New research from Hometrack shows house prices in England and Wales slipping in July, for the first time in 15 months. The housing intelligence firm has recorded a 0.1% decline as the market continues to take up the impact of a surge in new instructions, alongside a 1.3% drop in new buyer enquiries. Hometrack director, [...]
Over 90% of institutional investors want green investments in their portfolio, according to a new study. Research commissioned by the New Energy World Network (NEWN) found more than nine in ten private equity, pension, insurance and venture capital funds would like to have some exposure to renewable energy, clean technology, and sustainability-related investments. Two thirds [...]
London homebuyers are prepared to pay a considerable premium to be close to a Tube or train station, according to research from Nationwide. A property 500m from the nearest station is likely to cost 7% (typically £20,300) more than a similar home 1,500m distant. Premiums increase as you move closer towards a station: for example, [...]
Britain’s over-50s have reduced their retirement savings by nearly £18 billion over the last year, according to new research by LV=. The pensions, investments and insurance group found 21% of those approaching retirement have reduced their retirement savings by an average of more than £300 per month in the past 12 months. In the same [...]
Every year British consumers waste £150 million on late payment credit card charges, Confused.com has revealed. Research by the price comparison site found one in four (26%) credit card holders have been charged at least once in the last 12 months for missing a late payment. Nearly one in 11 (8.5%) have been charged three [...]
Britain has a one in three chance of going back into recession before 2012 because of the government’s spending cuts, a Legal & General economist has claimed. James Carrick said the government’s growth forecasts are too optimistic, and said the economy’s health is not as strong as many investors believe. “The government forecasts private sector [...]
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 [...]
New research from Yorkshire Building Society shows that the number of mortgage borrowers now on their lenders’ standard variable rates (SVRs) is over 2.3 million, representing 28% of the total mortgage market. Typically these households have come off fixed-term deals and for one reason or another have chosen to revert to their lenders’ SVRs, rather [...]
Charities should encourage their supporters to donate online, Virgin Money Giving claimed this week, as online donations have the greatest Gift Aid take up. The government adds 28% to donations made with Gift Aid, so a donation of £1 becomes £1.28. Research in 2009 found donors who give online are more likely to fill in [...]
Three-quarters of mortgage holders don’t know how an interest rate rise of 1% would affect their monthly outgoings, according to new research from the Consumer Financial Education Body (CFEB). The study also found that over half of home owners questioned expect rates to change in the next nine months, although one in seven had no [...]
British companies should look east for the most profitable business opportunities, HSBC has claimed. Research by HSBC Commercial Banking found 14% of UK companies recognised the importance of eastern consumers in developing lucrative business opportunities. If British businesses are to compete in the global marketplace, they must take note of this “fundamental and fast paced [...]
Children’s education on money matters should begin in primary school so conumers know how to manage debt in adulthood, a financial expert has claimed. Zoe Stevens of Confused.com said financial education would help the consumers of the future learn to maintain a high credit rating so they can access the best value loans and credit [...]
Proposed cuts to public spending could see Graduate unemployment surge to record levels, according to the Higher Education Careers Service (HECSU). The HECSU said Graduates will be badly affected by the cuts since so many of them are recruited in the public sector. The body said if a fifth of the 39,000 graduates joining the [...]
Nearly half of car insurance providers do not provide a courtesy car as standard, research by Defaqto found. The study found 49% of car insurance policies would not provide a replacement car following an accident. A further 28% only offer a replacement car if it was selected as an optional extra when the insurance policy [...]
Only a quarter of travel insurance policies offer cover if the policy holder is stranded because their airline has gone bust, according to a new study. The research by Defaqto found 77% of travel insurance policies do not cover airline failure. Even insurers that cover airline failure may only offer a refund for the missed [...]
Mortgage rates are at their lowest for seven years, according to new research. The study by Moneyfacts.co.uk found the average interest-rate on a two-year fixed rate mortgage is 4.52%, the lowest since September 2003. Interest rates on fixed rate mortgages have been dropping since September last year as lenders attempt to entice borrowers away from [...]
