A new report from Fair4All Finance argues there has been a severe decline in the availability of credit for lower income households, and that we should consider "regulatory adjustments" to address it. In our response, we argue that there is little evidence of a 'credit vacuum' and that now is not the time to embolden high-cost lenders who are trying to roll back the regulatory clock.
Following reports of a possible Government U-turn concerning the regulation of Buy Now Pay Later, we provide further details of the link to credit card debt and argue that should be subject to the same rules.
Reports that Government is considering a 'U-turn' with respect to the regulation of Buy Now Pay Later products indicates a willingness to sacrifice consumer protection for temporary economic growth. It would also make for a huge divergence between Britain and other jurisdictions, including the EU, who are proposing a tougher crack-down on what, essentially, is just another version of the credit card.