Equifax UK has today announced a two-year partnership with award winning think-tank, the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ). The partnership will bring together Equifax UK’s unique analytical capacity and insights into the nation’s financial health and the CSJ’s extensive knowledge and experience driving large-scale reform in the UK.

Understanding the impact of this high-cost borrowing, and the pathways out of problem debt remains essential to ensure the continued safety of the UK’s borrowers. The latest data from Equifax’s Financial Health Report 2023 shows that UK households took on an extra £72 billion of personal debt in 2022, predicts household disposable income to continue falling in 2023, with consumers switching to cheaper products, drawing from their savings and using credit to make ends meet. The report also shines a light on the £18.7 billion in unclaimed benefits currently sitting in the UK, and starts to explore some of the possible solutions for the industry.

This two-year partnership will allow Equifax and the CSJ to identify and address some of the barriers to financial inclusion among the hardest hit households, with the aim of helping more people in the UK live their financial best.

Sue Owen-Bailey, Social Value Manager at Equifax UK said: “The announcement of today’s partnership between Equifax UK and the Centre for Social Justice represents our commitment to using the power of data to create a measurable impact on the financial landscape, helping people live their financial best. This collaboration will enable us to provide the CSJ with the information they need to continue their efforts to drive discussion and lasting change.”

Matthew Greenwood, Head of Debt at the Centre for Social Justice said: “Support from organisations like Equifax is vital to allow us to help the UK’s hardest hit households. Britain has endured higher costs for essential goods and services driven largely by inflation, and we know those on lower incomes have borne the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis. The partnership with Equifax will provide vital data and insights into the current health of the UK’s finances; providing a starting point from which we can identify where support is most needed.”

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Notes to the Editor:

ABOUT EQUIFAX:  

At Equifax (NYSE: EFX), we believe knowledge drives progress. As a global data, analytics, and technology company, we play an essential role in the global economy by helping financial institutions, companies, employers, and government agencies make critical decisions with greater confidence. Our unique blend of differentiated data, analytics, and cloud technology drives insights to power decisions to move people forward. Headquartered in Atlanta and supported by more than 14,000 employees worldwide, Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region.

Equifax Ltd is one of the Equifax group companies based in the UK. Equifax Ltd is one of the Equifax group companies based in the UK. Equifax Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. For more information, visit equifax.co.uk and follow the company’s news on LinkedIn.

ABOUT THE CENTRE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE (CSJ):

Established in 2004, the Centre for Social Justice is an independent think-tank that studies the root causes of Britain’s social problems and addresses them by recommending practical, workable policy interventions. The CSJ’s vision is to give people in the UK who are experiencing the worst multiple disadvantages and injustice every possible opportunity to reach their full potential. 

The majority of the CSJ’s work is organised around five ‘pathways to poverty’, first identified in our ground-breaking 2007 report Breakthrough Britain. These are: educational failure; family breakdown; economic dependency and worklessness; addiction to drugs and alcohol; and severe personal debt.

Since its inception, the CSJ has changed the landscape of our political discourse by putting social justice at the heart of British politics. This has led to a transformation in government thinking and policy. For instance, in March 2013, the CSJ report It Happens Here shone a light on the horrific reality of human trafficking and modern slavery in the UK. As a direct result of this report, the Government passed the Modern Slavery Act 2015, one of the first pieces of legislation in the world to address slavery and trafficking in the 21st century.

Our research is informed by experts including prominent academics, practitioners and policy-makers. We also draw upon our CSJ Alliance, a unique group of charities, social enterprises and other grass-roots organisations that have a proven track-record of reversing social breakdown across the UK.

The social challenges facing Britain remain serious. In 2023 and beyond, we will continue to advance the cause of social justice so that more people can continue to fulfil their potential.