Following the announcement from Nationwide Building Society that consumer confidence has improved for the first time since December 2007, debt management company Gregory Pennington commented that this is an encouraging sign that the Government’s recent actions aimed towards economic recovery may be working, but warned consumers that difficult times may still lie ahead – and those facing financial worries, particularly debt problems, should tackle those issues as soon as possible.
Nationwide’s overall Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) rose 8% in the month, bringing the index up from 51 
in September to 55 in October. Most significantly, this is the first rise since December last year – a sign that some form of economic recovery could be on the horizon, possibly as a result of the recent Government bank bailout scheme.
The number of people who thought the economy would be performing better in six months time almost doubled from 14% in September to 27% in October.
However, Nationwide’s figures showed slightly less optimistic opinions amongst consumers regarding the current state of the economy: three quarters (75%) of those questioned believed the current economic situation is bad, compared with two thirds (66%) in September.
A spokesperson for debt management company Gregory Pennington said that increased consumer confidence for the future is encouraging, but added that consumer confidence should not be confused with expert’s predictions.
“The Consumer Confidence Index is to do with how people feel,†she said. “It’s likely that consumer confidence has improved on the back of the recent Government bank bailout scheme, as well as cuts in the base rate. But that doesn’t necessarily mean we are much more likely to avoid any of the issues highlighted by economists in recent months.
“On the one hand, consumer confidence is very important for the economy and could be pivotal in terms of how soon and how quickly the economy recovers. When consumer confidence is high, people are more willing to spend their money and less inclined to save, therefore pumping more cash into the economy and maintaining a healthy cycle. Conversely, when consumer confidence is low, less money flows through the economy – and that puts the economy at risk of recession.
“The Consumer Confidence Index is a reasonable indicator of how the economy could fare in the coming months, as long as attitudes remain the same. But it doesn’t tackle the underlying issues that continue to threaten the economy – issues which could cause consumer confidence to fall back down.â€
The spokesperson added that even though consumer confidence on the whole is recovering, there are many people facing financial hardship due to fast-rising inflation over the past year, many of whom find themselves struggling with debt.
“We have been through an unusual situation for the economy over the past year, in which affordable living costs suddenly became unaffordable for many households,†she said. “The sharp rises in food, energy and petrol prices have prompted many people to cut back, but many people who were already stretched financially may have been forced into debt in order to make ends meet.
“We advise anyone who finds themselves struggling with debt to seek professional debt advice. The right form of debt management could help to bring down monthly outgoings and really relieve the pressure on those hardest-pressed by the financial crisis.â€
Via EPR Network
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