The Bank of England may have given UK PLC an economic boost with its recent interest rate cut of 1.5%, but the credit crunch isn't just affecting big business and the banking sector. The average person in the street is feeling the squeeze too. So will the reduction of the base rate to 3% offer any short-term relief to the customers holding a total of 72 million credit cards, beleaguered by interest charges far and above the base rate?
While mortgage borrowers will have to wait and see if the trickle-down effect reduces the cost of their mortgage repayments, credit card customers have been warned not to expect repayments to fall. Consumers look set to continue to pay an average of 17% APR on credit cards, and that percentage is unlikely to change as a result of the rate cut. The common opinion is that rates are only cut to attract customers, and in the current economic climate, lenders are reluctant to encourage even more credit into the system. Even though the lenders would like to pass on these savings to their customers, in the current economic climate those savings may have to wait a while until the market is more stable.
The lenders are concerned at exposing themselves to more 'bad debt', as cardholders struggle to meet repayments in the worsening economic climate. As a result, the card companies are not passing on the rate cut to their customers, despite Government attempts to boost the economy at ground level through fiscal policies that often seem to be knee-jerk reactions to the latest headlines. As a result, the credit card market looks set to be the next target of Gordon Brown and his Chancellor, as the Government calls for a ?new, responsible approach? to lending.
Store cards are amongst some of the worst culprits of inflated interest charges, but a few credit cards also charge above-rate interest charges. The trick for the consumer is to hunt through the acres of information and find a deal that suits them. The average APR charge on credit cards has risen from 16.8% a year ago to the current average of 17.6% today, despite the interest rate almost halving from 5.75% to 3% over the same time period. Store card rates have risen faster, up by 1% over a six-month period, with the most expensive now charging shoppers more than 30%. This reluctance to replicate the base rate cut has angered government officials, leading them to accuse credit card companies of behaving 'irresponsibly' in the face of mounting pressure to mirror the base rate cut with reductions of their own. Despite continued calls by both the public and the Government, credit card lenders are remaining steadfast, insisting that rates on cards will not be changed. In truth, the credit card lenders are caught between a rock and a hard place. Interest payments are what keep credit card companies in business. At this time, reducing your capital would be a suicidal move by the card companies.
The credit card lenders, concerned by the potential of exposure to 'bad debt', are tightening up on their approach to business, making sure that customers take full responsibility for their loans. It can take only a couple of missed payments for a customer to be at the receiving end of strict enforcement of payment orders, but card companies do understand that everyone is being hit by this crisis, and will do everything they can to help people out. This isn't some good-natured, altruistic approach - it's good business sense. Minimum monthly repayments barely cover interest charges and administration fees. The Citizen's Advice Bureau has said that 20% of all new debt inquiries in 2007-08 have concerned credit card, store card and charge card debts. The Consumer Credit Counselling Service agrees; they have seen a surge in 'charging orders' enforced by card firms in the same period. Card lenders in return have made changes to their customer support policies, being much more proactive in helping those who do get into difficulties tackle the problems much earlier, reducing the overall burden.
In the US, interest rates on credit cards have echoed base rate cuts, but this is unlikely to happen in the UK any time soon, despite only a 2% difference in the base rate between the two countries. Lenders point to regulations, such as the decision by the Office of Fair Trading in 2006 to cap penalty fees to 12 as responsible for their woes. They also earmark their own falling profits on payment protection insurance as a primary factor in their inability to reduce card interest rates. The card lenders are trying to maintain a critical balance at the most direct contact point that most consumers have with the financial world, and despite the nay-sayers, there are still very attractive deals to be had on credit cards, if you're prepared to do your homework. - 16928
While mortgage borrowers will have to wait and see if the trickle-down effect reduces the cost of their mortgage repayments, credit card customers have been warned not to expect repayments to fall. Consumers look set to continue to pay an average of 17% APR on credit cards, and that percentage is unlikely to change as a result of the rate cut. The common opinion is that rates are only cut to attract customers, and in the current economic climate, lenders are reluctant to encourage even more credit into the system. Even though the lenders would like to pass on these savings to their customers, in the current economic climate those savings may have to wait a while until the market is more stable.
The lenders are concerned at exposing themselves to more 'bad debt', as cardholders struggle to meet repayments in the worsening economic climate. As a result, the card companies are not passing on the rate cut to their customers, despite Government attempts to boost the economy at ground level through fiscal policies that often seem to be knee-jerk reactions to the latest headlines. As a result, the credit card market looks set to be the next target of Gordon Brown and his Chancellor, as the Government calls for a ?new, responsible approach? to lending.
Store cards are amongst some of the worst culprits of inflated interest charges, but a few credit cards also charge above-rate interest charges. The trick for the consumer is to hunt through the acres of information and find a deal that suits them. The average APR charge on credit cards has risen from 16.8% a year ago to the current average of 17.6% today, despite the interest rate almost halving from 5.75% to 3% over the same time period. Store card rates have risen faster, up by 1% over a six-month period, with the most expensive now charging shoppers more than 30%. This reluctance to replicate the base rate cut has angered government officials, leading them to accuse credit card companies of behaving 'irresponsibly' in the face of mounting pressure to mirror the base rate cut with reductions of their own. Despite continued calls by both the public and the Government, credit card lenders are remaining steadfast, insisting that rates on cards will not be changed. In truth, the credit card lenders are caught between a rock and a hard place. Interest payments are what keep credit card companies in business. At this time, reducing your capital would be a suicidal move by the card companies.
The credit card lenders, concerned by the potential of exposure to 'bad debt', are tightening up on their approach to business, making sure that customers take full responsibility for their loans. It can take only a couple of missed payments for a customer to be at the receiving end of strict enforcement of payment orders, but card companies do understand that everyone is being hit by this crisis, and will do everything they can to help people out. This isn't some good-natured, altruistic approach - it's good business sense. Minimum monthly repayments barely cover interest charges and administration fees. The Citizen's Advice Bureau has said that 20% of all new debt inquiries in 2007-08 have concerned credit card, store card and charge card debts. The Consumer Credit Counselling Service agrees; they have seen a surge in 'charging orders' enforced by card firms in the same period. Card lenders in return have made changes to their customer support policies, being much more proactive in helping those who do get into difficulties tackle the problems much earlier, reducing the overall burden.
In the US, interest rates on credit cards have echoed base rate cuts, but this is unlikely to happen in the UK any time soon, despite only a 2% difference in the base rate between the two countries. Lenders point to regulations, such as the decision by the Office of Fair Trading in 2006 to cap penalty fees to 12 as responsible for their woes. They also earmark their own falling profits on payment protection insurance as a primary factor in their inability to reduce card interest rates. The card lenders are trying to maintain a critical balance at the most direct contact point that most consumers have with the financial world, and despite the nay-sayers, there are still very attractive deals to be had on credit cards, if you're prepared to do your homework. - 16928
About the Author:
Frank Armstrong writes articles about credit and money saving for websites. Get further information on low interest credit card and compare credit cards here.
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