don’t use your card enough, according to Defaqto, an analyst. Customers who hold the Zero card for six months without using it must pay a £10 “dormancy fee”.

Meanwhile, Lloyds teamed up with Airmiles in 2007 to offer the Airmiles Duo card. The move attracted many new customers, especially those who travel frequently.

The Money section received 14 e-mails complaining about Lloyds and 29 about Abbey.

Grant Castle, from London, a partner at a law firm, e-mailed to say he was rejected by Lloyds despite having a salary “well into six figures”. He also pays his credit card bills in full each month. His wife, who does not have an income, also applied but was accepted"


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