Zopa Blog

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Zopa meets borrower Emily

Emily Heath turned to Zopa when she and her fiancé Rhys decided to bring their wedding forward by a whole 12 months. The couple were originally due to get married…

Posted on 14 February 2017
by Chris Torney

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Future of finance

Zopa since 2012 – a brief history

The period since 2012 has undoubtedly been the most exciting and successful in Zopa’s history – not to mention that of the wider peer-to-peer (P2P) lending industry. Customer numbers have…

Posted on 05 August 2016
by Chris Torney

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Investments Our products

Who are you lending to?

When you lend through Zopa’s peer-to-peer platform, how do we decide who gets your cash? We employ highly sophisticated underwriting procedures to match the money advanced by our many thousands…

Posted on 21 July 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Loans vs credit cards – what’s the best way to get debt-free?

One of the most common reasons people take out personal loans is in order to help their deal with existing debts, be they on other loans or on credit or…

Posted on 22 June 2016
by Chris Torney

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Your money Zopa explains

The Zopa soft search and your credit file

If you apply for a loan, credit card or mortgage but get rejected, it can – in some cases – make you even less likely to obtain a deal elsewhere.…

Posted on 21 June 2016
by Chris Torney

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Your money Zopa explains

Applying for a loan? Look out for these 5 hidden pitfalls

Taking out a personal loan should be a relatively straightforward affair. With loans, there tend to be far fewer hidden catches and pitfalls than you come across in a typical…

Posted on 16 June 2016
by Chris Torney

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Your money Your stories

Zopa meets lender Alison from London

As a former worker in the banking sector and business-studies lecturer, Alison MacDonald was comfortable taking her first steps in peer-to-peer lending four years ago. “I heard about Zopa on…

Posted on 14 June 2016
by Chris Torney

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Your money Zopa explains

How to find the right loan for you

As far as most financial products are concerned, it pays to shop around for the best deal. If your car insurance is coming up for renewal, for example, the chances…

Posted on 26 May 2016
by Chris Torney

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Your money Zopa explains

Credit scores explained

When you apply for a personal loan or other type of borrowing such as a credit card or mortgage, lenders will assess each potential customer’s creditworthiness to establish firstly whether…

Posted on 25 May 2016
by Chris Torney

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Inside Zopa Loans News

Zopa loans… for phones!

Mobile phones are becoming increasingly sophisticated with incredible technological advances made over the past decade in particular. But for consumers, this progress has gone hand-in-hand not just with higher prices,…

Posted on 24 May 2016
by Chris Torney

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Your money Zopa explains

What is an APR?

Whenever you borrow money, the amount you will have to pay back depends on the rate of interest that applies. When you look at adverts or best-buy tables for loans,…

Posted on 13 May 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Thinking of getting a loan? Here are the 6 questions you need to ask

If you need some extra cash, whether it’s to buy a new car, do up your kitchen or even to consolidate existing debts, a personal loan is one of the…

Posted on 10 May 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

How to plan your wedding finances

If you’re due to get married any time soon, financial considerations will be high up your list of concerns. The typical UK wedding now costs more than £20,000 and, despite…

Posted on 06 May 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Is a debt consolidation loan right for you?

One of the most popular reasons to take out is a loan is to reduce the amount of interest you’re paying on existing borrowing. By consolidating your debts, it could…

Posted on 04 May 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

How to make sure you retire before you’re 90

With the Queen celebrating her 90th birthday this week, many of us could be forgiven for wondering whether we too will still be working into our tenth (!) decades. Retirement…

Posted on 21 April 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

What you need to know about challenger banks

A new wave of high-tech challenger banks is set to shake up the UK’s finance industry. The likes of Atom, Tandem and Starling hope to become household names to rival…

Posted on 19 April 2016
by Chris Torney

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Your money Your stories

Zopa meets lender Simon

Simon Field decided to put money into Zopa when his driving instructor recommended the service during a lesson in 2008. “It was the first time I had ever heard about…

Posted on 15 April 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Who are WASPI and what are they campaigning for?p

The campaign set up by a group of women born in the 1950s to get fairer treatment when it comes to the state pension has gathered a large amount of…

