What you need to know this week
- UK Chancellor to deliver second Budget on 26 November 2025.
- Experian to include rental payments in credit scoring; max score increased to 1,250.
- £629.3m stolen by fraudsters in H1 2025; fraud cases up 17% year-on-year.
- Bank of England credit union data shows rising arrears and record loans; membership up to 2.18m.
- Government to scrap PARV fee from November 2025 to protect vulnerable debtors.
- FCA complaints rose to 1.85m in H1 2025; current account complaints up 10.2%.
- FOS received 158,900 complaints in H1 2025; uphold rates at 32%.
- Ofgem progressing £500m energy debt relief scheme for early 2026 rollout.
- FCA Consumer Duty data submissions due 11 November 2025; CCR009 updates in early 2026.
- Awaab’s Law now in force; strict landlord repair timelines in social housing.
- Cyber-security spotlight: NCSC launches Cyber Action Toolkit for small firms.
- Upcoming industry events across November and December, including Lowry event 4 December 2025.
Key Themes
Macroeconomic and Policy Outlook link, link
- Budget announcement scheduled for 26 November 2025.
Important to monitor fiscal direction, potential impact on household finances, credit affordability, and regulatory priorities. - PARV fee removal for vulnerable debtors effective November 2025.
Important for vulnerability processes and safeguarding, reducing barriers for those at risk.
Credit Reporting and Consumer Behaviour link, link
- Experian updating credit scoring to reflect rental data and overdraft behaviour.
Important for affordability assessments, predicting customer stress earlier, and aligning collections strategies with emerging credit profiles.
Fraud and Financial Crime link, link
- Fraud losses totalled £629m in H1 2025; majority originated online.
Important for fraud prevention workflows, digital-channel risk management, and consumer protection programmes.
Credit Union and Community Lending Developments link, link
- Asset growth, membership increase, and rising arrears in credit unions.
Important for partners serving financially vulnerable households and for understanding stress indicators in lower-income segments.
Regulatory Oversight and Complaints Trends link, link, link
- FCA and FOS complaints rising; current accounts most complained-about product.
Important for conduct, root-cause remediation, and complaint-driven supervision.
Energy Debt and Household Support link, link
- Ofgem debt write-off proposals and Warm Home Discount expansion.
Important for firms managing utility arrears, vulnerable customers, and cross-sector debt solutions.
Consumer Duty and Regulatory Preparedness link
- Updated FCA focus, fair value assessments, data submission deadlines.
Important for compliance teams, outcome tracking, QA, and financial resilience requirements.
Housing Standards and Consumer Protection link, link
- Awaab’s Law imposes mandatory repair timescales for social landlords.
Important for vulnerability identification and cross-sector support frameworks, particularly energy and water PSR alignment.
Cyber-Security and Operational Resilience link, link, link, link
- NCSC toolkit launched; increased cyber and privacy focus.
Important for resilience, data protection, and FCA expectations on operational risk.
Illegal Lending Prevention link
- WhatsApp reporting for illegal money lending; rising loan-shark debt exposure.
Important for vulnerability referrals, partnership working, and safeguarding obligations.
Innovation and Partnerships link
- Collaboration trends across lenders, advice providers, and tech vendors.
Important for digital transformation, automation, and customer support capability.
Industry Engagement and Forthcoming Events
- Multiple sector events across enforcement, debt management, and utilities.
Important for regulatory insight, partnership opportunities, and best-practice sharing.
Key Statistics
- £629.3m stolen by fraudsters in H1 2025.
- 2.09m fraud cases in H1 2025, +17% year-on-year.
- 1.85m FCA complaints in H1 2025, +3.6% from H2 2024.
- 10.2% rise in current account complaints to 541,493.
- Credit union membership up 0.77% to 2.18m.
- Credit union loans up 1.10% to £2.62bn.
- Net liabilities in arrears up 6.93% to £261.22m.
- Average credit union arrears balance in England: £2,427 (up from £2,176).
- FOS complaints 158,900 in H1 2025; 32% uphold rate.
- Over 430 loan-shark prosecutions; £91.6m illegal debt written off.
Newsletter Contents
- Budget announcement date confirmed.
- Experian credit scoring changes.
- H1 2025 fraud trends.
- Credit union sector performance and arrears.
- PARV fee abolition for vulnerable debtors.
- FCA H1 2025 complaints and trends.
- FOS H1 and Q2 data.
- Ofgem debt relief scheme and Warm Home Discount changes.
- Consumer Duty implementation and data submissions.
- Awaab’s Law repair timescales begin.
- NCSC cyber-security toolkit launch.
- Industry collaboration announcements and event calendar.
Find the full DEMSA newsletter, commentary and links here
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