The US House of Representatives has passed the bill to lift the borrowing limit to avoid defaulting on its debt and risk losing its prized triple-A credit rating. The bill was passed by 269 votes to 161 and is now expected to be approved by the Senate and signed into law by President Barack Obama [...]
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has today downgraded its forecast for the US economy expecting growth of 2.5% this year and 2.7% next year. The forecast for next year is below the Federal Reserve’s prediction of 3.3%. The Washington-based Fund was providing its annual review of the world’s largest economy and is warning the US [...]
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), the body established to compensate victims of banking failures, will now reimburse up to £85,000 per saver if a bank collapses, up from the £50,000 limit previously agreed. It is hoped the new limit, which is paid for by the UK financial services industry, will avert customer panic if [...]
HSBC Insurance is warning consumers to review their finances amid the current economic climate. The fact remains that many have had to tighten their purse strings but HSBC Insurance is urging consumers to review their finances in order to limit the adverse impact of the economic downturn on their finances in the future. The insurer [...]
From today, the total Individual Savings Account (ISA) allowance for people over 50 will increase from £7,200 to £10,200. The £3,000 increase, which was announced in this year’s Budget, is eligible to those born on or before 5 April 1960. For everyone else, the limit will rise from 6 April 2010. ISAs, which were launched [...]
A series of measures to assist people facing difficulties with debt as well as the termination of credit card cheques are set to be unveiled by the Government. The Consumer White Paper is set to be launched by Consumer Affairs Minister, Kevin Brennan, at an event in London, held by consumer group Consumer Focus. According [...]
Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling has announced that the Government has limited the bonus pot for staff at the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). The bonus total for 2008 was £2.5 billion but this will be slashed to £340 million for 2009 – and is set to be paid in shares only, said Mr [...]
M&S Money launches 3% cash ISA
M&S Money has launched an Advantage Cash ISA paying 3 per cent, and which allows transfers in from other ISAs. It can be opened with a minimum deposit of £100 lump sum followed by minimum monthly deposits of £25. The 3% rate is variable, but there is no short-term bonus so the return won’t plummet [...]
Google suspends UK Compare Mortgages site
Google has closed its UK mortgage comparison site which it launched in July last year, after it proved to be less popular than expected. Mortgage comparison sites are designed to allow visitors to compare mortgages quickly and easily without having to visit each lender’s individual site. Google was competing with several well-established comparison sites, including [...]
AA launches ‘black-box’ policy for young drivers
The AA is launching an innovative car insurance policy called Drivesafe which could help younger drivers save up to £850 a year. Younger drivers already pay substantially higher premiums than other motorists and these costs are increasing. A new study by Confused.com suggests insurance costs for younger driver have gone up by 5.7 per cent [...]
ATOL scheme updated to protect online bookers
ATOL, a financial protection scheme managed by the Civil Aviation Authority, is being extended to protect up to six million more holidays a year. The scheme ensures that holiday makers do not lose out financially if a travel company collapses, and that they are not stranded abroad. An increase in the number of holidays booked [...]
Home repossessions lowest for four years
The number of UK homes repossessed fell to 36,200 in 2011, significantly below the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ forecast of 40,000, and lower than 2010 when 37,100 homes were repossessed. With interest rates remaining low and lenders adopting a sympathetic attitude to customers in financial difficulty, repossessions fell to their lowest level since 2007. However, [...]
Monthly pay lasting just 17 days
Workers are running out of money just 17 days after receiving their monthly pay, according to new research by the Halifax bank. This means that the average UK worker spends half the month worrying about money. The study, based on the responses of more than 2,000 adults, found that 10 per cent of workers start [...]
Women disadvantaged by auto-enrolment changes
Government proposals to increase the auto-enrolment threshold to £10,000 could put 1.8 million women at risk of missing out on a pension, the TUC has warned. Under the auto-enrolment scheme, which will be phased in from October, private sector employers will automatically enrol workers between the age of 22 years and the state pension age, [...]
Emergency household repairs company Homeserve is taking longer than expected to get back on track after its operations were suspended last October. The company expected customer numbers to fall by 5% this year but it has increased this estimate to 8% and announced the loss of 200 jobs. It estimates that renewal revenue in 2013 [...]
Sale rumoured for Yorkshire and Clydesdale banks
There is growing speculation that National Australia Bank (NAB) may sell Yorkshire Bank and Clydesdale Bank after the Australian parent company announced a strategic review of the two banks’ operations. The Australian economy is performing well and NAB reported strong profits for the final quarter of 2011 but with the UK economy at a virtual [...]
More women experiencing debt difficulties
Women in Debt, which offers female-focused debt advice, has warned that the number of UK women facing serious debt has grown significantly over recent years. The organisation believes that more women will need advice on solving debt problems in the future because they are building up an unsustainable level of indebtedness. Women in Debt’s director, [...]
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