Posted on 11 April 2016
by Chris Torney

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Your money Zopa explains

The Personal Savings Allowance explained

NB: The rates of return quoted are accurate on the date of this blog post's publication. A revolutionary change has just been introduced that will help peer-to-peer lenders reduce the…

Posted on 07 April 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Buying a second hand car – what you need to consider

If you’re thinking of getting a new car, it can often make a lot of financial sense to go for a used model – even if it’s just a year…

Posted on 04 April 2016
by Chris Torney

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Future of finance

Fintech trends explained

As the growth in popularity of peer-to-peer lending and crowdfunding platforms shows, financial technology – or fintech for short – is big business these days. Banks and other major institutions…

Posted on 31 March 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

The new pension system explained

In a few days’ time, the UK will have a new state pension system. Out go the complexities of the current arrangements to be replaced by a more generous flat-rate…

Posted on 30 March 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Four steps to cleaning up your credit score

There are lots of attractive-looking credit deals around these days, not least from peer-to-peer lenders such as Zopa. But the fallout from the financial crisis of 2008 has meant that…

Posted on 24 March 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Five ways to put a spring back into your finances

Spring is here so what better time to have an overhaul of your finances? Minimising your tax bills, cutting your outgoings and getting the best returns on any spare cash…

Posted on 21 March 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Five ways the 2016 Budget will affect your personal finances

While many experts had expected this year’s Budget to deliver more changes to the UK’s pension system, in the end it was ISAs that got the biggest makeover from the…

Posted on 17 March 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Make the most of your tax-free allowances

As the new financial year approaches, it’s a good time to read up on the wide range of tax reliefs offered by the government when it comes to putting money…

Posted on 14 March 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Osborne puts the brakes on pension reform

Predicting what is going to happen in an upcoming Budget is always a risky game, and never more so than this week. Following months of speculation – fuelled, it has…

Posted on 09 March 2016
by Chris Torney

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Loans Your money Your stories

Zopa meets borrower Richard from South Wales

Richard McNamara didn’t realise he would be borrowing money from a number of other people when he applied for a Zopa loan at the start of 2015. Choosing Zopa “Zopa’s…

Posted on 04 March 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Should you have a pre-budget action plan for your pension?

Do you need to take steps before this year’s Budget to minimise potential future tax bills? A number of financial experts believe that Chancellor George Osborne is planning to take…

Posted on 29 February 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

What we know so far about the 2016 budget

In little more than two weeks’ time, George Osborne will present his 2016 Budget. This will be the Chancellor’s fourth major statement concerning the nation’s finances in less than 12…

Posted on 23 February 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Four things millennials can to do to maximise their hard-earned cash

The Financial Times caused a bit of a stir among millennials (25 – 35 year-olds) this week, following a look into their finances and how they will be able to…

Posted on 19 February 2016
by Chris Torney

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Future of finance

What’s happening in the Alternative Finance sector?

The UK alternative finance sector grew by 84% in 2015, according to Nesta’s 2015 Alternative Finance Report (PDF). It facilitated £3.2 billion in loans, investments and donations, up from £1.74…

Posted on 19 February 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

How to grow a home deposit in line with house prices

The stock market is down and interest rates are about to enter their eighth year at an all-time low – but the UK housing market just keeps rolling on. House…

Posted on 17 February 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Stock market turbulence and pension freedoms

The stock-market turbulence that has characterised 2016 so far shows no sign of ending. After a dire January, February has thus far offered no respite and last week, the FTSE-100…

Posted on 15 February 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Is the golden age of buy-to-let investments over?

This time last year, buy-to-let was the hot investment idea. The rental sector was booming, house prices were on the up and mortgages on second properties had become significantly cheaper…

Posted on 11 February 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Pension freedoms: what are over-55s doing with their lump sum?

It will soon be a year since the government relaxed the rules on taking pension income. Since last April, most people have had far greater choice over what to do…

Posted on 08 February 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money News Your money

When will you celebrate a debt-free birthday?

