How We Research Financial Information
Good information starts with good sources. This page explains where our facts come from, how we check them, why our figures are always illustrative, and the limits of what general guidance can offer.
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Where our information comes from
We build our content on sources that are authoritative, impartial and publicly accountable, rather than on marketing material. In order of preference, that means:
- Regulators and official bodies, chiefly the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), whose rules govern how credit is advertised and sold in the UK.
- Government-backed guidance, the free MoneyHelper service and official information published on gov.uk.
- Free debt advice charities, such as StepChange, National Debtline and Citizens Advice, whose guidance reflects frontline experience.
- Reputable consumer-finance publications, used to corroborate and add context, never as the sole basis for a factual claim.
How we check a claim before publishing
Before a factual statement goes on the page, we try to confirm it against at least one authoritative source, and against more than one where a point is important or easily misunderstood. If we cannot stand a claim up, we either leave it out or make clear that it is a general principle rather than a precise rule. We are most careful with anything that might sway a borrowing decision, and there we choose caution over confidence.
General information is not a substitute for a lender's own terms or for regulated advice about your circumstances. Always check the actual figures and conditions offered to you before you commit to anything.
Why are our figures only illustrative?
When we use a pound amount, an interest rate or a repayment in an example, it is there to show how a calculation works, not to tell you what you would be charged. Real rates depend on the lender, the product, the amount borrowed, the term and your own credit history, and they change over time. That is why we label example figures as illustrative, and why our calculators, such as the debt consolidation calculator, produce estimates rather than quotes.
How we show costs and trade-offs honestly
We try to make the status of every number obvious from its context: an example is introduced as an example, and an estimate is described as an estimate. Where a figure illustrates a trade-off, such as a longer loan term lowering the monthly payment but raising the total cost, we show both sides so the comparison is fair. Our guide to understanding APR explains how the headline cost figure is put together.
How we keep pages up to date
Guidance, rules and widely quoted figures all move over time. We review published pages on a regular cycle, and again whenever we become aware of a relevant change, for instance to regulatory guidance or to the way a product is commonly described. Our full approach to review and corrections sits in our editorial policy, and you can flag anything that looks out of date through our contact page.
What our research cannot do
Our research supports general education, nothing more. We are not a lender, broker or adviser, and we cannot assess your personal finances or recommend a product. Those limits are set out in full in our financial information disclaimer. To see how this research comes together in practice, our pillar guide to debt consolidation loans is a good place to start, and anyone who is struggling should consider the free advice services listed above.