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Following on from Breathing Space, SDRPs are the second element of the government’s debt respite scheme, a new debt repayment vehicle consolidating all eligible debt into a single plan Whilst there are significant implications for all included creditors – not least the overlap of timelines with Consumer Duty – perhaps the most fundamental impacts are for mortgage lenders…

The value of diversity no longer needs to be debated. Studies have found time and time again that teams with diverse backgrounds generate more ideas, and lead more successful businesses. I am proud to work with clients who understand the value of diversity and who do not discriminate against any groups or characteristics when looking…

The fast-rising cost of living is the kind of broad economic shift that affects everyone within the Financial Services ecosystem. One of the most immediate effects is consumers who have quickly found themselves with substantially increased regular expenses which leaves them struggling to make repayments. The FCA has made it clear in a letter sent…

The last year has seen a historic candidate shortage in the UK. People are, understandably, focussing on job security, and not wanting to take any risky moves if they’re in a comfortable position. This means that the candidates who are out there looking at new opportunities are more in control of their job search than…

The FCA have published their 2022/23 Business Plan, setting out the regulator’s areas of focus for the next 12 months. So what should the Financial Services industry be working on to stay ahead of the agenda? I’ve identified a few key subjects in the Plan that I think many firms will benefit from tackling head-on…

“They never call back”. That’s the number one most frequent complaint we all hear about recruiters. They get in touch with you about a job, get your CV and then… nothing, radio silence. It’s a cliche at this point and the opening gripe of many an aggrieved LinkedIn post. Open, active communication is absolutely vital…

Consumer Duty is almost here, and more firms are realising that they can’t put off thinking about it until the final rules are announced. We have just over 12 months to go, and most businesses still have a lot of ground to cover to get Consumer Duty Ready. Where Are We Now? The landscape of customer…

A lasting fundamental shift in how we work has taken place since March 2020. There had been a very gradual increase in the prevalence of hybrid and remote work models over the last decade, but the rapid need to get the workforce out of offices and functioning safely in lockdown prompted an explosion of people…

Often in the first months of a new year, we like to speculate about what the key Compliance themes for the coming year will be. The publication of the FCA’s Further Consultation Paper on Consumer Duty in December means that there’s no need for prognostication right now – we can be sure that the new…

Right now, in late November 2021, if you lodge a complaint with a Financial Services business, they have 8 weeks to resolve it before you are entitled to escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service. The 8-week time frame dates back to the creation of ombudsman services in the UK, and it was originally intended to…