New Insurance Post piece written by @fairbydesign.bsky.social Director Rebecca Deegan is out today. We've been working behind the scenes to develop our thinking on the poverty premium in car insurance - more to come soon...

New Financial Services Growth & Competitiveness Strategy reiterates Treasury's intention to review regulators' 'have regards'. We call on Treasury to maintain the FCA's 'have regard' to financial inclusion so that consumer protection remains an important cornerstone of growth. tinyurl.com/ye2523hf

“That creates a poverty premium where people are having to pay higher prices, sometimes for basic goods” Really good to see Meg Hillier mention the poverty premium as part of the TSC's scrutiny of the Government’s financial inclusion strategy. www.heraldscotland.com/news/2529128...

It was great to be in Parliament again this week, to watch @mariacbooker.bsky.social give evidence to the Energy Select Committee's inquiry on support for the transition to net zero. We talked about inclusive design as an important tool to ensure people on low incomes are included in policy making

A huge thanks to the lived experience expert speakers who shared their stories yesterday at our event on affordable credit and financial inclusion. It’s vital that these voices help shape policy and the design of financial services.

We are very pleased with the Government's commitment to fully fund the Warm Homes Plan. This is a good step towards making homes more energy efficient and reduce bills. Now, the Government needs to support all those in fuel poverty and introduce a social tariff.

Can local No Interest Loan Schemes (NILS) help low-income households to weather financial bumps in the road? A case study from County Durham. Read our latest case study on how NILS is helping people get back on their feet. fairbydesign.com/we-launch-ne...

"The key question is not whether fairness depends on growth, but what kind of growth can sustain a fairer society. This requires moving beyond reflexive calls for deregulation on the right, as well as resisting degrowth proposals from parts of the left."

After today’s price cap kicks in, the standard credit premium will be £135/year. This is the extra charge for paying for energy when you get a bill instead of using direct debit. Many people on low incomes don't know they're paying extra, or think this charge is smaller than it actually is.

🧵 As Ofgem announces the new energy price cap, some low-income households will still pay £135 more a year – just because they pay after getting their bill.

Big thanks to Responsible Finance for featuring our Give Me Some Credit exhibition at the launch of their report: Soaring to new heights. We support growing purpose-driven financial sector so everyone can access affordable credit – especially those shut out by mainstream lenders.

Great to see 77 MPs back Danny Beales MP call for action against insurance companies charging excessive rates to customers who pay for car and home insurance monthly.

Today the FCA has released their financial lives survey. The survey is a benchmark for the state of the nation's finances, with nearly 18,000 people surveyed. Here are the thoughts of our Director, Rebecca Deegan. Full response fairbydesign.com/we-respond-t...

It was a pleasure to be in Mansfield visiting @steveyemm-mp.bsky.social MP to discuss how we can reduce the poverty premium in his constituency. The poverty premium costs Mansfield roughly over £6 million each year. It's time to put that money back into the local economy.

This week @bigissue.com writes up on one of our key projects, Give Me Some Credit. People on low incomes were given cameras to shoot the realities of living without access to affordable credit. See the result below 👇

As the Government looks to reform the energy market and support the transition to net zero, at Fair By Design we think there is an opportunity to design a system that works for everyone, especially those on low incomes. #energytransition

"This almost uniform deterioration is mirrored in England and Wales and is best explained, he argued, by a single underpinning cause: the austerity cuts to benefits and social services that started in the early 2010s."

“A senior government source said that while a deal was “possible” by Wednesday it was unlikely. “He [Trump] loves the theatre of it all so it will probably come some time afterwards,” they said.” Exactly - theatre

Annual DWP figures released today show: ⚫2% fall in real terms median household income between 22/23 and 23/24 ⚫Fall in household incomes, esp for bottom 10% ⚫4 million children in material deprivation in 23/24 ⚫Income inequality not improving since 2011

New research from @which-uk.bsky.social shows paying monthly for car insurance, rather than in one go, costs more. No one should have to pay more for essential cover because of how they can afford to pay. uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/car-hom...

Our new report with @unchecked-uk.bsky.social is out today, alongside an open letter to the PM, calling for a rethink on regulation to deliver growth and opportunity. Online report at fairnessfoundation.com/fair-rules-f... and I'm also in @bigissue.com at www.bigissue.com/opinion/dere...

The poverty premium in essential services is another reason as to why it's more expensive to be poor in the UK. People in less affluent areas pay almost £314 more a year for car insurance than others living in more affluent areas. If they pay in monthly installments, they pay up to £384 extra.

Yesterday saw the launch of @fairbydesign.bsky.social ‘Give me some credit’ photo exhibition in collaboration with @povertyalliance.org. It was brilliant to see a packed room in Parliament and hear directly from people with lived experience who took part in this project.

Thought provoking @fairbydesign.bsky.social and @povertyalliance.org photo exhibition in parliament today showcasing how people with lived experience feel about not being able to access #credit. Great to talk to contributors about their images and experience

When Gordon’s cooker broke, he was denied a loan and had to ask his dad to put it on a credit card. With no savings and maxed-out overdrafts, families like his are left with impossible choices. Read Gordon’s story: https://buff.ly/3CBNYcs

What an amazing feeling to see this special project being launched today. If you're interested in learning more about the realities of not having a safety net, do have a look at the online gallery. Huge thanks to Lloyd Hatton MP and the APPG on Fair Banking for hosting the Parliamentary launch.

Vocês viram? BRASIL TOTALMENTE INDICADO! 💫

It's more expensive to be poor in Britain than in other countries, due to one key household expense. @SimonPIttaway.bsky.social explains ⤵️

Interesting research out today by Which? showing that consumers have difficulties understanding insurance policy, and many are having their claims rejected. Many people are experiencing problems, such as a lack of clear information and confusing questions. www.independent.co.uk/money/regula...

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Asif Afridi as CEO. Asif is currently Deputy CEO at Birmingham-based brap, an equality and human rights charity. He is trustee of Lankelly Chase Foundation and Baring Foundation.

Energy inefficient homes are leaving 8.8 million adults in the cold, costing the NHS £500m yearly. We need to see a Warm Homes Plan fully funded in the Spending Review and an energy social tariff to support the most vulnerable.

So happy about today's announcement. We at @fairbydesign.bsky.social are looking forward to working with Government and Committee members to improve access to financial services for people on low incomes.

Fields of broken dreams: How the farmers' protests over inheritance tax illustrate the impossibility of building a fairer society without tackling the underlying causes of unfairness www.faircomment.co.uk/p/fields-of-...

Here’s a short story about who wins and loses from the status quo of our inheritance tax rules - and about, what you might politely call ‘sub-optimal’ journalism🧵

Why is inflation going up again? @jamessmithrf.bsky.social explains 👇

So good to do my first post here about a major campaign win. The financial services regulator has been asked by the Chancellor to have regard to financial inclusion in its work. This is something Fair By Design has long called for. Now we need to make sure that this is done in a meaningful way.