People all over the England and United Kingdom are currently facing the same debt problems. Remember you don’t have to face financial problem alone. We are here to offer some specialist debt advice. After all, debt is a common problem but it needs an individual solution and the debt help and advisory.

A Simple Guide to Tax Credits

When an individual is working towards debt reduction and, ultimately, debt elimination it is important to make sure any benefits he or she is entitled to claim are not overlooked.  Often an extra monthly benefit payment can make all the difference to a monthly budget; in some cases, this extra income can be the start of finding permanent debt solutions.Tax credits are payments from the government that many people are entitled to, but which are often overlooked by those who are unaware that they are eligible to claim them.  There are two different types of tax credit, which can be summarised as follows:Working Tax Credit – The Working Tax Credit is only paid to people who work; it is based on the number of paid hours worked.  It applies to both employed and self-employed workers. ...

Debt Advice: Wedding Budgets for This Summer

Getting married is meant to be a happy occasion, but worries about the cost of a wedding can sometimes start to overshadow everything else.No one wants to begin married life needing debt advice.  Fortunately, there are many steps that can be taken to reduce the cost of a wedding and avoid needing debt consolidation programmes without compromising too much on the celebrations.One of the most important things that can be done when planning a wedding is to set an affordable budget and then stick to it.  There may be other people willing to contribute to the cost of a wedding, such as the bride or groom’s parents, but care must be taken not to overestimate the limits of their generosity and then end up with outstanding bills to pay.Once a realistic budget has been established, make...

Quarter of Bridlington residents facing debt problems due to ‘fuel poverty’

According to a recent report, up to one in four households in Bridlington are facing debt management problems due to ‘fuel poverty’.The East Riding Council committee commissioned a report which found that across the region, 18 per cent of households are suffering from fuel poverty, which is greater than the national average of 16 per cent. Fuel poverty is when a household has to pay out more than 10 per cent of its total income in order to cover fuel bills and to maintain a satisfactory level of heating.The key areas which have the highest levels of fuel poverty (above 26 per cent) were highlighted in the report to the committee. Included in this list were all three Bridlington wards, prompting concern that the residents of these areas may soon be in urgent need of debt help.Looking back...

Princess Diana’s dresses under the hammer as owner faces bankruptcy

Iconic dresses worn by the late Princess Diana, at pivotal moments in life, are to be sold at auction after the American businesswoman who owned them filed for bankruptcy.Maureen Rorech Dunkel, a 50-year-old businesswoman based in Tampa, Florida, bought fourteen of Diana’s gowns at Christie’s in June 1997, just months before the tragic car accident in which the princess lost her life. The intention was to continue Diana’s legacy by exhibiting the dresses all over the world, via a charitable foundation Ms Dunkel set up after purchasing them.However, due to numerous failed exhibitions, Ms Dunkel has instead found herself with debt problems to the tune of nearly $2.5 million. She filed for bankruptcy last year, after attempting to use the dresses as collateral for a $1.5 million loan she needed...

Consumers get financial advice from friends and family

It has been reported that more and more consumers are now turning to friends and family in order to get advice about their finances rather than opting to go to a professional in the field. A study was carried out by insurance giant Aviva, which indicated that the majority of people felt more comfortable asking members of their family of friends for help and advice relating to financial matters than asking an industry professional.With so many people having debt to deal with and many others feeling confused about their financial situations, the need to get advice has become more and more prevalent. The study results showed that only around one fifth of consumers were inclined to go to a financial advisor in the first instance in order to get financial advice. However, the figures did show...

FSA breakthrough in the fight against boiler room fraud

A broker has been sentenced to two years in prison and disqualified from being a director for six years, following the FSA’s discovery of a boiler room fraud. David Mason, 29, of Southend-On-Sea, Essex, who conned investors out of £269,000, pleaded guilty to thirteen counts of carrying on a regulated activity without authorisation, one count of making false or misleading statements, promises or forecasts, and three counts of money laundering.  David Mason persuaded the victims to hand over money for shares which he then used to pay unauthorised salesmen to push more shares into the company, which was never even floated. According to the London Evening Standard, Mason wrote letters to his victims under a fake name, assuring them that their...

