Debt

If you have an overdraft with Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland, the interest rate you're charged for using it could be going up from Friday 31 January as part of a shake-up announced last year. Here's what's happening and what you can do about it.

Aggressive council tax debt collection practices – even after missing just ONE payment – are putting up to two million people at risk of serious harm, new research from charity the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) has found. The charity's chair and founder Martin Lewis has called for Government action and urged local authorities to look at their methods in the meantime.

Unbelievably, a debt collection firm has been sending emails that appear to be signed by the late pop star Michael Jackson asking for repayments owed to energy firms that have gone bust. In some cases, people don't owe the debt, in others they do – unfortunately it's not always 'black and white'.

If you were mis-sold a loan by embattled financial firm Amigo Loans then redress could soon be on its way after the High Court today (23 May) approved a complaints scheme to divide at least £112 million between affected borrowers. 

Barclays customers have voiced concerns after being given just one month's notice that their "safety net" overdrafts will be removed during the cost of living crisis. The bank has told us it's cancelling overdrafts for some users who haven't dipped into them in for at least a year. Unhappy customers can appeal the decision - though make sure an overdraft is right for you first. Here's what you need to know.

With the energy price cap now predicted to rise another 65% in October, taking typical bills to a frightening £3,240 a year, MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis has warned Conservative Party leadership candidates that they must act as quickly as possible to prevent a "national financial cataclysm".

If you've been rejected from borrowing you may be able to get a one-off interest-free loan from a credit union or alternative lender from September. A new Government-backed pilot scheme is designed to help people struggling to borrow, and will lend anything from £100 to £2,000. You can't apply directly but read on to find out how the scheme works.

Thousands of Amigo borrowers, who were mis-sold loans they couldn't afford, are expected to get back less than half of the interest and fees they were charged by the lender, it's been revealed. 

Borrowing is dirt cheap right now, with the cheapest ever loan rates, the longest 0% spending card we've seen since mid 2020, and many more best buys.

People with mental health problems have faced a much bigger hit to their finances during the pandemic than the wider population and are three times more likely to have fallen into serious debt, according to the results of a major national survey published today.