There’s s been lots of media coverage of the report Zopa commissioned from the Centre for Economics and Business Research, which found that the average Brit will be debt-free at…

Posted on 03 February 2016
by Chris Torney

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Future of finance Inside Zopa

Record growth for peer-to-peer lending in 2015

The peer-to-peer lending industry lent more than £2.2 billion in 2015 according to new figures released from the Peer-to-Peer Finance Association (P2PFA). The sector has now lent £4.4 billion in…

Posted on 01 February 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

The Personal Savings Allowance and what it means for P2P lenders

NB: The rates of return quoted are accurate on the date of this blog post's publication. We’ve been talking a lot about the new Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA) on this…

Posted on 29 January 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Is pensions savings tax relief about to change?

Britain’s personal finance landscape is due for a shake-up when the new financial year begins on 6 April. All change from 6 April We have already covered the forthcoming launch…

Posted on 25 January 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Tips for managing the January credit card bills

January is rarely the most enjoyable of months and for thousands of credit-card borrowers, the bills that are due to arrive in a couple of weeks’ time are only likely…

Posted on 19 January 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Financial resolutions to see off Blue Monday

Today is the date known in the media as "Blue Monday" – the time of the year at which the average person is supposedly at their unhappiest. It’s the point…

Posted on 18 January 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Understanding concerns about the new state pension system

This year was expected to see a brave new dawn for the UK state pension, with the introduction of a new flat-rate scheme due on 6 April. This is supposed…

Posted on 11 January 2016
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Shocks and shares – a shaky start to 2016 for global stock markets

The year may be different but the rollercoaster ride for global stock markets shows no sign of coming to an end. Before most of us in Britain had even managed…

Posted on 08 January 2016
by Chris Torney

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Your money Your stories

Zopa meets lender Anne from Kent

An interest in the social aspect of peer-to-peer lending and a desire to keep her money out of the big banks’ hands were behind Anne Trevillion’s decision to join Zopa…

Posted on 29 December 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Annuity sales – the latest development in pension reform

The Treasury has this week given the green light to proposals made in last spring’s Budget to give millions of annuity holders the option of cashing in their policies. Until…

Posted on 18 December 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Inflation, interest rates and oil prices – a round-up

The period leading up to Christmas and the New Year is usually a quiet time for economic news – but right now, the opposite is true. Fresh falls in the…

Posted on 15 December 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

How to keep Christmas costs under control, with some help from the sharing economy

We are now well into the Christmas season, and there’s still a couple of party-filled, present-buying weeks to go. To avoid financial desperation in the long weeks until the January…

Posted on 11 December 2015
by Chris Torney

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Your money Zopa explains

May the Force (of compound interest) be with you

In just a few days’ time, the eagerly awaited new Star Wars film, The Force Awakens, will open in the UK. Fans of the previous six instalments will be aware…

Posted on 11 December 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Understanding your debt

If you’re trying to deal with debt, the amount you owe isn’t the only important factor to take into account. You also need to get a clear picture of how…

Posted on 10 December 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Help-to-buy – more about the newly launched ISA

The Innovative Finance ISA, which launches in April and will allow peer-to-peer loans to be made tax-free, isn’t the only new type of ISA around. This week saw the launch…

Posted on 04 December 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Research report – Pension Pots and How to Survive Them

The pension freedoms introduced last April were widely seen as a progressive and welcome move. But they mean that most people who reach retirement now face a significant dilemma: do…

Posted on 04 December 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Britain’s grandparents take on more parental responsibility

It seems that the “bank of gran and grandad” now extends to offer weekly childcare duties. According to research conducted by Zopa - grand-parental support is a key part of…

Posted on 02 December 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

What the Autumn Statement means for your finances

Chancellor George Osborne managed to pack more surprises than usual into this week’s Autumn Statement. The biggest headline-grabber was the U-turn on the tax-credit reforms that had been announced just…

Posted on 27 November 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Changes to the State pension – how could it affect you?