Repossession hotspots revealed

A charity has located the UK’s repossession hotspots and predicted further increases in the coming months. The charity warned that people in these areas are at a serious risk of having their homes repossessed. According to the Northants Evening Telegraph the charity has estimated that ‘three out of 10 people now seeking the charity’s help is as a result of them being at risk of losing their home, whether they own it or rent it’. Residents in the North are more likely to have their homes repossessed, according to research conducted by charity, Shelter. Corby has been identified as the repossession capital, where residents are most likely to have their homes taken by their bank or building society. The report found that 7.56 possession orders...

Bankrupt property developer jailed for hiding £143k

A property developer has been jailed following the discovery of £143,000 which he hoarded when he was declared bankrupt. An investigation by The Insolvency Service led to their discovery that Giles Nicolas Gilbey, a 47 year old builder and property developer from Peterborough removed £143,000 from his home which would have equated to his main asset. Mr Gilbey pleaded guilty before Northampton Crown Court to removing the share of the sale of his family home in cash. He then failed to give a satisfactory explanation of what happened to the money to the Official Receiver even though he was legally required to do so. Stephen Speed, Chief Executive of The Insolvency Service, said: “people genuinely struggling with debt who want to benefit from the...

APDSI welcomes updated OFT debt management guidance

Yesterday the OFT published its revised debt management guidelines, as part of its ongoing effort to increase transparency and ensure that those seeking advice receive the best and most appropriate service possible. The guidance update follows a review of compliance in the sector which found, amongst other things, widespread problems with misleading advertising and the quality of advice given in the fee charging sector. Together with targeted OFT enforcement, the revised guidance is designed to address the issues identified by the review.The Association of Professional Debt Solutions Intermediaries (APDSI) has welcomed the guidance, as it makes clear the responsibilities of debt management companies to apply due diligence in business...

The A4e Blog: Addressing the wider impact of debt

Wednesday 25th May 2011 In the second installment of his two part blog, A4e Executive Chairman Mark Lovell takes a look at what needs to be done to address the wider impact of debt:In my last blog I looked at what needs to be done to tackle the root causes of debt. As I mentioned, the issue is twofold and as well as combating the root causes of debt, we need to address the wider implications of it. Debt advice needs seamless links into clearly associated services of support that will prevent debt arising. We need to move to more effective prevention services, as often issues manifest are unrelated to debt problems - if these were tackled earlier, a descent into crisis could be prevented.A core part of addressing these wider consequences...

Redundancy may not mean repossession

Falling behind on mortgage repayments can result in repossession, however, a free debt advice company has reminded struggling homeowners that home seizure is not imminent. It urges them to seek advice as early as possible.   With household bills hitting a three-year high homeowners are under increasing pressure to keep on top of their outgoings, add redundancy into the equation and consumers can quickly drop into debt. ‘Will I lose my house?’ is the most frequently asked question received by Payplan’s helpline from people who have been made redundant. The free debt advice and solutions company is advising those who have been made redundant to get financial help as quickly as possible, before their situation spirals out of control.Diane...

Debt misery for middle England

With news of Scottish Power increasing its gas charges by 19% and electric by 10% along with the fastest rise in food prices in two years*, households already under the strain of poor wage inflation, are facing the prospect of their cost of living rise even further, by hundreds of pounds in the year head.  Debt solutions expert Atlantic Financial Management is warning that middle income families who may have overstretched themselves and are already facing debt problems could plunge deeper into the red as they struggle to make ends meet.Atlantic Director, Kevin Still said: “The move by Scottish Power is almost certainly going to be followed by price rises from the other energy suppliers.  The timing really couldn’t have been worse...

