uSwitch.com has identified three companies providing personal loans which have decided to boost rates on the products for new customers, despite the low-interest environment.
Marks and Spencer has increased rates on several of its unsecured personal loans by 1.2 per cent, while those looking to take out a £3,000 to £20,000 borrowing with Egg have seen an interest rise of one per cent to 14.9 per cent.
At the same time, consumers new to Alliance and Leicester have seen £5,000 to £7,499 personal loans increased by 0.1 per cent to 8.9 per cent and £7,500 to £15,000 credit pushed up by 0.8 per cent to 8.7 per cent.
Louise Bond, personal finance expert at uSwitch.com, said: "As consumers struggle to make ends meet and manage their finances, loan providers are looking to offer the best rates to those whose financial behaviour they can closely inspect - which are their existing customers."
Guardian journalist Liz Philips recently claimed that 80 per cent of personal loan providers advertise 'typical' levels of interest, but only "squeaky-clean" consumers will be able to take advantage of those rates.





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