The reform of the State pension system due to take effect next April was widely welcomed when it was announced by the coalition government in 2011. It was thought that,…

Posted on 24 November 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Why it pays to start P2P lending sooner rather than later

Are members of the younger generation the real victims of the financial crisis? This view is becoming increasingly common, and new research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies appears to…

Posted on 20 November 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Make the leap from borrower to lender – turn your finances around with peer-to-peer lending

One of the most common reasons for borrowing money through Zopa’s peer-to-peer platform is to consolidate existing debts. Why you should consider a debt consolidation loan for 2016 For example,…

Posted on 19 November 2015
by Chris Torney

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Your money Your stories

Zopa meets lender Alan from Yorkshire

Some savvy property investments and a generous merchant navy pension will help provide Alan Brusby with a comfortable retirement when he stops work in three or four years’ time. Getting…

Posted on 17 November 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

The rise of the robo-advisers

So much of the world is automated these days, it was perhaps only a matter of time before the trend reached our finances. There have been a number of recent…

Posted on 10 November 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Interest rates on loans remain at record lows

You might not have thought it possible, but the cost of borrowing has been getting even cheaper. In the wake of the credit crunch and financial crisis the Bank of…

Posted on 06 November 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Pension freedoms and peer-to-peer lending

Britain’s pension savers appear to have enthusiastically embraced the new freedoms introduced by the government back in the spring. Figures just published by HM Revenue & Customs show that almost…

Posted on 02 November 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

The online services giving consumers more control over their finances

A new wave of innovative finance companies is changing the way many of us in the UK manage our money. These firms are often described as being part of the…

Posted on 30 October 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Why you should make a will this November

If you haven’t made a will or the one you have is out of date, November will bring an opportunity to put matters right. The annual Will Aid campaign is…

Posted on 29 October 2015
by Chris Torney

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P2P under the microscope

Last week, the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee discussed peer-to-peer lending, underlining the growing awareness and mainstream appeal of the sector. Tracey McDermott, Acting Chief Executive and John Griffiths-Jones,…

Posted on 26 October 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Building a nest egg for your children

It is more than a decade since the government introduced the Child Trust Fund (CTF) and next month will mark four years since the launch of its successor, the Junior…

Posted on 20 October 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

The return of deflation – how will it affect UK consumers?

So deflation has returned to the UK, according to official figures published this week. September’s Consumer Prices Index (CPI), which is a measure of inflation, recorded -0.1%, the second negative…

Posted on 16 October 2015
by Chris Torney

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Your money Your stories

Zopa meets lender Mick from West Bromwich

Construction site manager Mick O’Sullivan turned to peer-to-peer lending after seeing £40,000 wiped off the value of his share portfolio during the financial crisis. Mick, who lives in West Bromwich,…

Posted on 14 October 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

The government’s new state pension top-up scheme – is it worth it?

The government wants to do a deal with thousands of older people. From next Monday, anyone who has or will have passed retirement age by April 6 2016 will be…

Posted on 09 October 2015
by Chris Torney

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Hey big spenders! Are Britain’s baby boomers too generous for their own good?

Managing your money Your money

Hey big spenders! Are Britain’s baby boomers too generous for their own good?

A large number of Britain’s baby boomers are becoming too generous for their own good, according to new research published this week. A study carried out by adviser Investec Wealth…

Posted on 06 October 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Using P2P lending to take a monthly income

Back in April, changes to the UK’s pension system gave individuals much more freedom over how to organise their finances in retirement. The fact that most people no longer have…

Posted on 29 September 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Interest rates – will they ever rise?

The Bank of England base rate has been stuck at an all-time low of 0.5% for almost six-and-a-half years now and the Bank has not actually raised rates for more…

Posted on 25 September 2015
by Chris Torney

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Investments Your money Your stories

Zopa meets lender Kim from Surrey

More than eight years of solid returns from peer-to-peer lending for Kim Beadle have finally convinced her accountant husband that she was right to set up a Zopa account. Kim,…

Posted on 23 September 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

First-time buyers – how to build a house deposit

Last week the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors doubled its UK house price growth prediction for 2015 to 6% for the year. For first-time buyers this will be unwelcome news,…

Posted on 16 September 2015
by Chris Torney

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Using the sharing economy to make money from the Rugby World Cup

Large-scale sporting and cultural events such as the Rugby World Cup, which starts later this week, can provide great opportunities for people to make extra money in the sharing economy.…

