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Holiday makers short-changed by currency providers

Holiday makers short-changed by currency providers (25-5-12)

Postcode lottery on currency rates could leave some holidaymakers short-changed, says Which?

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Free banking 'a myth' says regulator

Free banking 'a myth' says regulator (24-5-12)

Free banking for those in credit could end under proposals from leading financial regulator.

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Rising numbers of older people falling into debt

Rising numbers of older people falling into debt (24-5-12)

Number of older people owing money has risen sharply over the last year, says Age UK

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People use payday loans to pay food and energy bills

People use payday loans to pay food and energy bills (18-5-12)

Payday loan companies are lending irresponsibly, says Which?

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Brits underestimate cost of life's big events by £132,000, says HSBC

Brits underestimate cost of life's big events by £132,000, says HSBC (17-5-12)

University debt, having a child and weddings are the most underestimated costs

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Households spend £10,416 a year on rent

Households spend £10,416 a year on rent (9-5-12)

London households spend 71% of income on rent compared to the 38% spent by UK households

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Co-op axes interest-only mortgages for new borrowers

Co-op axes interest-only mortgages for new borrowers (26-4-12)

The Co-operative Bank becomes first high street lender to exit the interest-only mortgage market

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Slough is identity fraud capital of UK

Slough is identity fraud capital of UK (2-5-12)

Berkshire town overtakes London as identity fraud hotspot

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Consumer confidence jumps to 9-month high

Consumer confidence jumps to 9-month high (26-4-12)

Despite gloom of double-dip recession, Brits are upbeat, says Nationwide

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‘Pensioners will have to work into their 70s, says report

Pensioners will have to work into their 70s, says report (26-4-12)

Middle-aged workers are not saving enough to secure a reasonable pension income, says PPI

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Slight fall in car and home insurance premiums

Slight fall in car and home insurance premiums (25-4-12)

EU ruling will increase car insurance for women and industry fears bad weather will hit house premiums.

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‘Unnecessary’ water insurance costs Brits £100m

‘Unnecessary’ water insurance costs Brits £100m (18-4-12)

Brits who sign up for supply pipe insurance are wasting their money, says Which?

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Serious debt only starts at £14,416

Serious debt only starts at £14,416 (18-4-12)

Brits only consider themselves in serious financial difficulties when debts hit £14,416.

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Speeding offence will cost more than the fine

Speeding offence will cost more than the fine (12-4-12)

Pop a speed camera and higher car insurance quadruples the fine, says AA.

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'Black Box' technology cuts car insurance costs

'Black Box' technology cuts car insurance costs (11-4-12)

Telematics cut car insurance premiums as well as accident rates for young drivers.

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Cost of owning and running a home at highest level since 2008

Cost of owning and running a home at highest level since 2008 (10-4-12)

Rising cost of utility bills account for 89% of total rise, says Halifax.

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One in six Brits don’t have a will

One in six Brits don’t have a will (04-4-12)

Only one in four adults with children in the household has an up-to-date will.

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Brits home improvements won’t improve house prices

Brits home improvements won’t improve house prices (29-3-12)

Money spent on upgrading your pile won’t be reflected in property values, says HSBC.

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Savers shun cash ISAs for stocks and shares ISAs

Savers shun cash ISAs for stocks and shares ISAs (28-3-12)

And cash ISAs no longer pay better rates than standard savings accounts, says Which?

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“Granny Tax” clobbers pensioners

“Granny Tax” clobbers pensioners (22-3-12)

Removal of the age-related allowance could cost pensioners £285 a year.

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Brits lose £403m by not being ISA efficient

Brits lose £403m by not being ISA efficient (21-3-12)

Even small sums should be sheltered in an ISA, says unbiased.co.uk.

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Cost of the average day is £29.40

Cost of the average day is £29.40 (14-3-12)

Transport is the biggest single expense, followed by housing and fuel.

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Calls for payday lenders to be regulated

Calls for payday lenders to be regulated (7-3-12)

MPs recommend limiting “rolling over” of payday loans and phase out up-front fees to debt management companies.

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Instant access savings accounts cost us £551m in interest last year

Instant access savings accounts cost us £551m in interest last year (1-3-12)

Money in instant access accounts costs Brits £551m last year in lost interest.

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House prices and mortgage approvals increase

House prices and mortgage approvals increase (1-3-12)

Rises coincide with three-year anniversary of 0.5% base rate which has saved homeowners £500bn in interest.

