Family debt set to spiral

It has been suggested recently that family debt is set to spiral out of control over the next four years, with families expected to be struggling with average debts of around £84,000 per household. A report claims that the level of total household debt by 2015, including mortgages, loans, and credit cards, will reach an amazing £2,126 billion. For many this prediction is cause for concern given the difficult financial future that many people are already facing.

The documents were released by the government’s spending watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility. Over recent months this agency is said to have significantly increased its predictions when it comes to the size and level of household debt in Britain. At present the debt level stands at £1,628 billion but it is predicted that this will increase every year until the end of parliament in 2015.

The Office of Budget Responsibility has said that part of the reason for this increased forecast when it comes to household debt is the austerity drive from the government, which is set to have a huge impact on families and households, affecting their finances hugely. In June of last year the prediction was that household debt would stand at £1,823 billion by 2015.

There are concerns that as a result of the government cutbacks, the soaring cost of living, and wage freezes or cuts, many families will have no other option but to increase their debts in order to keep their heads above water, but their ability to do this and to repay their debts will eventually run out, leaving them in a very difficult financial situation.

Labour’s treasury spokesman David Hanson said: ‘Hard-pressed families will have to borrow more money to deal with the effect of George Osborne’s tax and benefits squeeze.’

Tags: debt level, government cutbacks, financial, credit, situation, Business Finance, option, Cost of living

Homeowners facing arrears advised to speak to lenders

Homeowners who think they are getting into difficulties with their mortgage repayments should speak to their lender as soon as possible, an industry expert has advised. Read more

Tags: mortgage lending, mortgage payments, option, plan, problem, council of mortgage lenders, credit, Mr Clarke

High-earners should consider premier private bank accounts, says expert

High-earning individuals should consider opening a premier private bank account since they may benefit from the additional services they offer, says Moneyfacts.

Although such accounts charge higher fees than high street accounts, Samantha Owens, head of personal finance at Moneyfacts, says they may nevertheless be a worthwhile option for people who earn a lot of money because they can receive extra benefits such as advice on investments.

“If you’re in the higher income bracket then you’re not really going to be worried about getting a current account paying 8.5 per cent up to the first thousand pounds,” says Ms Owens.

Premier private bank accounts appear to be increasingly popular, with HSBC and Schroders both reporting recent increases in private banking pre-tax profits.

Tailored services which come with the accounts include a concierge service and a discount on investment advice.

Ms Owens warned that people on an average salary are unlikely to benefit as much from the service, particularly when taking into account the higher fees.

Tags: Current account, Head of Personal Finance, option, investment advice, bank account, additional services, hsbc

Legal cover on home insurance may help avoid costly bills, claims expert

Home owners are being advised to take out legal cover on their house insurance to safeguard them in the event of a dispute with neighbours.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) says that legal expenses can be very pricey if people get into a dispute and with research showing that a third of people have argued with their neighbours, insurance may be a sensible option.

According to a recent survey by Allianz Insurance, more than 1.1 million households have argued with their neighbours about noise and one in three of the 3,000 homeowners questioned have had a disagreement.

Kelly Ostler-Coyle, spokesperson for ABI, said: “The thing with insurance is you never know if you need it till you need it, so it’s always there to protect against the unexpected.”

If people think they would not be able to pay the legal fees in the event of a dispute, they should consider getting legal cover when they take out their home insurance policy, Ms Ostler-Coyle concluded.

Tags: Coyle, British Insurers, home insurance, Financial economics, noise, spokesperson, policy, option

Up to half of under-30s ‘aim to buy homes’

Around 50 per cent of young people in the UK regard buying a home as a realistic goal for them before they reach 30, new research has shown.

Findings from Alliance & Leicester reveal that the timing of achieving this milestone is pertinent with the average age of a first-time buyer being 29, a figure which has risen from 28 in the early 1990s.

Richard Taylor, head of mortgage products at Alliance & Leicester, said that reaching 30 is milestone for many as it is a deadline for certain ‘achievements’ such as owning a property, getting married or starting a family.

“Even in an uncertain housing market we’re seeing those under the age of 30 feeling confident and optimistic about the prospect of getting onto the property ladder before they say goodbye to their twenties,” he continued.

Renting is the option for those living away from home before attempting to climb the property ladder says the research.

Meanwhile, young people are being urged to should begin their savings “in the cradle” by savings experts with the Scottish Widows.

Tags: mortgage products, age, property ladder, Renting, first time buyer, leicester, Mortgage loan

Wedding insurance “more commonplace”

It is becoming easier and “more commonplace” for couples to take out wedding insurance, according to a spokesman for Debenhams.

More people are now aware of the availability of wedding insurance products whereas previously it was difficult to find a provider.

However, although it is easier to find, some couples spend so much on the big day they get to a point where they will not spend anything else says Dan Tremain, product development manager for Debenhams.

“They’re spending tens of thousands of pounds but they won’t spend fifty quid to insure the £20,000 effectively,” he said.

Research by Debenhams also revealed that the number of wedding cancellations is on the rise.

Illness among close relatives is the most likely reason for calling off the big day while cancellations have increased by almost half over the past 12 months.

Debenhams are expected to launch wedding insurance with £30,000 cancellation cover as standard. A more exclusive option should also be available with cover worth £70,000.

Tags: wedding, Department store, standard, cancellation, option, exclusive option, business

Interest-only mortgages ‘can help lower costs’

Interest-only mortgages can be beneficial to people looking to lower the overall cost of borrowing to buy property.