Brits prefer driving a nice car to having a financially sound pensions plan, according to new research published this week. A study by Standard Life found 54% of consumers care strongly about their car. This is compared to just 46% who place high value on their pension pot. Women were found to care more about [...]
Brits are more likely to change their allegiance during the World Cup than to switch to a best buy bank account. Research by the Co-operative Bank found 31% of people plan to choose a new team to support if their favourite side is knocked out of the World Cup. This is compared to just 29% [...]
Ethical investors looking to put money into emerging market economies should avoid China, Egypt and Vietnam, the Ethical Investment Research Service (Eiris) has claimed. Research by the group found these three countries to be the worst performers in terms of Environmental, Social, and Governance indicators. The three best-performing emerging market countries were South Korea, Brazil, [...]
Businesses claiming to be socially responsible must match their words with action or risk being shunned by consumers, according to a new report published yesterday. The Who Cares Wins report by Havas Worldwide found many business leaders are oblivious to the potential impact of social media on how consumers evaluate brands claiming to be ethical. [...]
Phone fraudsters stealing bank card pins
Fraudsters using a phone scam to trick bank card holders into revealing their pin numbers stole £750,000 in the first four months of this year. This is the same amount stolen through this scam in the whole of last year. The fraudster telephones a bank customer, often someone elderly or vulnerable, telling them that their [...]
FSA rules out ban on interest-only mortgages
Speculation that the Financial Services Authority would ban interest-only mortgages as part of its Mortgage Market Review has proved to be unfounded. However, lenders will be required to monitor the performance of the investment product taken out by the customer to repay the mortgage at the end of its term. Investments are performing poorly because [...]
Bank of England may end free in-credit banking
A director of the Bank of England has warned that official intervention could be considered to end the ‘dangerous myth of free in-credit banking’. Andrew Bailey has already spoken out against free banking in relation to the mis-selling of financial products. In a speech made available to media, he reiterated his concern, saying that it [...]
Bank of England votes against more economic stimulus
The Bank of England voted against a further round of quantitative easing, at its latest Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting. Just one member, David Miles, voted for further asset purchase to encourage growth in the UK economy, while the other eight members voted to keep the Bank’s quantitative easing programme steady at £325bn. The minutes [...]
Catalogue debt growing says helpline
Calls from people concerned about their debts with mail order catalogues accounted for more than 12 per cent of all calls received by National Debtline last year, compared with just 8 per cent in 2007. More people were concerned about catalogue debt than about payday loans, mortgage or rent, according to the Money Advice Trust [...]
Homeserve faces mis-selling investigation
HomeServe, which provides emergency insurance cover and domestic repairs to households in the UK, is to be investigated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Issues over the possible mis-selling of household emergency policies were uncovered last October during an internal review at the Walsall-based company. Homeserve’s call centre staff were found to be selling ‘Complete [...]
OFT warns Wonga over debt collection methods
Payday loan company Wonga used aggressive and misleading methods to collect debts from customers, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has found. Wonga sent letter and emails to certain customers suggesting they had committed fraud and threatening to report them to the police if they did not act in the way Wonga suggested. The company [...]
NS&I re-launches investment account
National Savings & Investments (NS&I) has re-launched its Investment Account at a higher interest rate than it previously offered. The account now offers 0.75 per cent before tax, compared with between 0.2 and 0.3 per cent previously, depending on the account balance. Deposits and withdrawals on the account can no longer be made at Post [...]
Rightmove reports property downsizing trend
Two in five property owners planning to sell in the next year are planning to ‘trade down’, compared with one in four who plan to ‘trade up’. A survey by property website Rightmove found that moving to a smaller home is the main reason for moving in nine out of the ten regions in the [...]
More people failing to save for retirement
The proportion of people with no pension savings has grown from 20 per cent to 22 per cent over the past year, according to Scottish Widows’ latest survey. The pension provider surveyed 5,200 adults in the UK, aged 30 or over, and earning at least £10,000 a year, for its annual review of pensions. Ian [...]
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