ROAR Insights.

Published by: Financial Ombudsman Service Search for original: Link Key Take Aways The Financial Ombudsman Service is consulting on further differentiation of case fees, proposing options by case stage and outcome to better align costs with work intensity. A primary recommendation is charging by case stage, with lower fees for early resolution processes such as proactive settlement, and higher fees at later, more complex stages. Differentiation by case outcome is also under consideration, with higher fees for upheld cases where… Read more

Published by: Insolvency Practitioners Association Search for original: Link Key Take Aways The Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA) uniquely regulates the UK’s personal insolvency market, focusing on high standards among volume providers handling IVAs and PTDs, covering 71% of the IVA and 73% of the PTD market. In 2024, 57% of the individual debt solutions market in England and Wales comprised IVAs, with a 5.7% failure rate in the first year, indicating ongoing stability despite economic pressures. The IPA’s scheme has… Read more

Published by: Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Computer Society Search for original: Link Key Take Aways Attention is increasingly viewed as a symbolic currency, pertinent across social, political, and economic domains. A dual-stream model of attention distinguishes between calcified (stored) and flow (active) attention, emphasising how attention can be accumulated and traded like a resource. Attention may, in the future, replace money as the primary societal medium of exchange, with implications for organisational value and reputation. Social… Read more

Published by: HM Treasury Search for original: Link Key Take Aways The UK government aims to preserve the FOS’s role as a simple, impartial dispute resolution body, but with enhanced regulatory coherence to prevent acting as a quasi-regulator. The review concludes that a more formalised ‘Fair and Reasonable’ test will align FOS outcomes with FCA regulations, promoting consistency and predictability. It is proposed that in cases where conduct is within FCA rules, compliance with those rules will automatically mean a… Read more

Published by: Ofwat Search for original: Link Key Take Aways Approximately 8.2% of household water customers in England and Wales are in arrears, with an average debt of £822 per customer. Total unpaid household water debt exceeds £2 billion, indicating significant sector-level financial exposure. One in five water bill payers have struggled with paying their bills over the past year, highlighting ongoing affordability challenges. Customers in debt tend to be on repayment plans, which correlate with lower average arrears (£578)… Read more

Published by: The Insolvency Service Search for original: Link Key Take Aways The investigation and enforcement function is broadening from solely insolvency misconduct to encompass wider corporate and economic crime, including money laundering and abuse of corporate structures. A strategic emphasis is placed on deploying enhanced powers, flexible investigation tools, and leveraging technology to target complex, serious criminality associated with corporate activity. Cross-agency collaboration, especially with Companies House, HMRC, NECC, and law enforcement bodies like the SFO and NCA, is… Read more