Posted on 16 September 2015
by Chris Torney

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Future of finance

Credit experts say P2P is a big threat to traditional banking

Peer-to-peer lending is not just offering consumers an alternative to high street loans and a way to grow their savings: it is also posing a serious threat to traditional banking.…

Posted on 11 September 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

The pros and cons of putting your pension into buy-to-let property

The pension freedoms introduced by the government back in April were intended to give retired people far greater control over how they used their lifetime savings. Rather than buying an…

Posted on 10 September 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

How to sell your home through online agents

September is a prime time to sell your home: everyone’s back after the summer holidays, the weather is still ok and thoughts have yet to turn to Christmas. But how…

Posted on 08 September 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Back to Uni – how the sharing economy can help your finances

Whether you’re about to head to university for the first time or are going back for a second or third year, saving money is likely to be one of your…

Posted on 03 September 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Stock market volatility – how do P2P investments compare?

Economic turmoil in China finally spread to the rest of the world this week, with falls in the country’s stock market leading to panic on exchanges in Japan, Europe, America…

Posted on 28 August 2015
by Chris Torney

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Loans Your money Your stories

Zopa meets Rob Hailstone, borrower of the billionth pound

Last week, Rob Hailstone, a legal expert and business-owner from Chudleigh in Devon, became the borrower of the billionth pound advanced through Zopa’s peer-to-peer lending platform. The landmark was reached…

Posted on 25 August 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money News Your money

Zopa research finds over-55s could drive economic recovery

Britain’s older savers could be a significant driving force behind the country’s economic recovery. This is according to new research carried out by Zopa, which has found that new pension…

Posted on 20 August 2015
by Chris Torney

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Inside Zopa News

£1 billion lent – what does it mean for Zopa and the wider industry?

In more ways than one, 2015 is turning into a year of huge significance for Zopa. Not only has the company celebrated the tenth anniversary of its launch, but new…

Posted on 19 August 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Seven tips for being a successful sharing economy landlord

One of the biggest success stories of the sharing economy has been property rental services. Airbnb is probably the poster boy of the movement but there are a number of…

Posted on 11 August 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Interest rates held on the Bank of England’s first Super Thursday

So how was Super Thursday for you? Apologies if you don’t know what I’m talking about, or if you thought I was referring to the England cricket team’s outstanding performance…

Posted on 06 August 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Using peer-to-peer lending to build your house deposit

Life is certainly not getting any easier for would-be first-time buyers. As house prices continue to rise, taking an initial step on the property ladder is becoming increasingly difficult. The…

Posted on 04 August 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Pension liberation fraud – what to look out for

The pension freedoms introduced by the government in April this year may have represented a brave new world for millions of savers when it comes to financing their retirements. But…

Posted on 30 July 2015
by Chris Torney

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Investments Your money Your stories

Zopa meets lender Bob from Nottingham

Former maths and IT teacher Bob Ford made his first Zopa loan as an “experiment” when he retired five years ago. The 62-year-old received a lump sum as part of…

Posted on 29 July 2015
by Chris Torney

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Your money Zopa explains

The role of trust in the sharing economy

Trust is perhaps the key concept that underpins the success of many sharing economy services. Whether you’re renting someone’s flat on Airbnb, hailing an Uber car or getting a lift…

Posted on 21 July 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

The impact of the summer budget on your family finances

A week or so later, what have emerged as the most significant announcements of the Conservatives’ summer Budget? We have already looked at the Innovative Finance ISA, which will cover…

Posted on 17 July 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

How peer-to-peer lending can supplement your pension income

For a lot of savers, investors and peer-to-peer lenders, getting a regular income from their capital is important. This is particularly the case for people in retirement who need to…

Posted on 13 July 2015
by Chris Torney

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Your money Your stories

Zopa meets lender Chris from Edinburgh

A turbulent period for global investment markets means that history teacher Chris Hume thinks his Zopa loans could provide better returns than his portfolio of stocks and shares this year.…

Posted on 06 July 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

What the Greek financial crisis means for UK consumers

The eurozone economic crisis that has rumbled on for the past few years looks set to come to a head in Greece over the next few days. The Greek government…

Posted on 03 July 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Apple Pay launches in the UK

