Comment Consumer debt in the UK is down 10%. The bad news? Utility bill arrears are up Britons have been borrowing less since Covid, but people on lower incomes are falling behind on the rent 3 March 2024 by Torsten Bell It’s important to worry about the right things. Interest rates are up, sparking worries about our debts – in my case, the mortgage. Consumer debt (credit cards, overdrafts and personal… Continue Reading
Publications In too deep? The impact of the cost of living crisis on household debt 29 February 2024 by Felicia Odamtten and Simon Pittaway Hard economic times and rising interest rates have brought a renewed focus on household debt in recent years, with concerns that more and more families could find themselves overwhelmed by… Continue Reading
Publications Arrears fears The distribution of UK household wealth and the impact on families 20 July 2022 by Molly Broome and Jack Leslie The defining economic challenge for UK families at the moment is the cost of living crisis, rising inflation threatens living standards in the UK as real incomes fall. Owning wealth… Continue Reading
Events Whose wealth boom? Assessing the UK’s changing wealth gaps Wednesday 20 July 2022 Britain has experienced a wealth surge in recent decades even as household incomes have stagnated. Wealth really matters in both good times and tough times – from young families buying… Continue Reading
Events Whose wealth? Assessing the full impact of the pandemic on household wealth Monday 12 July 2021 While the Covid-19 pandemic has been about curbing and contraction – from normal activities to employment – many aspects of household wealth have grown very swiftly. Families unable to spend… Continue Reading
Comment A loan scheme for renters could stop tenants from being made homeless 18 February 2021 by Lindsay Judge The protracted length of the coronavirus crisis has led to rent arrears reaching twice the level observed going into the crisis. In January 2021, we estimate that over 750,000 families… Continue Reading
Publications The debts that divide us Flash findings from a survey of families claiming Universal Credit 7 February 2021 by Mike Brewer and Karl Handscomb The surge in claims for Universal Credit (UC) when the pandemic first hit means that UC caseloads are now about twice as high as they were pre-pandemic, with over half… Continue Reading
Publications Rainy days An audit of household wealth and the initial effects of the coronavirus crisis on saving and spending in Great Britain 22 June 2020 by George Bangham and Jack Leslie Families in Great Britain are faced with the most severe economic contraction in more than 100 years. Much of the immediate focus among policy makers has been on the size… Continue Reading