Decreasing minimum payments 'wrong direction'
Published on : 14/06/2007
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Decreasing the minimum possible payment on credit cards is a move in the wrong direction according to an industry expert.
Andy Davie, of Individual Voluntary Arrangements information website IVA.co.uk, says that minimum payments should in fact be raised - so that consumers can pay off some of their debt rather than just the interest.
Mr Davie was speaking in light of a new statement from Barclaycard, in which the provider said that it was lowering the minimum repayment rate on its credit card products.
"It's a move in the wrong direction," the IVA expert said.
"I'd rather there was an increase in minimum payments.
"With … low minimum payments, people just don't knock anything off the actual balance and before they know it, they're maxing out on their credit cards."
"Raise the minimum payments, because at least then there's room to manoeuvre if people get into trouble," he added.
"At the moment, if you're just paying back two per cent and you get to the point where you can't afford that, where do you go from there?"
