One in seven Britons has turned to a pricey payday loan or sky-high unauthorised overdraft to cover rent or mortgage costs in the last year, a worrying study from charity Shelter has found.
There has been a "seismic collapse" of private sector pensions and fresh incentives are needed to boost retirement savings as auto-enrolment nears, a report warned today.
The "bleak" financial situation faced by the younger generation was laid bare today, as official figures showed that more people aged 25 to 34 are turning to a type of insolvency known as a debt relief order (DRO) than any other age group.
Cheque guarantee cards will not be re-introduced, the body which oversees payments said yesterday, after finding the scheme's closure has had a "minimal impact" on consumers and businesses.
A number of banks will end the controversial practice of charging their debit card customers to take out foreign currency from a bureau de change in the UK, following an agreement with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
20 December 2011
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