Category Archives: Uncategorized
A new Consumer Duty proposed by the Financial Conduct Authority
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is proposing to introduce a new consumer duty that would set clearer and higher expectations for financial firms’ standards of care towards consumers. Financial Inclusion Centre (FIC) recently submitted its views to the consultation paper CP21/13: more »
Local Welfare Assistance Schemes in London – an evaluation framework
As well as undertaking research and policy development on financial exclusion and its causes, The Financial Inclusion Centre (FIC) has a strong track record in providing robust, independent evaluation of interventions. This new research provides an assessment of the feasibility more »
Building financial resilience: Workplace Payroll Savings Schemes
Today (11th February 2021) the Financial Inclusion Centre publishes a new research report called Getting Workforces Saving: Payroll Schemes with Credit Unions. The report contains the findings from a two year project funded by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) more »
Consumer Rights in the Private Rented Sector
The Smith Institute has published a new report, entitled Consumer Rights in the Private Rented Sector (PRS), sponsored by the Wates Family Enterprise Trust. The Financial Inclusion Centre undertook the ground-breaking research and analysis and drafted the report. The report more »
Dealing with the immediate and long term financial impacts of Covid19
Today (18th May 2020), The Financial Inclusion Centre publishes a set of proposals to deal with the immediate and longer term financial impacts of the Covid19 pandemic. The report can be found here: FIC Covid19 Impacts May 2020 The pandemic has more »
FCA temporary proposals to protect consumers affected by Covid19
Today, 6th April 2020, The Financial Inclusion Centre publishes its response to the FCA’s consultation: Proposals for temporary financial relief for customers impacted by Coronavirus. We very much welcome the FCA’s intention to extend protections available to mortgage customers to more »
Time for Action – Greening the UK Financial System
Today (10th March 2020), the Financial Inclusion Centre publishes its new report, called Time for Action, looking at the degree to which the financial system (financial markets, financial institutions, and individual consumers) contributes to tackling the climate crisis. The report more »
Can Payroll Deduction Schemes via Credit Unions Get Workforces Saving More?
Today the Financial Inclusion Centre publishes a new Interim Report ‘Getting Workforces Saving’. The report is funded by the Money and Pensions Service and tests how effective payroll deduction is at encouraging greater levels of savings and positive financial behaviours more »
Brexit and the regions
There has been much heat produced by political debate since the UK voted to leave the EU. But little light has been shed on the potential impact Brexit might have on vulnerable households in the UK. To address this gap, more »
Financial Inclusion Centre response to the FCA’s high cost credit review including overdrafts
The Financial Inclusion Centre responded to two important consultation papers which formed part of the FCA’s High Cost Credit Review. These covered overdrafts (CP18/13) and rent-to-own, home collected credit (doorstep lending), catalogue credit and store cards, and alternatives to high-cost more »