Packager reports record month of secured loan completions in May

Despite increasingly pessimistic reports over the current state of the economy, Norton Broker Services were able to complete a record number (post-credit crunch) of secured loans during May this year with Blemain Finance. The number of completions increased by 50 per cent compared with the same time last year. Secured loans are in many cases a means for struggling households to obtain the cash they need to cover costs without having to turn to a remortgage.Commenting on May’s business, Scott Thorpe of Norton Broker Services said: “These results speak volumes for the hard work and commitment our staff put in right across the board.  With the expansion of our broker department due to the demand for our products, first class service and top...

'Broker' swindles £20k in dental scam

Mahibubur Rahman, a Southampton broker swindled his employer out of almost £20K through a fake dental insurance scheme.  Having set himself up as a broker, Rahman provided fake dental insurance and conned his employer out of £20K.  Rahman took the proceeds of £19,178 from Denplan, which is Winchester’s largest employer. Denplan are a dental payment plan specialist, and in a effort to conceal the scam Rahman produced fake receipts from dental surgeries. Keith Cutler, Recorder of Winchester, said: “You are a man of very good character, you have had this problem and you have let yourself and your family down.”Rahman, 29, pleaded guilty to fraud and transferring criminal property between October 2009 and July 2010. The swindler claimed...

Men Behaving Badly star in £1m IVA

Having faced £2.5 million of debts and possible financial ruin, the Men Behaving Badly and Waterloo Road star has left his frivolous days behind him and now promises to pay back every penny which he currently owes to his creditors. Previously branded commitment-phobe, Neil Morrissey is half way through a three year IVA voluntary repayment plan of over £1 million. His debts arose after his hotel and pub business, which he had built up over the course of a decade, collapsed.“At one point it was so bad, I could have lost the shoes I was standing up in,” he told the Sunday Mirror. “But everyone has had those feelings at one time or another. I just had to pick myself up and get on with it. I had to sit down with the creditors and have a realistic...

Welsh council winning a £4m fight against tax evaders

As councils in Wales increased their debt collection rate by 16 per cent, the arrears on council tax payments dropped by £2.1 million. Through 2010 to 2011, they brought in an extra £4 million that had stood in arrears. The percentage of tax councils were able to collect varied from 98.2 per cent in Denbighshire to 94.5 per cent in Cardiff. Conservatives in Wales have stressed that if Welsh local authorities reached a 98.2 per cent council tax collection rate, Welsh councils would be almost £18 million better off. The additional council tax payments collected will be reinvested into vital council services, thus benefiting local residents. Steve Thomas, Welsh Local Government Association Chief Executive, told Wales Online: “Councils recognise...

FSA bans IFA over unpaid fees

The FSA has issued yet another final notice, this time to an IFA who failed to pay fees and levies totalling in excess of £1,000. Birmingham-based IFA Resham Chand, who trades as First Call, has now been banned from carrying on regulated activities. After 'repeated requests' to pay £1,074.70 in FSA fees, Mr Chand was issued with the final notice on May 12 2011. Since he failed to refer the matter to the Upper Tribunal, his part IV permission has been cancelled. The FSA commented that Mr Chands's failure to pay the fees had led it to 'conclude that (Mr Chand) is not conducting his business soundly and prudently and in compliance with proper standards and that he is not a fit and proper person'. This final notice issuance proves the FSA's continuing...

The A4e blog: Debt and young people

A4e has been involved in supporting young people with their money problems for a few years. This includes financial capability training, general financial support and dealing with debt. I have recently been reviewing the services and research we undertake to look at how this can help create better solutions for the issues young people raise with us....read more.Manchester debt firm is liquidated owing creditors over £2.2mWednesday 11th August 2010 Bankrupt football legend probed by police over loan fraudMonday 2nd August 2010Mortgage broker ordered to repay £1.5m of client money used to pay off debtsWednesday 14th July 2010Barclays lifts lid on banking write-offsWednesday 20th February 2008Send To Friend      Print     ...

