Provisional figures released today have revealed that the UK’s five biggest banks are on track to meet their lending targets under the Project Merlin deal. Under the agreement, Project Merlin, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds, HSBC and Santander all committed to lend £190 billion to all businesses this year. Of this figure, around £76 [...]
A report has revealed that the majority of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are successful when applying for credit. According to the study, more than half (59%) of applicants were successful when applying for a loan, while 72% who applied for an overdraft were successful. The figures come from the latest SME Finance Monitor report [...]
Figures published by the Bank of England today have revealed that the “big five” banks loaned £16.8 billion to SMEs in the first quarter – around £2 billion short of the £19 billion target – agreed under the “Project Merlin”. Under the agreement, Project Merlin, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds, HSBC and Santander all [...]
A higher education funding review is likely to see a shake-up in the way interest is charged on student loans. The review, by Lord Browne, suggested a variable interest rate on student loans was a favoured option. Currently, students pay back their loans when they earn over £15,000 a year, at a low interest rate. [...]
The coalition Government has introduced a new scheme aimed at borrowers with a poor credit history or those on a low income. My Home Finance has been set up by the Government and the National Housing Federation (NHF), with 10 branches opening across the West Midlands by the end of next month. If successful, the [...]
The Bank of England’s Quarterly Bulletin has revealed that High Street banks have not been passing on base rate cuts in full. Interest rates have been held at the record low of 0.5% since March 2009 (when the country was in the midst of its worst recession in decades), but despite this, banks are not [...]
A survey by the EEF engineering group has discovered that British companies are still struggling to obtain credit. According to the manufacturers’ organisation, credit is more expensive today than two months ago. The claim comes despite calls from the Government and business leaders to increase lending to businesses. Commenting on its report, Lee Hopley, the [...]
According to research by watchdog Consumer Focus, the number of people taking out a payday loan has quadrupled in the last 4 years. The consumer group said 1.2 million people are now taking out a payday loan every year - borrowing more than £1 billion. Payday loans are becoming more popular and are seen as [...]
The Bangladeshi anti-poverty banker Muhammad Yunus is to feature in an episode of hit TV cartoon The Simpsons. Yunus, whose pioneering work on micro-finance earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, will appear in the TV show as a cartoon version of himself. The episode will focus on his micro-credit work in Bangladesh, which [...]
Banking giant Lloyds has confirmed it will no longer sell the controversial payment protection insurance (PPI). Lloyds Banking Group, which is 41% owned by the taxpayer, is the first bank to drop PPI sales and the decision will apply to customers of all its brands including the Halifax, Bank of Scotland and the Cheltenham & [...]
Mid-year figures from Charity Bank and Triodos Bank show both lenders are on track for a record year of lending. During the first six months of this year, Charity bank agreed £20.9 million of new loans. This is compared to a total of £22.9 million for the whole of 2009. Figures from Triodos show new [...]
The era of debt-fuelled consumer spending is over, a financial expert has claimed, pointing out Britain’s consumer debts of nearly £1.5 trillion. Tim Moss, head of loans at moneysupermarket.com, seemed to be talking himself out of a job by claiming consumers can no longer afford to fund purchases on borrowed money. Consumers must face up [...]
One in three Brits risk a financial holiday hangover by paying for their holiday using debt, according to new research. Research by Bright Grey found 32% of holidaymakers will pay for this summer’s break using a credit card, travel agent payment plan, or by borrowing money from family and friends. Sun-seekers will borrow an average [...]
Microfinance is one of the few sectors to have escaped the impact of the financial slowdown, according to a new report published this week. Unitus-Hewitt Microfinance Compensation & Benefits Survey found employee compensation in India-based microfinance institutions (MFIs) has held steady through the recession. Looking at employee compensation is a considered a reliable measure of [...]
“Onerous clauses” on payment protection insurance (PPI) mean that borrowers unable to pay back their loans rarely receive an insurance payout, a finance expert has claimed. David Kuo, director of Motley Fool, said consumers are being duped into believing PPI will cover them if they have legitimate reasons for failing to make loan repayments. “Borrowers [...]