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Debt problems affect 70% of Brits

Debt problems affect 70% of Brits (1-3-12)

Failure to tackle financial situation means Brits are suffering ‘DRIP syndrome', says Co-op.

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£5.6bn in cash at home with no protection, says FSCS

£5.6bn in cash at home with no protection, says FSCS (27-2-12)

Brits risk losing billions as cash held at home not covered by insurance or compensation scheme.

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5.6m Brits more dissatisfied with their bank than last year

5.6m Brits more dissatisfied with their bank than last year (24-2-12)

Despite being disgruntled, many continue to stick with the same bank even though switching banks is easy, says Tridos.

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Surge in debt consolidation loans

Surge in debt consolidation loans (15-2-12)

£1.5bn of personal loans could be taken out for debt consolidation by end of March, says Sainsbury’s Finance.

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Uninsured skiers risk painful half-term break

Uninsured skiers risk painful half-term break (9-2-12)

A fifth of winter sports travellers will hit the slopes uninsured this half-term, says AA.

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Top 10 burglary insurance claim hotspots revealed

Top 10 burglary insurance claim hotspots revealed (6-2-12)

Leeds and London feature most often in the high-risk postcodes.

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Cost of raising a child increases to £218,000

Cost of raising a child increases to £218,000 (26-1-12)

Soaring cost of childcare, education and food hits parents, as overall cost of raising a child increases 3.3% in a year.

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New EU law could trigger rise in house repossessions

New EU law could trigger rise in house repossessions (25-1-12)

Brits in mortgage arrears could face eviction procedures after three months rather than six.

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Some Brits keep same bank account for life

Some Brits keep same bank account for life (19-1-12)

A quarter of Brits have held their current account for 26 years and 10% still have the account they opened as a child.

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Brits utterly dissatisfied with their credit card issuer

Brits utterly dissatisfied with their credit card issuer (18-1-12)

Consumer satisfaction with credit card issuers hits all time low.

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6m UK households have less than £250 in savings

6m UK households have less than £250 in savings (12-1-12)

28% of UK households could not survive until the weekend on savings, says first direct.

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Brits dread having their car stolen

Brits dread having their car stolen (6-1-12)

UK drivers live in fear of motor thieves even though car crime is falling.

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One million Brits rely on credit to pay for home

One million Brits rely on credit to pay for home (4-1-12)

Soaring cost of living drives people to take out payday loans to cover rent or mortgage, says Shelter.

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Consumers set to spend record £47bn this Christmas

Consumers set to spend record £47bn this Christmas (14-12-11)

But £6bn will be withdrawn from savings accounts and 10m Brits will be pushed into the red on cards and overdrafts.

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Barclays bank account holders hit with fees hike

Barclays bank account holders hit with fees hike (08-12-11)

Tripling fees for credit-impaired and financially vulnerable account holders could push them into banking hinterland, says watchdog.

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The rise of the “zombie” debtor

The rise of the “zombie” debtor (07-12-11)

The proliferation of payday loans has given rise to “zombie” debtors who will never pay the loans back.

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Courts “too soft” on uninsured drivers

Courts “too soft” on uninsured drivers (02-12-11)

Average fine meted out to uninsured drivers is £200 which will “outrage” honest motorists, says AA.

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Mixed signals on UK house prices

Mixed signals on UK house prices (30-11-11)

Nationwide says prices “resilient” while Land Registry reports 10th consecutive month of price falls.

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Families need £25,000 just to break even

Families need £25,000 just to break even (25-11-11)

Soaring costs mean the average household will struggle this Christmas.

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Winter weather damage to homes tops £600m

Winter weather damage to homes tops £600m (23-11-11)

Lack of winter preparation puts one in three homeowners at risk of huge winter repair bills and invalidated buildings insurance, says M&S Money.

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Britain’s future pensions face a bleak retirement

Britain’s future pensions face a bleak retirement (22-11-11)

As they struggle financially, 12% of over-55s feel they will “never be able to afford to retire”.

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Northern Rock sold to Virgin

Northern Rock sold to Virgin (17-11-11)

£747m sale sees state-owned bank returned to private sector - taxpayer loses £1.4bn.

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Brits hide £4.6bn from their partners in secret savings stashes

Brits hide £4.6bn from their partners in secret savings stashes (16-11-11)

Secret savers have hidden stash of £1,037 in cash and investments because they don’t trust - or are planning to leave - their partners.

