09:15
Event details and housekeeping
Mark Fiander will welcome delegates to the Annual Conference with an overview of the current landscape for consumer credit. He will reflect on the key challenges facing the industry and the opportunities that lie ahead.
09:25
Introduction from CCTA
Jason will provide an update on the association’s recent work, highlighting key developments across the consumer credit sector and the issues currently shaping CCTA’s priorities.
He will also outline the association’s ongoing engagement with regulators, policymakers and members on issues that matter most to the industry.
09:35
Redress: Friend or foe?
For more years than lenders care to remember, the topic of redress has been a live one. Redress events have led to significant redress programmes and even, in some cases, the failure of firms. This has led to operational challenges and some investors having a perception of a claims culture.
But changes are on the horizon with consumer credit reform, reform of the Financial Ombudsman Service, developments before the Court (including so-called Omnibus Claims) and proposed wider reform of group litigation.
So against that backdrop, redress: friend or foe?
09:50
Running a consumer credit business in 2026
What does it really take to run a consumer credit business in 2026? In this fireside chat, CEOs from across the CCTA membership will share their perspectives on the pressures, challenges and opportunities facing firms.
We will explore the impact of rising regulatory and operational costs, increasing uncertainty and the practical realities of running a business with finite resources. What are firms seeing from customers, and how are changing household finances affecting demand, affordability and risk appetite? How are business models evolving in response?
The conversation will also look ahead: where are firms investing, and how are technology, automation and AI changing the way they operate and serve customers? Where are the opportunities for sustainable growth?
Finally, what do businesses need from the FCA, HM Treasury and policymakers to support innovation, competition and access to credit over the next few years?
11:00
Shaping the future of consumer finance
How can we build a consumer finance market that supports access, innovation and growth while protecting consumers? This speech highlights what the FCA and firms can do now and explores the choices ahead and calls for industry, consumer organisations and the FCA to work together to create a trusted, inclusive and resilient market.
11:30
The road ahead: What next for consumer credit?
Consumer credit regulation is entering an important period of change. From the implementation of the Consumer Duty and reform of the Consumer Credit Act to affordability debates, access to credit and the future direction of regulation, firms are navigating a complex and evolving landscape.
This panel will bring together senior voices from across the sector to explore what these developments mean in practice. How are firms responding to changing regulatory expectations? What are the implications for business models and the way firms serve their customers? And are we getting the balance right between consumer protection, responsible lending and access to credit?
The discussion will also look ahead to the next few years, considering what firms and consumers need from regulators and policymakers as the regulatory framework evolves.
The panel will offer a practical and constructive discussion about how we can build a regulatory environment that works for consumers and firms.
12:20
The consumer who doesn’t exist: Why better affordability starts with better understanding
In a turbulent economic environment, a responsible credit decision now requires more than traditional metrics. The reliance on rigid, ‘tick-box’ assessments based on historic, ‘average’ consumer models often leads to the unnecessary rejection of creditworthy individuals who fall outside traditional categories. This session offers lenders an opportunity to access a deeper, more accurate understanding of their customers’ true financial standing and enable more confident lending decisions.
Evidence-based, real-time data is a powerful tool to move beyond standard categories, identify true affordability risks, and support modern borrowers. This session will challenge inflexible lending mindsets, explain how to build a better view of affordability, and show how you can use richer data to drive responsible decisioning while fulfilling Consumer Duty obligations, building a future where lending decisions are smarter, fairer, and more sustainable.
13:35
Financial Freedom for Everyone: Practical reform for a fairer credit system
Financial exclusion is rising, while the supply of credit for customers outside the mainstream has narrowed. Yet one of the clearest signs of financial responsibility, paying rent reliably every month, is still often missing from the data used to assess creditworthiness.
This session will explain why making rental payment data more consistently available, with tenant consent, could help more people build stronger credit profiles and move up the credit ladder. We will share progress behind Evlo’s Financial Freedom for Everyone campaign, from building an industry coalition to engaging Parliament, Government and the FCA, alongside action through its partnership with CreditLadder.