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) said it dealt with a total of 925,095 queries from consumers in the last financial year - a 46% increase on the previous financial year. However, it said it resolved a record number of disputes (166,321) and in 50% of these cases, consumers were awarded compensation. It did highlight, though, [...]
The Competition Commission is pressing ahead with its proposal to ban the sale of the controversial payment protection insurance (PPI). Under a PPI policy, an agreed sum of money is paid out each month to fully cover, or cover a percentage of the payment due on your mortgage or loan if you are unable to [...]
The Russell Group, which represents 20 elite, research-intensive universities, has suggested that graduates may have to start paying back their student loans earlier and at a higher rate of interest, in order to prevent a major funding crisis. Following an official review of student finance and fees, the group warned that the financial sustainability of [...]
Savers wanting to earn a good rate of interest while avoiding high street banks now have an alternative option. Zopa matches up people who have spare cash to lend with those who want to borrow money. John Hudson, professor of economics at Bath University, hailed Zopa as “a new way of borrowing and lending money”. [...]
The interest rates charged on microfinance loans given to the rural and urban poor in India will soon be available online. The decision by the newly-formed Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN), a self-regulatory body, comes after criticism of the excessive rates charged by some microfinance providers. Microfinance institutions (MFIs) in India charge interest rates upward of [...]
Government to crack down on hidden credit card charges
Tougher rules are to be brought in to protect consumers from hidden credit card charges and premium-rate phone calls to customer service departments. The Government has launched a consultation on how to implement the changes, which are required under a European Consumer Rights Directive and will apply to countries across the European Union. The new [...]
Which? report claims free banking is a myth
A new report by consumer group Which? highlights the high charges that can be applied to ‘free’ current accounts. While these accounts are free while in credit, charges can be applied if a customer goes overdrawn, especially if they do so without permission. Customers can also be charged for overseas transactions and for agreed overdrafts. [...]
Households more optimistic about their finances
Household finances are still deteriorating, but at a slower rate, according to the Markit household finance index. The index increased from 37.5 in July to 38.9 in August, with figures above 50 representing a positive change in household finances, and figures below 50 representing a negative change. The August figure represents the third consecutive monthly [...]
Think tank calls for council housing sell off
The Policy Exchange, a leading UK think tank, is calling for expensive social housing to be sold as it becomes vacant. This could raise £4.5 billion a year and the money could be used to create the largest social house building programme since the 1970s, the think tank suggests in a new report. Between 80,000 [...]
Barclays appoints new chairman
Barclays has announced the appointment of Sir David Walker as its new chairman. He will take over from Marcus Agius who resigned from the role after Barclays was fined £290 million by regulators in the UK and US for manipulating Libor, the interbank lending rate. The appointment of Sir David, a respected and experienced banker, [...]
Post Office stepping up mortgage offering
The Post Office is expanding its mortgage service with the introduction of mortgage specialists in its branches. Mortgages have been available from the Post Office since 2009, but applications have had to be made online or over the phone. It currently offers mortgage with deposits as low as 10 per cent and plans to enhance [...]
Help Loan closed after breaching money-laundering rules
Payday Loan company MCO Capital has been closed down by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and fined £544,000 after failing to check the identity of its borrowers. The firm, which traded as Help Loan, was targeted by criminals and cheated of more than £1.5m by the fraudsters due to its negligence. The criminals stole [...]
Health insurance becoming unaffordable warns Bupa
The rising cost of private healthcare is pushing health insurance in the UK up to unaffordable levels, according to international healthcare group Bupa. A lack of competition among private hospitals has led to the cost of treatment rising, and the insurer says that this could lead to health insurance becoming unaffordable. An increase in the [...]
Bank of England forecasts zero economic growth
The Bank of England does not expect the UK economy to grow at all this year according to its latest quarterly report. It had previously forecast growth of 2 per cent for 2012 but recent gloomy economic data has led to the growth forecast being revised downwards. The forecast for medium-term growth has also been [...]
Standard Chartered in money-laundering scandal
Standard Chartered has become the latest UK bank to be accused of illegal activity. It has been accused by the New York department of financial services of hiding $250 billion worth of illegal transactions with Iranian banks between 2001 and 2010. The US regulator claims that the bank, which has wholesale banking, corporate finance and [...]
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