2007

The January sales are one of the biggest temptations in the calendar - and, according to new research, nearly a third of Brits already treat ourselves to things we can't afford!

It may be the season to be jolly, however next year could be an entirely different story… Research from Bacs Payment Schemes Limited (Bacs), the industry body behind Direct Debit has revealed that almost a third of us are living for today, rather than planning for the future

Independent schools across the UK are now enabling parents to spread the cost of fees over the course of the academic year.

Bassetlaw District Council has been recognised by Bacs for its outstanding committment to Direct Debit. The local authority is one of the first councils in the country to receive a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award acknowledging its tireless efforts in promoting Direct Debit to residents as a quick, simple and efficient method of paying council tax bills.

Colchester Council has been awarded a lifetime achievement award by Bacs, recognising the local authority's outstanding contribution to Direct Debit promotion.

Seven councils, who between them have increased the use of Direct Debit among their residents by over 50% in the last year, have been rewarded for their efforts by Bacs, as part of its annual Local Authority Direct Debit Challenge Awards.

Bacs provides top tips for payment success. To help UK SME's avoid the scourge of late payments. Bacs has produced five top tips that every business owner should put into practice to improve financial management and control.

With latest research suggesting that the average household bill is £61.33 and the average individual bill is £91.65, "smarten" up your finances and see just how much disposable income you have with the brand new budget calculator launched by Bacs.

Following the last summer bank holiday of the year, Bacs has uncovered a smart way to create more free time - latest research suggests that up to seven hours a year can be saved just by Direct Debit to pay for regular bills.

Latest research from Bacs suggests that student households could save up to £158 per year and individuals more than £100 a year, just by choosing to pay regular household and personal bills by Direct Debit.

Think you're an expert at juggling your finances? Then why not test your money skills out by joining The Smarts on Easy Street to play a new online game - you never know, you could end up winning £500!

With just under four weeks to go before the final entry deadline of 3 August, Bacs is urging councils that have not yet entered its 2007 Local Authority Direct Debit Challenge Awards, to consider the benefits of submitting an entry and becoming a winner.

Latest research from Bacs has indicated that as much as £208 a year can be saved by UK households who choose to pay by Direct Debit.

With an estimated 10 billion calls into UK contact centres every year, training staff to deal with common queries is vital. However, making information easy to digest and simple to recall can be challenging. To help overcome these issues Bacs has launched Bacs Academy - a brand new and highly innovative training platform.

Free training guides about Direct Debit have been flying off the shelves to destinations including Kathmandu, Kent, Amsterdam and Oldham. More than 5,000 copies of the booklet have been snapped up by call centre managers around the world in just 20 weeks and Bacs has organised reprints to keep pace with demand.

Local authorities that have made tangible improvements in their council tax rates suring the last year need look no further for recognition! Today, Bacs has launched its annual Local Authority Direct Debit Challenge Awards.

Local Authorities looking to improve council tax collection rates during 2007 should introduce a choice of payment dates, allowing local residents to pay weekly or choose their preferred monthly date - that’s the latest recommendation to come out of research from Bacs.

Large companies in Great Britain like Boots and Tesco are responding to customer spending patterns and restricting the use and acceptance of cheques – and according to new research smaller, independent businesses ought to consider following suit.

More than half of adults in Britain have abandoned their cheque books, according to figures released today by Bacs.

A brand new report from Bacs has revealed a fascinating snapshot of life in Great Britain. Officially launched this week at an event in Central London, the Bacs Consumer Payments Survey (CPS) report provides a unique insight into the habits of British adults.

Three years on from the governance review that separated Bacs and Voca into two distinct organisations, Bacs has announced figures showing its payment schemes are going from strength to strength.