ICR269: Stemming the tide of rising consumer debt (with co-host Kalpana Fitzpatrick)

This week on the show, we’re talking about stemming the tide of rising consumer debt.

This is for you if you’ve got any unsecured consumer debts – things like store cards, credit cards, overdrafts, personal loans, car loans.

We also discuss some of the issues with rising debt levels in the UK and how you can tackle any debts you might have.

Introducing Kalpana Fitzpatrick

Mummy Money Matters was launched by Kalpana Fitzpatrick, a well-respected financial journalist, broadcaster and parent, after she discovered that mums were often overlooked and kept out of the loop when it came to money.

Finance can be unnecessarily complicated – MMM aims to keep it simple and relevant.

As well as editing and writing for Mummy Money Matters, Kalpana appears regularly in the media as an expert commentator on personal finance and is often seen on TV (BBC, ITV and  Sky News). She is also often on most of the major radio stations.

You can follow Kalpana on Twitter at @KalpanaFitz.

Personal finance news

-Consumers need to shop around when using price comparison websites, according to a review by the Competition and Markets Authority. The CMA suggested consumers should use a variety of price comparison sites when searching online for the best energy deals, holidays or insurance policies.

-Happiness levels across the UK have improved, according to the latest official wellbeing figures. The figures from the Office for National Statistics, which are based on data to the year to the end of March, show rising satisfaction with life overall, but anxiety levels remaining the same.

-Equifax chairman and chief executive Richard Smith has stepped down in the wake of a massive data breach earlier in the summer. As many as 143 million US customers had data exposed to hackers during the security breach, along with 400,000 Britons.

-As many as 1.4 million low paid families are failing to claim Pension Credit. The state pension top-up is worth up to £2,000 a year.

-Despite European gender equality laws, men are still being quoted more for car insurance than women. Research by Comparethemarket found this insurance pricing gap is widening, with men typically quoted 27% more than women for the cheapest cover.