In response to the High Court judgement that most consumers will not be able to use common law to challenge bank charges, Simeon Linstead, head of personal finance, uSwitch.com comments:

With the UK sinking deeper into a period of economic crisis, every penny counts for consumers as they reign in their spending to cope with the soaring cost of living and crumbling economy. Through small lifestyle changes, these consumers have successfully saved £2.7[1] billion. However, this saving could fan the flames of economic recession. Many businesses are already struggling to stay afloat whilst others, such as banks and financial institutions, are collapsing around our ears.

Amidst the current financial uncertainty, it seems the HBOS group is offering a lifeline to struggling credit card customers. Starting this week, all of their 4 million[2] credit card customers will be allowed to make a minimum repayment of just 1% of their balance each month - half the previous amount (2%).

In response to today’s decision by the Bank of England to decrease the base rate by 0.5% to 4.5%, Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service, comments:

In the last four weeks alone, research from uSwitch.com reveals that eight providers have increased unsecured personal loans by as much as 9% and the total number of loans available has fallen from 56 to 52.

5.9 million energy customers are on prepayment meters (PPMs), but only around 1 million are actually repaying a debt - at least 4.9 million customers could be paying over the odds for their energy as a result.

Simeon Linstead, Head of Personal Finance at uSwitch.com, comments on the FSA’s update on its review of the sale of Payment Protection Insurance (PPI).

British Gas has revealed today that it is pulling its cheapest energy plan – Click Energy 5 - off the market and putting prices up by £305 for those consumers already signed up to it. It is also bringing out a new online plan – Click Energy 6.

uSwitch.com warns that one in four motorists are not going to be covered

New analysis by uSwitch.com reveals that in the last decade the cost to insure, service, tax and fuel a car has outstripped the rate of inflation by 34% or £608. It now costs motorists £2,395 a year to keep their cars on the road. But if costs had stayed in line with inflation then drivers would only be paying £1,787.

uSwitch.com urges consumers to think carefully about protection when paying for holidays.

npower puts prices up by 26% or £162 for gas and 14% or £60 for electricity from today.

British consumers face another energy bill blow today as the last two energy suppliers to announce price increases finally made the move.

Just 12 months into the credit crunch and lending in the mortgage and unsecured loan market has fallen at a rapid pace of £2.7 billion[1] a quarter on average over the last year. In total, providers have reduced lending by £11 billion[1] in these two sectors combined from the second quarter of 2007 to the second quarter of 2008. In order to find out the true impact of this 12 month financial tsunami, uSwitch.com has taken a closer look at consumer lending in the UK to find out where people are borrowing money from.

For the first time since 1997, household disposable income has fallen in cash terms. It now stands at £14,520, a drop of 15% in just one year. Disposable income is now just £2,491 (21%) higher than that enjoyed by households in 1997. While latest salary inflation figures show average pay rises of just 3.4% and unemployment rising at its fastest rate in 16 years, households are being forced to find an additional £145 a month to cover the cost of rising bills.

E.ON puts prices up by 26% or £167 for gas and 16% or £67 for electricity from 22nd August 2008. Ann Robinson comments.

There was a double whammy for British consumers today with two major household energy suppliers announcing price increases. Tim Wolfenden comments.

Drink driving should not just be associated with the festive season warns uSwitch.com.

With families’ disposable incomes dropping at the fastest rate since the 1970s, uSwitch.com has found that over 10 million households will struggle to pay for the increase in energy bills.

Latest reports may indicate that the High Street has been hit by the credit crunch, but the nation’s love of bargain hunting shows no signs of abating, according to findings by independent price comparison and switching service, uSwitch.com.