Posts Tagged ‘year’


Global cutbacks could lead to increased need for debt advice

Saturday, September 17th, 2011

Over recent years the number of people that have required debt advice to help them to deal with their rising levels of personal debt has shot up. Debt advice firms and charities have found themselves under mounting pressure with regards to dishing out the advice that people need and waiting lists for seeing debt advisors have been growing longer and longer as more and more people find themselves in a difficult situation where they are unable to afford their debt repayments.

When the coalition government announced that it was launching an austerity drive last year many people thought that the demand for debt advice would soar even further, as more people found themselves under increased financial pressure due to factors such as cuts in benefits, job losses in the public sector and the private sector, and soaring living costs. However, it has been claimed recently that the situation could be worse than initially imagined as a result of the many other countries that are taking similar action, which will also have a knock on effect in the UK.

Some officials believe that with the situation as it is the UK could be in line for another recession in the near future, which would have a huge impact on businesses and jobs. There are now fears that if more and more people end up losing business or jobs the level of demand for debt advice could go through the roof. If the base rate rises over the coming months from its all time low of 0.5 percent this will also have a huge impact on consumer finances.

Speaking about the economic climate and austerity drive in the UK, one official said: “At the moment it just seems to be a worldwide trend. I think the inevitable consequences of that is it is going to be a difficult period ahead, not just for the UK but for much of the world.”

Tags: pressure, line, Financial Planning, year, rate, roof, result

Figures show 25% rise in homes for sale

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011

Figures that were released recently have shown that the number of properties that have been put up for sale have increased by 25% compared to last year. According to the report property owners who are selling their homes have become increasingly realistic about how much their homes are actually worth. The report comes from the National Association of Estate Agents.

The NAEA said that part of the reason why the property market had stagnated was because so many sellers were previously being unrealistic about how much their properties were worth and were often putting their homes on the market at unrealistic prices just to see what would happen. The NAEA has said that the new figures show that there has been an increase in confidence and sentiment in the property market.

Figures have shown that the average number of properties that each estate agent had on the books in February was seventy, which was up from an average of fifty six during the same month a year earlier. There was also an increase in the number of properties that were sold to first time buyers according to the figures, which went up slightly from 24% to 25%.

An official from the National Association of Estate Agents stated: “The picture is still very variable across the UK with agents reporting much higher growth in inquiries and stock availability in some regions than others. Undoubtedly, broader economic constraints on spending continue to impact on consumer confidence, especially at a first-time buyer level, and the effect of the public sector cuts has yet to be fully felt. With limited mortgage availability and the concern about a likely rise in interest rates still putting off many of the people who otherwise would be looking to buy, it is important that the Government does everything it can to encourage growth at this crucial stage of the recovery process.”

Tags: government, rise, National, reason, first time buyers, buyer, year

Home repossessions fell last year

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

The number of home repossession seen in the UK last year is said to have fallen according to figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders, which were released recently. Over recent years repossession numbers have been rocketing, with many unable to keep up with their mortgage repayments and finding themselves at the receiving end of repossession action taken by banks and lenders.

In 2008 the former Labour government slashed the base interest rate to just 0.5 percent, which is the lowest it has ever been in the history of the Bank of England. It has now been at this rock bottom level for nearly two years, and there is no doubt that many homeowners have been spared repossession as a result of the increased affordability that the reduced base rate has brought with it.

This has been reflected in the figures released by the CML, which showed that home repossessions fell by around 24 percent last year, and there was also a 13 percent drop in the number of homeowners that had arrears of 2.5 percent or more. For many, the drop in the base rate was their saving grace, and enabled them to keep up with repayments on their mortgages and keep a hold of their homes.

However, despite the encouraging figures there are fears that repossession numbers could rise again as a result of interest rate increases, which are expected over the course of this year.

Michael Coogan from the CML said: “As we go through 2011, the number of people facing payment pressures may increase if interest rates rise, and as a result of the spending cuts that have resulted in reductions in the level of public support available. We will be monitoring developments closely, but at present we continue to expect the number of arrears and repossessions to be in line with our forecasts of 40,000 repossessions and 180,000 arrears cases as at the end of 2011.”

 

Tags: rise, grace, number, Mortgage Lenders, support, year

Is debt getting you down?

Tuesday, January 25th, 2011

High personal debt levels have been a worry in the UK for many years, but over the past couple of years this is a problem that has increased. The global financial crisis and the recession have left many people in a very difficult position in terms of their finances, with many struggling to make ends meet after going through a few very challenging years.

A recent report from the Bank of England has warned that many people will face yet another year of financial difficulties and debt problems this year, and this is due to a number of factors. Many people are still paying off debt from Christmas, and many are still paying debt that has been accrued over a number of years. On top of this there is the VAT increase that consumers have to deal with, which has resulted in the cost of many items rising.

Sky high petrol prices are adding to the financial misery that many people are facing, as is the soaring cost of living in terms of food and energy prices. A final nail in the coffin is rising unemployment, with public spending cuts and other factors likely to send unemployment levels soaring. All of this will put a huge strain on finances for many people, leaving many on the financial edge.

It is little wonder that so many people are getting more and more worried about their finances, and those in debt will be particularly concerned because of the difficulties that they face when it comes to repayment. If you are one of the people who has been severely affected in terms of their finances by situations that are out of your control then you should look at seeking advice and assistance as early as possible so that you are able to address the issue before it spirals out of control.

There are many debt advice charities and agencies that will be happy to provide you with valuable advice and assistance with regards to your finances. It is always worth talking to one of these agencies if you are concerned about your debt levels, as they could provide you with help that could make a big difference. They can also help you to get a better grasp of managing your finances, so that you are in a position to handle the forthcoming problems such as soaring prices on goods and services.

Tags: year, High personal debt, coffin, public spending, VAT

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