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Many sectors of the financial world have their own independent oversight bodies. The best known is probably the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) but similar organisations operate in various areas of finance. One notable exception, though, has been the debt enforcement sector — but that may be changing. A prominent think-tank has brought together various sides of the sector and proposed a framework for a new oversigh

With lockdown being cautiously eased, many businesses are looking forward to reopening, especially those in the retail and hospitality sectors. However, many of these have been closed, or at least operating on a restricted basis, for the past thirteen months and will find reopening difficult. However, a new wave of government support for businesses started on 6th April, under the Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS). One Schem

2020 has been a difficult year in so many ways. Quite apart from the struggles of living in lockdown, the disruption has had a devastating effect on many bank balances. Two recent reports show the growing level of hardship many households are facing and the debt burden being taken on to cope with this. 30% of Households Facing Hardship Research by the Resolution Foundation suggests that incomes have fallen significan

Late payment has for a long time been the scourge of small businesses, and this has only got worse during the pandemic. Many businesses are suffering severe cashflow problems as a result, including the risk of closure. However, there are signs the government is finally contemplating action to help struggling businesses facing this issue. The Scourge of Late Payments Most small businesses operate on very narrow margin

The options open for people who fall into debt have needed reform for some time, but the Covid-19 pandemic has made the issue urgent. The Money Advice Trust has now published a new briefing, urging the government to commission a full review of the options for debt management. The Debt Crisis The need for review of debt options was already being urged before this year. In 2018, the Money Advice Service (now part of th

Over the past six months, many businesses have had a false sense of security. A raft of government support schemes have been keeping them afloat — but these will be ending soon. So how devastating will the lockdown be on SMEs? The Insolvency Landscape It may seem strange that global insolvencies are actually down on last year’s figures. The UK is typical of this, with a fall of over 20%, in spite of so many hig

If there’s one thing that unites virtually all SME business owners, it’s the scourge of late payments. This is always a problem, especially for those operating on narrow margins, but the pandemic seems to have turned it into a crisis. The Scourge of Late Payments The great majority of SMEs don’t enjoy the huge cash reserves and almost unlimited credit enjoyed by the giant companies. If they’re

Every day brings more news of major businesses in trouble due to the coronavirus lockdown. Airlines have been particularly hard hit, for example, with Virgin Atlantic cutting 3,000 jobs and closing their Gatwick operation, while British Airways are also considering pulling out of Gatwick. The problems aren’t confined to big business, though. Depending on the sector, many SMEs have also been badly hit. The Chall

Insolvency — it’s a prospect every business owner has nightmares about, even if everything seems fine at the moment. But what leads to a business becoming insolvent, and how can you, as owner, see the signs that you’re at risk? Why Does a Company Become Insolvent? Insolvency can be the result of a company no longer being able to pay its way. It may be unable to meet its debts or have more liabilities than assets, but

So you’ve got your court order that says you’re entitled to the money your debtor owes you. Now what? It’s one thing to be entitled to it, but that’s not much good if they claim not to have the funds available to pay you. Or do they really? Getting the Information You Need Fortunately, you don’t have to take your debtor’s word that they can’t afford to pay you. If you have a judgement about the debt, you’re entitled