The session will also explore the challenges around rental data sharing and why Evlo believes progress, with appropriate safeguards, can deliver fairer outcomes for consumers, lenders and the wider UK economy. We will also touch on Evlo’s work to improve outcomes in the IVA market, including its call for stronger regulation and greater consumer protection.
13:50
How can payments play a greater role in good customer outcomes?
This panel will explore the changing role of payments within the customer journey and how firms can balance customer experience, commercial outcomes and regulatory expectations. Panellists will discuss how effective and accessible payment processes can support collections success, while recognising the different circumstances and needs of customers.
The discussion will consider the challenges faced by customers experiencing financial difficulty or vulnerability, and how firms can use payments data, processes and technology to identify and respond to these needs appropriately. It will also explore the growing importance of fraud prevention and how firms can protect customers without creating unnecessary friction or barriers.
Against the backdrop of the Consumer Duty, the panel will consider what good outcomes look like in practice and how firms can ensure their payment strategies support customers while delivering sustainable outcomes for both businesses and consumers.
14:30
From insight to evidence: Outcomes testing under the Consumer Duty
The FCA’s latest review of outcomes monitoring sets a clear benchmark for firms under the Consumer Duty. This keynote will explore the regulator’s examples of good and poor practice, from meaningful outcome definitions, thresholds, and governance to weaknesses such as high-level MI, overuse of operational MI and limited evidence of customer impact.
It will translate the findings into practical steps for consumer credit firms and show how Assure 4 uses regulatory expertise and AI-enabled technology to deliver scalable, consistent and audit ready outcomes testing across the customer lifecycle.
15:05
Tackling illegal lending: Insight from the frontline
Illegal lending is evolving, with activity increasingly extending beyond traditional loan shark models into online and social media channels. This session will provide a practical insight into what the Illegal Money Lending Team is seeing on the ground, who is turning to illegal lenders and why.
The session will explore the real-world harms associated with illegal lending, including exploitation, intimidation, economic abuse and links to wider financial crime. It will also consider an important question: what happens when consumers cannot access regulated credit, and how can demand be displaced towards illegal alternatives?
Delegates will hear what regulated lenders can do to recognise potential signs of illegal lending, support customers safely and work effectively with the IMLT.
The session will conclude with a discussion about how lenders, government, regulators and other stakeholders can work together to reduce illegal lending and improve access to safe, regulated credit.
15:25
Insights, trends and redress reform: An update from the Financial Ombudsman Service
This session will provide an overview of the key trends the Financial Ombudsman Service has seen over the past year, including the issues driving consumer complaints and the insights these patterns offer into the wider financial services landscape.
It will also cover progress on the Modernising Redress reforms, outlining the changes being made to improve efficiency, consistency and transparency. Kevin will discuss how these reforms will help ensure the Ombudsman Service continues to provide a fair, effective and sustainable service for consumers and businesses in a changing environment.
15:55
Conclusion from CCTA
Jason will bring the conference to a close with a reflection on the key themes and discussions from across the day. He will consider what the insights shared mean for the consumer credit industry and look ahead to the challenges, opportunities and priorities for the year ahead.
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CCTA Inform - Summer 2026 Issue
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CCTA Membership
CCTA Academy
CCTA Conference
CCTA Agreements
CCTA Marketing
CCTA Workshop - Employment Rights Act
CCTA Dinner - 2026 Member Dinner
CCTA Conference - 2026 Sponsorship
CCTA Conference - 2026 Event Brochure
CCTA Inform - Summer 2026 Issue
CCTA Magazine - 2026 Issue Two
CCTA Guidance - New Complaints Reporting Process
CCTA Guidance - NFM
CCTA Guidance - SM&CR Reforms
Horizon Scan - 2026
Year in Review - 2025
