30 July 2024
London, 29 April 2024 – Pepper Advantage, a global credit intelligence company, today published data on its portfolio of over 100,000 UK residential mortgages that shows the rate of mortgage arrears1 growth slowed in Q1 2024 to its lowest rate since Q4 2022, when the combined effects of the cost-of-living crisis and the September 2022 Mini-Budget began to impact UK household budgets.
The percentage of mortgages in arrears across Pepper Advantage’s UK portfolio grew by 3.9% in Q1 2024 compared to Q4 2023. This figure compares to a quarterly growth rate of 5.7% in Q4 2023 and 7.0% in Q3 2023. While the rate of arrears growth has slowed, the absolute rate of arrears remains at the highest level since 2008.
Other key findings from Pepper Advantage’s analysis include:
Aaron Milburn, UK Managing Director for Pepper Advantage, said: “While the slowing growth in the rate of arrears and lower direct debit rejections are welcome news for lenders and borrowers, the picture remains complex, and the overall level of arrears is still the highest since the 2008 financial crisis.
“The slowing growth suggests an increasingly resilient UK economy as lower inflation and higher-than-expected wage increases alleviate pressure on household budgets in some areas. However, the disparity seen between regions and age groups shows that financial challenges are not evenly spread. The Q1 data contains some hopeful indicators, but it is too soon to say if these trends will continue into Q2. Managers and lenders must be cognisant that some groups remain under pressure and will likely require support for some time.”
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