Borrowing rules should go further

Written by David Fletcher 13 Jun 2019
Borrowing rules should go further

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) borrowing includes catalogue credit, store cards and retailers finance at the point of sale. New measures require retailers to present BNPL offers more clearly, give adequate explanations of costs and negative consequences; and prompt people when the 0% interest period expires to allow them to repay the full balance before incurring charges. Debt charity StepChange welcomes the modest changes, but doubts whether they will fully achieve their objective. It would like to see a closer look at the use of discounts and incentives, and would like to see continued scrutiny in this area, to ensure consumers are protected against poor practice. Citizens Advice said, ‘The new rules won’t stop people being hit by unexpected costs on unpaid amounts. To protect people better, the FCA should only allow firms to charge interest once the promotional period ends.’

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  • Pray: for improved protection for people who are vulnerable due to health or a changed financial situation. (Leviticus 25:35)