Thurrock Council’s Fair Debt Policy criticised again

Just months after consumer watchdogs criticised debt recovery practices in a number of councils up and down the UK, Thurrock Council’s Fair Debt Policy has been sent back for further scrutiny after it was found to be not up to scratch.The Essex-based council was forced to defend itself last April after the Thurrock Citizens Advice Bureau voiced concerns over the use of bailiffs to recover council tax from residents with debt problems.The CAB criticised the council over other “questionable methods” used to recoup tax arrears from some of the area’s most vulnerable residents, such as using threats of court action or bankruptcy to make them pay what they owe.A report on the issue was produced, which cited the example of a woman with mental health problems who was repeatedly sent text messages...

Debt problems causing increased stress for British consumers

A recent poll conducted by Scottish Provident has found that people with the greatest debt problems and money worries are suffering from more stress than the average British person.In the survey, a total of 37 per cent of UK adults said that they would describe themselves as either “stressed” or “very stressed”. However, this situation was revealed to be much worse for those with pressing debt management problems.Of those describing themselves as stressed, 49 per cent were people without any savings and 47 per cent were those who couldn’t afford to put any spare cash aside. For many of these people, it will be the case that any savings will have been used to cover loan and credit card debt repayments, as well as helping other monthly expenses to be met.Susan Barclay, who is the head of marketing...

Hertfordshire man charged with setting up firms during bankruptcy

A man from Ware in Hertfordshire has narrowly avoided a jail sentence after he was caught setting up firms during his bankruptcy period.Matthew Gilewicz, 40, was accused of launching a series of business ventures even though he was an undischarged bankrupt. His actions are believed to have cost investors in these ventures more than £100,000.St Albans Crown Court heard that the father of two, who was formerly a captain of Ware cricket team, was declared bankrupt in July 2006 after his company, Emargee Foods, went under. However, it was revealed that Gilewicz, in the disguise of a solvent businessman, went on to run another company called Golfbag Alarms that he had set up two years earlier.Two investors placed £40,000 each in this venture, and one even paid out a further £24,000. Despite being...

Former US TV star Larry Wilcox completes debt management course

Larry Wilcox, the former star of US TV show CHiPs, has this week completed a finance and debt management course as part of his bankruptcy agreement.Wilcox is best known for his starring role on the American television action drama series CHiPs, which ran from September 1977 to June 1983. He played Officer Jon Baker alongside Eric Estrada in the role of Officer Francis “Ponch” Poncherello.The entertainment news website TMZ reported that Wilcox, who has also been a producer and a businessman as well as an actor, was ordered to go on the personal financial management course by a judge as part of his bankruptcy. The aim was to teach the former TV actor how to manage his money properly and hopefully avoid further debt problems in the future.Wilcox’s money troubles came to light after he pleaded...

Neil Morrissey speaks out about debt problems

The British TV actor Neil Morrissey has spoken out to the press this week about the financial pressure he found himself under when his business collapsed. At one point, the former Men Behaving Badly star was believed to have debt problems totalling £2.5 million.Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Morrissey explained how the hotel and pub business he had built up over the last decade had failed and how he was left with a hefty pile of debts to pay. He said:“At one point it was so bad, I could have lost the shoes I was standing up in, but rather than go bankrupt, I decided to step up and try to pay it back.“I did have days with a sick ­feeling in the pit of my stomach and I thought. ‘when will this end?’“But everyone has those ­feelings at one time or another. I just had to pick myself up and get...

Worrying debt management problems reported in Worcester

The Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) has released figures which show that hundreds of people in Worcester are in serious need of debt help, with the average person owing nearly £20,000 in 2010.The debt problems in Worcester were highlighted after the CCCS came across records showing that a total of 396 people from the city and surrounding areas contacted debt help services last year. This represents a considerable rise of 24 per cent in the last couple of years. The charity also released a Debt View map, which highlighted the levels of personal debt in each area.On average, people in Worcester have debt problems totalling £19,832 (in unsecured debt), which is a little higher than the national average of £19,338. Commenting on this alarming figure, the CCCS’s Delroy Corinaldi said:“I...

