One in four collections agents have engaged with someone believed to be suicidal, according to a new report that reveals huge progress in how the collections industry treats vulnerable customers. The report, Vulnerability; a guide for debt collection, has been launched by the Finance and Leasing Association (FLA) and The UK Cards Association in partnership with Chris Fitch at the University of Bristol’s Personal Finance Research Centre. The research team behind the paper surveyed around 1,600 frontline collections and specialist staff from 27 UK lenders and debt collection firms. Across a 12-month period, 657 conversations were held between frontline collections staff and customers believed to be at serious risk of suicide. The report considered these findings at scale over a single year and the number of suicide disclosures, believed to be serious,.....Read more here