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Cost of a third bedroom is £60,000 (£163,270 in London)

Cost of a third bedroom is £60,000 (£163,270 in London) (11-11-11)

The additional cost of housing a second child is £59,500, according to new research from HSBC.

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Scams cost UK consumers £7bn a year

Scams cost UK consumers £7bn a year (10-11-11)

Legislation is failing to keep pace with the digital revolution leaving online shoppers at the mercy of scammers, says parliamentary committee

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Half of Brits have never switched mortgage

Half of Brits have never switched mortgage (09-11-11)

Although many households are curbing spending, 58% fail to save by swapping to a cheaper mortgage deal.

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Younger Brits face bleak future of high debts and few assets

Younger Brits face bleak future of high debts and few assets (03-11-11)

Brits under 40 burdened by debt will struggle to get on property ladder and save for retirement, says CCCS report

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Mortgage holders get unexpected £2,600 annual “windfall”

Mortgage holders get unexpected £2,600 annual “windfall” (27-10-11)

Borrowers leaving fixed-rate deals for lenders’ SVR find they pay less to the tune of £4.6bn a year, says CML

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When the clocks go back, criminals come calling

When the clocks go back, criminals come calling (16-10-11)

Burglary increases 26% between Halloween and Bonfire Night, says Aviva

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UK households need to find an extra £46bn just to stay still

UK households need to find an extra £46bn just to stay still (20-10-11)

Rising inflation means Brits need to spend an extra £736 just to maintain the same living standards as last year.

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One in ten Brits has more gold than savings

One in ten Brits has more gold than savings (19-10-11)

Increasing numbers of Brits are hoarding gold rather than saving cash in the bank, says esure

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Economic gloom spurs Brits to save more

Economic gloom spurs Brits to save more (13-10-11)

Savings gather momentum as number of savers and size of monthly deposits increase, says Santander.

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Mortgage affordability at highest level since 2002

Mortgage affordability at highest level since 2002 (12-10-11)

Brits spending less on mortgage repayments and remortgaging to cheaper deals up by a third, according to CML.

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Brits are twice as committed to spending as they are to saving

Brits are twice as committed to spending as they are to saving (06-10-11)

Average person with credit cards will spend £152,000 repaying them over a 40-year period, says Standard Life

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Card fraud down as criminals turn to “simple” theft

Card fraud down as criminals turn to “simple” theft (05-10-11)

Sophisticated card technology means thwarted fraudsters are returning to lo-tech scams such as distraction and card theft

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Barclays is most complained-about bank

Barclays is most complained-about bank (29-09-11)

FSA received over 250,000 complaints about Barclays in first six months of 2011, with Lloyds TSB and Santander also shamed.

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Inflation has cost savers £2,500 over 10 years

Inflation has cost savers £2,500 over 10 years (28-09-11)

Cash-strapped Brits fail to factor in effect of inflation on savings.

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UK is a nation of show home-owners

UK is a nation of show home-owners (22-09-11)

House-proud Brits spend £58,550 improving their homes to emulate TV property programmes, says esure.

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Mortgage lending up, but millions miss out on low rates

Mortgage lending up, but millions miss out on low rates (21-09-11)

Mortgage lending is at a 25-month high, but millions are missing out on the cheapestrates by sticking with lenders’ SVR.

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Ryanair defies OFT and maintains card surcharges

Ryanair defies OFT and maintains card surcharges (15-09-11)

From October, the only way passengers can avoid £6 per journey surcharge it to take out Ryanair’s new pre-paid card.

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Latest inflation rise will cost Brits £40bn

Latest inflation rise will cost Brits £40bn (14-09-11)

Maintaining our standard of living will cost us £636.70 each a year, says MGM Advantage.

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House prices fall 1.2% in August, says Halifax

House prices fall 1.2% in August, says Halifax (08-09-11)

Mixed signals as house prices climb over the last three months but drop again in August.

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Consumers still paying card surcharges, says Which?

Consumers still paying card surcharges, says Which? (07-09-11)

Consumer watchdog says the government’s failure to act costs consumers £265,000 a day.

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New scheme to foil mortgage fraudsters launched

New scheme to foil mortgage fraudsters launched (01-09-11)

Lenders suspicious of mortgage applicants’ salary claims can now cross-reference details with taxman.

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