World’s richest divorcee Patricia Kluge files for bankruptcy

Patricia Kluge, who was once known as “the wealthiest divorcee in history,” has filed for personal bankruptcy according to the New York Post.The newspaper reported that British-born Kluge, 62, has filed for bankruptcy despite receiving a reported divorce settlement of $1 billion when her marriage to media mogul John Kluge ended in 1990. Also included in the settlement was possession of a 45-room mansion in Virginia known as Albemarle House.Despite the reported wealth of the former adult film star, Kluge’s extravagant socialite lifestyle and penchant for lavish celebrity-attended events has left her facing serious financial difficulties.This situation was worsened by the fact that Kluge’s attempt at becoming a Virginia wine-maker, leading her to buy the Kluge Estate Winery & Vineyard,...

Championship football club has £2.7m debt wiped

Wednesday 8th June 2011 A major creditor for a Championship football club has swapped part of its debt for equity and a stronger presence on the club’s board.Mike Hall, co-owner of Cardiff City creditor PMG, has rejoined the club’s board as a director after an agreement between his firm and the football club’s Malaysian backers.According to the South Wales Echo, PMG has turned a “significant sum” of owed debt into equity.A statement on the club’s website went on to say PMG – a property firm owned by Mr Hall and Paul Guy – also backed the decision to hire forensic accountants to examine paperwork dating from former owner Sam Hammam’s time in charge.It said: ‘As a result of a series of meetings and given the undertakings and plans by the Malaysian...

PPI broker collapses in mis-selling scandal

The finance company handling a backlog of PPI cases lodged against its former loan broking business has been placed into administration.Wilmslow Financial Services (WFS) had been managing the wave of claims lodged against it from former clients who had taken out Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) alongside loans with Freedom Finance.The company ceased to offer new loans last year and sold its loan broking business.Phil Duffy, of insolvency firm MCR which has been appointed as joint administrator of the company along with Sarah Bell, told the TheBusinessDesk.com the company's shareholders were forced to call in administrators after the British Banking Association and several major banks recently announced they would no longer continue to fight...

Families shift £60bn debt into high risk mortgages

Record numbers of struggling families have moved more than £60 billion of mortgages into risky interest-only schemes.As they try to keep spending under control, a massive 300,000 households have moved away from repayment over the past three years, according to statistics from the FSA.It is believed they are reacting to Bank of England governor Mervyn King’s recent comments, when he said Britain was going through the most dramatic squeeze on personal finances since the 1920s.Darren Winder, UK economist at Oriel, told The Daily Telegraph: “For someone who's trying to alleviate monthly cash flow pressure, moving to interest-only makes sense. But it does raise questions about how that loan gets repaid.”The average mortgage in the UK is £109,000...

HMRC to crackdown on VAT cheats

 HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has announced an initiative to crack down on companies that fail to comply with VAT rules.The new campaign will focus on individuals and businesses trading above the VAT threshold - currently at £71,000 - who have not yet registered for VAT. It will be the latest in a line of campaigns by HMRC, which recently targeted offshore investments.The percentage of bankruptcy orders involving trading debts was 18.9 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2010, which is considerably higher than the levels published by The Insolvency Service in recent quarters.Vance Parsons, director at EuroDebt, said: “Small businesses, including sole traders, are coming under financial pressure from a variety of fronts and HMRC may soon...

Insolvency levels plummet

Recent falls in unemployment and personal insolvencies has forced an IVA provider to issue a profits warning.Fairpoint has said that it expects pre-tax profits to be "substantially lower than market expectations", but added that it was taking steps to cut its cost base.Fairpoint’s broker, Shore Capital, has cut its forecast for profits in half excluding amortisation and exceptional charges to £4 million.Chris Moat, Fairpoint chief executive, told the FT: “The supporting factors we expected in the marketplace have stalled, the pressures on IVA volumes were expected to recede towards the end of the year as unemployment figures started to rise along with interest rates. He had expected a stimulus from one or the other, but “we are seeing stability...

