New research on understanding consumer indebtedness and free-to-client debt advice.
News Item dated 24th August 2009.

A new CPE Research project funded by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills in partnership with free-to-client debt advice charities is exploring the causes and persistence of consumer overindebtedness in the United Kingdom utilising individual-level data on client histories. The project seeks to improve the capability of DBIS in monitoring trends in consumer overindebtedness, arrears and default on consumer credit, as wel as understanding the persistence of consumer debt and impact of debt advice on debt recovery and repayment.

This project is being conducted by Professor Richard Disney and Dr John Gathergood. The research project involves close collaboration with the free-to-client debt advice sector, using data provided by the Consumer Credit Counselling Service, the Money Advice Trust and the Citizens' Advice Bureau.

News Item dated 24th August 2009.

Richard Disney is Professor of Labour Economics in the Nottingham School of Economics, and Director of the Centre for Policy Evaluation. John Gathergood is a lecturer in the Nottingham School of Economics and a Research Fellow of the Centre for POlicy Evaluation