POUND NOTES

A fifth of those surveyed said that if they did look in their wallet, they’d find no cash

‘NO WALLET’ FOR ONE IN 14

ONE in 14 people no longer carry a wallet, a survey has found.

Some 7% no longer take a wallet out and about with them, while a fifth (20%) said that if they were to look in their wallet it would not contain any cash, according to digital payments service PayPal.

The growth of contactless cards and mobile payment apps means many people are now less reliant on cash to make payments than in the past.

MARTIN LEWIS FUNDING ‘MORTGAGE PRISONERS’ STUDY

CONSUMER champion Martin Lewis (pictured) is funding a large-scale study which aims to help thousands of “mortgage prisoners” trapped in expensive loans to break free.

The MoneySavingExpert.com founder is making a five-figure donation via his charitable fund for the research, which will look at ways to help 170,000 people who are stuck in their mortgages.

The research is being carried out by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where Mr Lewis was previously a student.

Mortgage prisoners are trapped in their current deal, often with an inactive or unregulated lender, sometimes paying much higher rates than other homeowners.

PET OWNERS FAILING TO RESEARCH COST OF ANIMALS, SURVEY FINDS

ONE in 10 pet owners who regret choosing their animal’s particular breed said they didn’t realise the cost involved, a survey has found.

Overall, more than a fifth (22%) of pet owners have regretted choosing their pet’s breed, according to Sainsbury’s Bank Pet Insurance.

More than half (51%) of pet owners carried out no research before buying a pet.

MORE MORTGAGES APPROVED

THE number of mortgages being approved to home buyers jumped to its highest level in more than two years in December 2019, Bank of England figures show.

Across the UK, some 67,241 loans for house purchase got the go ahead – marking the highest number since July 2017.