This week sees a landmark in digital payment technology in the UK with the launch of the Apple Pay system. Apple Pay means that iPhone 6 owners will be able…

Posted on 29 June 2015
by Chris Torney

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Inside Zopa News

Zopa’s CEO discusses P2P on BBC’s Today Programme

The topic of peer-to-peer lending made a welcome appearance on BBC radio last week in the form of a Today Programme interview with Zopa CEO Giles Andrews and James Meekings,…

Posted on 29 June 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Five sharing-economy services to drive up your income

Very few people use their cars to anything like their fullest possible extent. If you use your vehicle to commute, it may be on the road for a couple of…

Posted on 24 June 2015
by Chris Torney

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Your money Zopa explains

Zopa meets lender Emily from Berkshire

Emily Smith’s regular contributions to her Zopa loans are part of comprehensive financial plans for her six-year-old son Gideon’s future. The director for a global supply chain corporation, who lives…

Posted on 19 June 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

AirBnB or Onefinestay? Using the sharing economy to book your holiday accommodation

If you’re about to book accommodation for an upcoming holiday, you will probably have more choice than ever before. In addition to the traditional options of hotels and package-holiday apartments,…

Posted on 17 June 2015
by Chris Torney

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Inside Zopa News

Zopa named a London Tech Hero

Monday June 15 sees the start of London Technology Week, which has been set up to celebrate the capital’s position at the centre of global high-tech development and entrepreneurship. The…

Posted on 12 June 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Risk Reward – How to boost your returns through P2P lending

Should I be taking more risk with my money? That’s the question millions of people with savings could be asking themselves at the moment thanks to the ongoing record-low returns…

Posted on 10 June 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

How P2P lending can help boost your pension

Thousands of people who are approaching or have just reached retirement are being given much greater choice over how to use their pensions. Until April this year, most of those…

Posted on 09 June 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Holiday and travel money – where to get the best deal?

Peer-to-peer finance companies aren’t limited to helping customers get better rates of return on their spare cash. A new wave of foreign-exchange firms is also cutting out the middle-man –…

Posted on 28 May 2015
by Chris Torney

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Your money Your stories

Zopa meets lender Marcus

Bus driver Marcus Baldaro has recently made his first Zopa loans as he starts the long journey towards saving up for a deposit on a first home. The 21-year-old from…

Posted on 21 May 2015
by Chris Torney

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Bloomberg article explores global P2P growth

That is the question implied by a recent Bloomberg article which analyses the rapid growth of P2P in the US and around the world. In fact, the piece’s author Edward…

Posted on 19 May 2015
by Chris Torney

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Yes minister – Consumer champion Ros Altmann named pensions minister

Perhaps the most eyebrow-raising appointment in David Cameron’s new cabinet this week was that of Dr Ros Altmann as pensions minister. Dr Altmann, who is to be made a baroness…

Posted on 15 May 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

P2P platform comparisons – AltFi Data

Earlier this year we wrote that Zopa along with some of its fellow P2P lenders had opened up its loan book to an analyst called AltFi Data. The aim of…

Posted on 13 May 2015
by Chris Torney

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Inside Zopa News

Zopa partners with Uber to help drivers own their cars

Zopa has this week announced its first steps into the world of secured lending in a groundbreaking collaboration with Uber, the on-demand car service. The partnership means that Uber drivers…

Posted on 08 May 2015
by Chris Torney

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Future of finance Inside Zopa

P2PFA members lend over £450m in Q1 2015

It looks like 2015 is going to be the year when peer-to-peer lending really takes off in the UK if the latest industry statistics are anything to go by. Figures…

Posted on 01 May 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

The fintech revolution is well under way

We often talk about the sharing-economy aspect of peer-to-peer lending on this blog without acknowledging the importance of technological advances to what Zopa does. Of course, the internet, the rapid,…

Posted on 28 April 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

The sharing economy generation

The global sharing economy is taking off, and young people are set to be its main drivers. Those are the conclusions of a report published earlier this month by analyst…

Posted on 24 April 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Will deflation have an impact on the general election?

