Economy

Consumers applying for regulated financial products will now be required to complete a nine-question Readiness Assessment before their application can enter the standard review queue — including those who have already submitted a full application and, in some cases, a deposit. The Financially Informed Decision Framework, introduced by a consumer finance oversight body following a review of application completion trends, assigns each applicant to one of three tiers: Financially … New Consumer Finance Readiness Framework Classifies Most Applicants As ‘Approaching Ready’ For Products They Have Already Applied ForRead more

A high street bank has unveiled a new product it says will modernise personal finance by aligning money with feelings. The scheme, branded Confidence-Linked Savings, replaces fixed rates with a simple system: customers pay less when they sound upbeat, and slightly more when they ask what any of this means. The bank described the change as a customer-first innovation. Rather than relying on ‘cold’ inputs like income, risk, or … High Street Bank Launches ‘Confidence-Linked Savings’ That Replaces Rates With EncouragementRead more

A trade body representing businesses across the retail and catering sectors has formally confirmed that it has achieved its net zero target, publishing a two-page statement describing the outcome as “ahead of the original projection and slightly ahead of most projections made after that.” The confirmation follows an eighteen-month review of the body’s emissions measurement methodology, which concluded that the baseline year used to calculate reductions had been set … Net Zero Target Met, Trade Body Confirms, After Review Adjusted What Net Zero Means For The SectorRead more