Demand at UK’s biggest pawnbroker at record high amid cost of living crisis

A history number of persons are pawning merchandise to borrow cash from Britain’s most significant pawnbroker amid an escalating price tag of living crisis.

H&T Group stated “pledge lending” – lending secured versus a customer’s important items these types of as watches or jewellery – was at history degrees, in a investing update released on Monday.

The pawnbroker’s expansion has been prompted by customers’ squeezed funds amid 40-calendar year higher inflation, according to Shore Funds, an investment decision financial institution. Customer price ranges index inflation hit 9.1% in Might, the greatest degree since February 1982, on the again of vast-ranging selling price rises fuelled by disruption from the coronavirus pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Borrowing from H&T has exceeded the pre-pandemic substantial with no peace of lending conditions.

“This solid demand, in our watch, demonstrates the affect of the price tag of dwelling disaster as perfectly as the withdrawal of levels of competition from the unsecured higher-cost credit score room, such as as a result of the the latest closure of two of the main dwelling-gathered credit rating companies,” wrote Gary Greenwood, a Shore Money analyst.

He added that the value of residing disaster was very likely to keep on to support demand from customers for pawnbrokers. Economists anticipate home finances to be hit more in the autumn, when the UK’s electricity value cap will soar to replicate bigger rates on worldwide wholesale markets.

H&T’s pawnbroking pledge book was value £84m at the conclude of June, up by 74% on the £48m a calendar year before and an improve of pretty much £20m given that the end of December when it stood at £67m. The company said there was “growth throughout the group’s shopper foundation and in all geographies”.

H&T, which was established in 1897 in London by Messrs Harvey and Thompson, has 256 outlets and extra than 1,400 personnel. It also features travel funds, cheque cashing and gold obtain. These other expert services have benefited the corporation, with demand for gold “buoyant” since of climbing prices, and the return of international journey right after pandemic limitations meaning a robust recovery for international exchange.

Chris Gillespie, H&T’s chief executive, stated: “I am delighted with the development we have built in the very first 50 % of 2022, and the momentum with which we enter the 2nd 50 % of the calendar year.”