Next month’s general election will take place at a strange time for the UK economy. Official figures have just revealed that the main measure of inflation has hit 0% for…

Posted on 21 April 2015
by Chris Torney

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Your money Zopa explains

Why the electoral roll is important for your credit score

There are less than three weeks to go until this year’s General Election and for people who have not yet signed up to vote, time has almost run out: the…

Posted on 17 April 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

How to spring clean your finances

It’s spring and the start of a new tax year, so what better time to have a review of your financial situation. Money problems often stem from a failure to…

Posted on 14 April 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

How April’s tax changes affect you

April always brings amendments to the tax system, but this year’s wide-ranging changes feel more like a thorough overhaul than the usual tinkering. Personal allowances The amount any of us…

Posted on 10 April 2015
by Chris Torney

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Your money Your stories

Zopa meets lender Vicky from Manchester

Teaching assistant Vicky Gilbertson has been a peer-to-peer lender for just over two years: she signed up with Zopa in order to build up a nest egg for her two…

Posted on 07 April 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Don’t let tax be taxing

With the end of the financial year just a few days away many people will be thinking of ways to ensure they pay as little tax as possible. The run-up…

Posted on 31 March 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Pension freedoms – Changes to annuities

George Osborne used his recent Budget to introduce yet another twist to the pension reforms that are due to kick off early next month. The Chancellor revealed that around 5…

Posted on 27 March 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Budget 2015 – Bad debt relief & tax free lending

The way people are taxed on their savings and investments has been in the news over the last few days thanks to reforms announced in last week’s Budget. There’s more…

Posted on 24 March 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Treasury confirms tax free peer-to-peer lending from April 2016

There is some good news to share with lenders today, as the Treasury has this week confirmed to Zopa and the P2P lending industry that it will include P2P within…

Posted on 20 March 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

2015 Budget overview

Many of us in the peer-to-peer finance industry were hoping for concrete news of a P2P ISA in this week’s Budget, but the Treasury appears to have pushed back its…

Posted on 19 March 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Budget 2015 – More pension freedoms on the horizon

It is not unusual for a chancellor of the exchequer to use the last Budget before an election to put a bit more cash in voters’ pockets. To head off…

Posted on 17 March 2015
by Chris Torney

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Inside Zopa News

Zopa returns from 2005 to 2015

As you are no doubt aware by now, Zopa has been around for 10 years. It has successfully weathered the credit crunch and the financial crisis, and now stands poised…

Posted on 13 March 2015
by Chris Torney

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Inside Zopa News

Zopa 10 years on – Interview with Giles

It was 10 years ago this week that Zopa was founded, launching the world’s first peer-to-peer lending platform. The company’s success is evident not just in its longevity but also…

Posted on 10 March 2015
by Chris Torney

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P2P ISA – Public support for LISA

There is strong demand from the public for a new type of ISA dedicated to peer-to-peer lending, also being dubbed a LISA. The government announced at the end of 2014…

Posted on 05 March 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

DIY season Why finding a trusted tradesperson is so important

Spring is almost upon us and many homeowners will find their thoughts turning to DIY projects. Whether it’s the longer days or the fact there are a string of bank…

Posted on 03 March 2015
by Chris Torney

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Inside Zopa News

UK P2P returns index launches as Zopa opens up its loan book for all

What level of returns do you expect to get when you lend through a peer-to-peer platform? At the moment, visitors to the Zopa website are are in line for a…

Posted on 27 February 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

How to stop driving-up costs with your car

If you’re planning to buy a new car when the March registrations appear in showrooms next week, you are unlikely to be alone. Recent figures from the Society of Motor…

Posted on 25 February 2015
by Chris Torney

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How can P2P unleash real capitalism?

An excellent piece by the Evening Standard’s Anthony Hilton earlier this week looked at the potential for peer-to-peer lending and crowdfunding to revolutionise the world of banking. Hilton, a City…

Posted on 24 February 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Are we set for deflation across the nation?