That’s according to Bernard Clarke, spokesperson for the Council of Mortgage Lenders, who said that certain buyers can find this type of loan a good option.

“It’s a clearly an option for buy-to-let investors who usually want to minimise their borrowing costs and are not interested in acquiring ownership of the property outright,” he said.

But for homeowners who would like to start repaying the bulk of their loan, an interest-only mortgage should be reviewed somewhere down the line.

“If they take an interest-only option to reduce their initial costs but do want to eventually own the property outright then they do need to think about transferring to an interest and capital repayment mortgage,” said Mr Clarke.

Alternatively, buyers can utilise separate savings or investment plans in order to save up the money to repay the capital.

“People are free – if they are taking out an interest-only mortgage – to choose alternative repayments vehicles,” Mr Clarke explained.

Tags: capital repayment mortgage, Council, interest, option, investors, order, interest-only option, money

Property alternative investment to pensions

With many assets-rich Britons seeking out alternative investments to their pensions, industry experts yesterday suggested that property could be the way to go.

Current government breakdowns of pensioners’ income suggest that investment income stands at nine per cent.

State benefits stand for 45 per cent, with other types of pensions forming a total of 28 per cent.

The chief executive of the Pensions Advisory Service (PAS) pointed out that investing in property was advisable, because “it’s probably better not to put all [of your] eggs in one basket”.

Malcolm McLean added: “Investing in property instead of a pension is fine, as long as you have the means to do it.

“People often say they wish they had put their money into property rather than a pension, but this isn’t always an option. The rewards in property investment – in people’s minds – seem to outweigh financial rewards from pensions.”

According to latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, total numbers of pensioners in the UK stood at 8.1 million.

Tags: Financial economics, option, pensions advisory service, Labor, Pension, go.Current government breakdowns, breakdowns, state

Savers have changed attitude

The way we approach banking has changed in recent years, with new research showing that more of us are opening instant access savings accounts.

A study by Birmingham Midshires shows that 51 per cent of people who opened a savings account in the last three months opted for the instant access option.

This is in stark contrast to the number who chose to make their money slightly harder to get to, with only 16 per cent keeping it out of reach.

Birmingham Midshires says that this trend is all part of the ‘have-it-now’ culture of Britons in the early 21st century and the firm says that consumption of goods figures back this claim.

The Office of National Statistics recently published these statistics, showing that we consumed 73 per cent more goods in 2005 than we did in 1991.

Experts at Birmingham Midshires say that it appears to be the case that many Brits are saving in order to spend.

“Instant access accounts are an excellent way of saving for short term needs, however, we would encourage savers to also remember the long term and make adequate provisions,” said Jason Robinson, director of savings operations at the company.

“It is worth considering a number of savings pots for different purposes which can nowadays be very easily managed online.”

There is nothing wrong with saving money for a big purchase, however, it is also advisable to make sure that you have money put aside to help you through an unforeseen change in circumstances.

Tags: jason robinson, savings operations, option, online, director, savers, three months, number

Mates rates for mortgages?

Taking out a mortgage with a group of friends is an increasingly attractive option for people looking to get onto the property ladder, according to Moneyfacts.

Moneyfacts is saying that while there are various concerns and pitfalls to ‘mate rate’ mortgages, this is nevertheless a form of lending that banks will now consider.

Over 60 per cent of mortgage lenders, including HSBC and Britannia will consider mortgages for a group of up to four individual salaries.

As interest rates and property prices both rise, more people may begin to consider this option.

Julia Harris, mortgage analyst at moneyfacts.co.uk, called the ‘mate rate’ mortgage a “relatively new option for first-time buyers which has not been explored”.

A spokesman from the Council of Mortgage Lenders told Moneyfacts: “Buying with friends can be a realistic way to get onto the housing ladder, and can be cheaper than renting.”

However, pitfalls include the possibility that one party might lose their income or decide to desert the house once the mortgage is up and running.

Tags: mortgage analyst, council of mortgage lenders, hsbc, mortgage, pitfalls, britannia, mate, option

Fixed-rate mortgage fees rising

Mortgage lenders are raising their application fees for fixed-rate mortgages, as the products become more and more popular.

With interest rates currently standing at 5.25 per cent and fears among many that future rises are imminent, first-time buyers are fearful of taking out variable rate mortgages.

However, as lenders have recognised the growing trend, they have begun increasing application fees, according to MoneyExpert.com.

The average application fee has risen by 18.5 per cent since last August, with products that have a fee of at least £750 also becoming much more common.

“Homeowners are desperate to fix their mortgage rates to avoid incurring further costs caused by rising interest rates,” said Sean Gardner from the website.

“It’s the sensible option, as further rises aren’t out of the question.”

People considering taking out a mortgage, particularly first-time buyers, may find that a fixed-rate is the best option for them.

However, it is recommended that you shop around to find the best mortgage to suit your circumstances and ensure that you can realistically afford to pay the application fee.

Tags: fee, application fee, trend, option, homeowners, personal finance

No Claims Discount – What Is It?

A No Claims Bonus is basically the same as a No Claims Discount, but technically one results in the other. Either way, they make a heck of a difference to how much your car insurance costs. Read more

Tags: car insurance, insurance policy documents, price, car insurance costs, hefty wedge, no claims discount, maximum, option