Banks regularly break data protection rules says Which?

Which? has published the results of an FoI request to the ICO regarding the number of complaints made to them which allege breaches of the Data Protection Act.Between August 2009 and August 2010 1,163  there were complaints about alleged data protection breaches by financial institutions - 515 of them against eight of Britain’s biggest banks and building societies - where the ICO thought it was likely they had broken the rules set out by the Data Protection Act 1998.Over half of all  complaints arose from firms failing to provide customers with copies of the data held about them properly. Other potential breaches included banks holding inaccurate data about customers, failing to follow security measures and the disclosure of data...

Fugitive ‘war hero’ caught at last

Police have found a man who disappeared after being arrested on suspicion of fraud as he walked around the British coast claiming he was raising money for Help for Heroes.Last month DMT reported how 34-year-old Matthew Brown was arrested in Newquay, Cornwall, in November after claiming he was walking the length of the British coastline for charity. Brown was bailed until May 5 by Devon and Cornwall police while officers investigated his claims. The date was extended to Tuesday last week but he failed to appear.Devon and Cornwall police said on Monday Brown had been located in Scotland and summonsed to appear before Bodmin magistrates on June 14. He has not yet been charged with an offence.The 34-year-old gave numerous interviews about...

DEMSA condemns dubious debt management companies

The Debt Management Standards Association (DEMSA) has slammed rogue traders following a BBC investigation which broke the news that some debt management companies have been holding on to clients’ money rather than paying it to creditors.Michael Land, Chairman of the DEMSA, advised any customer seeking to use a debt management company to look for the DEMSA and OFT logo for reassurance that they are dealing with a reputable firm which is committed to the high standards set out in the DEMSA Code of Conduct. Mr Land said: “DEMSA condemns in the strongest terms these completely unacceptable practices and we support the OFT in taking tough action against these rogue firms in the debt settlement industry.” Under the terms of the OFT debt...

Ex 'Corrie' actor turned Hollywood star convicted of fraud

A Hollywood actor and former Coronation Street star who appeared in the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film has been convicted of benefit fraud.Ian Mercer was sentenced after falsely claiming £2,300 in council tax.The 49-year-old admitted failing to notify Northumberland County Council of his change of circumstances when he appeared at Bedlington magistrates court last week.Mercer, who played Gary Mallett in Coronation Street between 1995 and 2000, has also appeared in many hit shows including Shameless, Heartbeat, A Touch of Frost, Peak Practice, Waking the Dead.He also starred in blockbuster Master and Commander alongside Russell Crowe.The actor had been living with his now-estranged wife and two daughters in a rented home in Bothal Barns...

The friendlier face of the payday loan

Payday Bank, which claims to be one of the few reputable payday loan companies around, share their tips and insider knowledge on how to tread carefully and use services such as theirs responsibly:According to Scottish Widows, 17 million of us are having more and more difficulty in making ends meet. This is why, as you recently read on Debt Management Today, more and more people are turning to payday loans.While this is good news for payday loan companies, there isn’t much advice out there for consumers. Because of those infamously high APRs, most financial advice sites tend to suggest avoiding payday loans or exercising a lot of caution.Since payday loans tend to be associated with poor credit, there are unregulated companies that prey on the...

Horrors of axed debt management companies emerge

In a recent report by the BBC, the true extent of the foul practices of two recently closed debt management firms has come to light. In a bid to highlight the extremity of the firms’ crimes, the BBC portrayed the experiences of a couple who fell victim to Global Debt Solutions’ malpractice.The Murphy couple told the BBC that after fearing that mounting debt could lead to their house being repossessed, they accepted Global Solutions’ offer to arrange a repayment plan for £40,000 of credit card debt and loans. The Murphy’s later learned though that their creditors were not being repaid and had taken legal action against the couple. Global Solutions, later known as 3 Step Finance, have now been shut down by the Insolvency Service, who found the...

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