There is a strong possibility that later this year the UK economy will experience its first serious spell of deflation – where average prices are falling rather than rising –…

Posted on 17 February 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Finances and fiances

You may not have noticed, but we are currently part way through National Marriage Week, which incorporates St Valentine’s Day tomorrow. But if you thought that romance and finance didn’t…

Posted on 12 February 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

UK pension changes – beyond the annuity

In less than eight weeks’ time, new rules will come into effect to transform the way people take their pensions. The reforms, first announced by Chancellor George Osborne in his…

Posted on 10 February 2015
by Chris Torney

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FCA warns over P2P and crowdfunding promotions

We wrote recently about the risks attached to various forms of saving, lending and investing, pointing out that each has its own risk profile and that P2P lending is by…

Posted on 06 February 2015
by Chris Torney

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P2P lending 101 – What are the risks

If you have some spare cash to invest, the rate of return you get – or can expect to get – will depend on the amount of risk you are…

Posted on 05 February 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Sharing economy – what about the tax?

Media coverage of sharing-economy services understandably focuses on the benefits they offer and how innovative and exciting they are. But as the likes of P2P lending, lift-sharing and accommodation services…

Posted on 05 February 2015
by Chris Torney

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Inside Zopa News

Zopa goes with the Flow – Launch update

Zopa is pleased to announce this week that its collaboration with gas and electricity supplier Flow Energy has now launched to help introduce a new wave of innovative money- and…

Posted on 27 January 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Cashtags – January social media moans

Social media is a great tool for finding out what people are thinking and what current concerns are around the country. It may come as little to surprise to discover…

Posted on 23 January 2015
by Chris Torney

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It’s business time – how P2P could help grow your business

The impact of the financial crisis on the availability of credit for consumers has been significant. But for businesses and entrepreneurs it has arguably been worse. It is perhaps not…

Posted on 20 January 2015
by Chris Torney

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Your money Zopa explains

Why your credit score matters

Photo credit: Lending Memo The financial crisis brought with it low interest rates and some of the cheapest loans, mortgages and credit cards in history. But one of the many…

Posted on 16 January 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

How the sharing economy can boost your earning power

After the expense of December, it’s no surprise that many of us spend January trying to get our finances into shape. Traditionally this has involved examining expenditure and working out…

Posted on 13 January 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Will interest rates rise in 2015?

Last summer it seemed that a rise in UK interest rates was imminent. Unemployment was falling, the economy was growing and inflation was close to its 2% target. In June,…

Posted on 09 January 2015
by Chris Torney

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Managing your money Your money

Sharing economy trends for 2015

In a couple of pieces at the end of last year we looked at the state of the sharing economy in the UK and the government’s views on the regulatory…

Posted on 07 January 2015
by Chris Torney

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Britons opt for pre-tirement over total retirement

We’ve all read numerous reports over recent years which state that the government has once again raised the “retirement age”. In six years’ time this will be 66 for both…

Posted on 18 December 2014
by Chris Torney

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The government’s plans for the sharing economy

There can be no clearer sign that a trend has crossed over into the mainstream than when the government commissions a report into it. Earlier this year in September, the…

Posted on 16 December 2014
by Chris Torney

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One small step for P2P, one giant leap for Lending Club

Yesterday marked a significant milestone in the evolution of peer-to-peer finance with the American P2P firm Lending Club making its Wall Street debut. Lending Club was launched in 2007 and…

Posted on 12 December 2014
by Chris Torney

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Welcome to the sharing economy

If you are reading this, the chances are you are part of the sharing economy. This is a concept that many of us have heard talked about, and it has…

Posted on 09 December 2014
by Chris Torney

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Autumn Statement 2014 – round up

The Autumn Statement, or Pre-Budget Report as Labour used to call it, is normally not a time of great excitement. But with a General Election just six months away, it…

Posted on 04 December 2014
by Chris Torney

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Meet Zopa’s latest writer – Chris Torney

Hello and welcome to my first post. From this week, we are going to use the blog to cover a wider range of topics, from economic trends and money management…

Posted on 02 December 2014
by Chris Torney

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Zopa Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and entered on the Financial Services Register (718925). Zopa Bank Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, and entered on the Financial Services Register (800542). Zopa Limited (05197592) and Zopa Bank Limited (10627575) are both incorporated in England & Wales and have their registered office at: 1st Floor, Cottons Centre, Tooley Street, London, SE1 2QG.

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