APPG response to the FCA’s High Cost Credit Review – call for input

The APPG on Debt and Personal Finance has published ‘Tackling high-cost credit – how better regulation can protection vulnerable consumers’.  This is the APPG’s official response to the Financial Conduct Authority’s call for input on high-cost credit including review of the high-cost short-term price cap.

The APPG’s publication follows a seminar on the FCA’s call for input on 8 February 2017. Guest speakers at the event were Christopher Woolard, Financial Conduct Authority executive Board member and Director of Strategy and Competition at the regulator; and Hugh Stickland, Chief Economist at Citizens Advice.

Read the APPG’s response to the FCA’s High Cost Credit call for input.

Seminar on ‘A fairer approach to Council Tax debt collection’

On 2 November 2016, the APPG brought together council representatives, advice agencies and MPs to discuss how Council Tax debt collection practices can be improved.

Joanna Elson from Money Advice Trust introduced the subject. Debt advice charities have shown how councils are often too quick to send bailiffs round for unpaid Council Tax. The charity’s Stop the Knock campaign shows over 1.27 million Council Tax debts were referred to enforcement in 2014/15. This was in spite of government guidance saying bailiffs should only ever be used as a last resort. Continue reading Seminar on ‘A fairer approach to Council Tax debt collection’

Seminar on savings for low-income families

On 3 March 2016 the APPG held a joint meeting with the APPG on Credit Unions to discuss how the Government can help low income groups to save.

Robin Walker MP introduced the event, citing the Prime Minister’s speech in January announcing the Government’s intention to launch a ‘help to save’ initiative at Budget 2016. He remarked at how he was struck by the transformative power of small scale savings for people’s life chances. Continue reading Seminar on savings for low-income families

Seminar on FCA’s Credit Card Market Study – interim report

On 9 December 2015 the APPG held a meeting to discuss the Financial Conduct Authority’s credit card market study.

At a well-attended meeting, the Group heard first from Mary Starks, who is Director of Competition at the FCA and responsible for the Study. While she said that the market was working ‘fairly well’ for consumers, she raised concerns over the extent of unaffordable credit card debt. Continue reading Seminar on FCA’s Credit Card Market Study – interim report

APPG Financial Fair

On 14 July 2015 the APPG held a Financial Fair, a drop-in event for MPs and Peers to find out more about organisations helping people to manage their money and deal with financial problems. Guests speakers included Treasury Minister Damian Hinds MP and Martin Lewis, Editor of MoneySavingExpert.com.

Seminar on ‘A fairer energy market for vulnerable consumers’

On 17 June 2014 the APPG held a joint meeting with the Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency APPG to discuss how well the energy market works for vulnerable consumers. 

Marilyn Price of Stratford-upon-Avon CAB spoke first. She explained PPM users pay higher energy prices and often endure the loss of energy supply. Many feel the information suppliers provide on fuel costs was poor, making it difficult to manage money well. Continue reading Seminar on ‘A fairer energy market for vulnerable consumers’

Seminar on debt and mental health – Mental Health Awareness Week

On 13 May 2014 the APPG held a joint meeting with the Mental Health APPG on debt and mental health as part of Mental Health Awareness Week 2014.

MoneySavingExpert.com’s Martin Lewis opened by urging lenders not to disenfranchise those with mental health problems. He said borrowers need the option to constrain their credit use during periods of acute symptoms. This includes an automatic card block in response to unusual spending patterns – which a trusted friend could then unlock.  Continue reading Seminar on debt and mental health – Mental Health Awareness Week

Seminar on the cost of redress and fallout from the PPI mis-selling scandal

On 5 March 2014 a breakfast meeting was held to discuss the fallout from the PPI mis-selling scandal and the lessons to be learned.

Yvonne Fovargue MP chaired the meeting, inviting panellists to respond to a new report from Citizens Advice on claims management companies and the costs of redress. Continue reading Seminar on the cost of redress and fallout from the PPI mis-selling scandal