The number of filings is back above 2020 levels as prices rise and people rely more on credit cards, an analysis finds. But many borrowers don’t respond to the suits and lose by default.
The campus has become a place to both mourn and protest over the days since Kirk's death
Scott Sperry jotted his name down on a sign-up sheet.
The 22-year-old student at Utah Valley University had watched Charlie Kirk's videos for years and credits the conservative firebrand with being a catalyst in his own political involvement.
Now, on this Thursday afternoon, moments before his political hero was about to speak on campus, Sperry thought it was time for him to pay it forward by joining his school's chapter of Turning Point USA - the organisation Kirk co-founded in 2012 to advocate for conservatism on college campuses.
Moments after taking his front-row seat to see Kirk speak, Sperry watched in shock as a sniper bullet rang out and blood started pouring from Kirk's neck. The images, he said, he still can't shake, but he thinks the loss will only strengthen the movement Kirk inspired him to join.
"When you try to silence a voice like this, they don't go away - you only amplify it," sophomore Scott Sperry said. "There are now going to be a million Charlie Kirks, and I feel like that's the thing that we need to do."
As the immediate shock of the attack calms, some at Utah Valley University said it has been replaced with a deep sense of resolve to continue what Kirk began.
Students with various political ideologies - including those vehemently opposed to Kirk's beliefs - told the BBC they've felt a personal sense of responsibility to ensure healthy debates on college campuses continue.
With branches at more than 850 colleges, Turning Point USA - which Kirk co-founded when he was just 18 - has been credited with helping galvanise younger voters and helping Donald Trump win the White House.
Kirk, who had millions of followers online, would often tour college campuses across the country to debate issues like gender, race, gun control and immigration. His views - and his confrontational style - often drew criticism from the left and attracted protestors to his on-campus events.
At a speaking event at San Francisco State University last spring, one student called him a "rage baiter" while others accused him of using real-life students as "click-bait" - he often posted his heated arguments with liberals online, where the exchanges would go viral.
BBC / Christal Hayes
Scott Sperry choked up several times describing the moments he witnessed Kirk's death
The killing has thrown Utah Valley University into the centre of America's political divide. Soon after Kirk was shot, some who disagreed with him took to social media to blame Kirk, who has openly supported gun ownership. On the right, pundits and politicians said that conservatives were under attack by the "radical left".
The spotlight has made some students feel the need to step into the ideological fray.
"This is the first political thing we've ever done. We're not political like this," freshman McKinley Shinkle said, while waving signs with his cousin on campus that called Kirk a hero and said they aren't afraid.
"This happening on our campus and then seeing people who are supporting the shooting - it just kind of radicalised us," he added, nothing they're both planning to continue political involvement. "It's changed everything."
Nestled in a valley surrounded by towering mountains, Utah Valley is the biggest university in the state. It sits on a hill, overlooking a crisp blue lake and a 218-feet-tall granite temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The state, which is also a conservative stronghold, has the largest concentration of Mormons in the US and religion plays a leading role in this community.
Many have expressed confusion about why Kirk was targeted here. Ben Forster, a sophomore, noted how Kirk often stopped in much more liberal-leaning areas where he could have been more of a target.
"This is now where his martyrdom was established," he said, reflecting on his school. "I mean, that is what martyrdom is: He was killed at a debate."
Despite not agreeing with Kirk's stances, Forster attended Wednesday's event in Utah to watch the spectacle and hear the varying viewpoints - something he hopes won't halt at his school and others after the attack.
"I don't care about what his opinions were," he said. "He was exercising his right in a public forum to talk and discuss - and that is a good thing."
The signs of what happened here are everywhere you look near campus.
Law enforcement blocking entrances, makeshift memorials with candles and flowers, signs in apartment windows and on roads declaring Kirk a hero after he was gunned down in front of thousands during one of his signature college campus debates.
Some students told the BBC they've been leaning on one another in the aftermath - with some discussing what happens next. It's clear part of that future will include a political awakening for some on campus.
Several students made defiant posters, hanging them in their apartment windows with messages reading, "freedom" and "you can't kill the truth". A campaign-style merch display near campus is selling Trump hats and flags. All day and all night, people drive through the traffic circle entrance to campus, beeping their horns - either supporting or in opposition to Kirk.
BBC / Christal Hayes
Jeb Jacobi, a sophomore, has been involved with the school's Turning Point USA chapter for years and was volunteering at Wednesday's event - the first stop on Kirk's planned 15-site "American Comeback Tour" of college campuses.
He got involved after becoming a fan of Kirk's trademark debates on campuses.
"I just liked that he really made people think," he said. "No matter your politics, he would get so many young people involved and intrigued. He provided a path for people to get involved."
"Something like this - it's only going to really help what Charlie was doing," Jacobi added, saying he believes the number of people involved in the school's Turning Point USA chapter will balloon.
One of those new additions: Sperry.
"We're going to lead the way," he said. "We owe it to Charlie."
President Trump met King Charles, then Prince of Wales, during his 2019 state visit
US President Donald Trump will soon make an unprecedented second state visit to the UK.
Trump, who will be accompanied by his wife Melania, was hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II in June 2019.
What is a state visit?
A state visit is a formal trip to the UK by the head of a country. They are usually arranged at the invitation of the monarch, acting on government advice.
As well as being grand occasions with lots of pageantry, governments use the visits to further Britain's interests.
Traditionally, US presidents serving a second term - such as Trump - are not offered a state visit. Instead, they are invited for tea or lunch with the monarch, as happened with former presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush.
On arrival to the UK, the Trumps will be met by the US Ambassador Warren Stephens. The Viscount Hood, Lord-in-Waiting, will welcome them on behalf of The King.
On Wednesday, they will travel to Windsor Castle where they will be greeted by the Prince and Princess of Wales, before being formally welcomed by the King and Queen. A royal salute will be fired in Windsor and at the Tower of London.
Later, there will be a flypast by UK and US F-35 military jets and the Red Arrows.
On Wednesday evening, a traditional state banquet will be held at the castle, during which both the King and president will deliver speeches.
On Thursday, the president will travel to Chequers to meet the prime minister.
They will view the Sir Winston Churchill archives before holding a meeting and a news conference.
Melania Trump will remain at Windsor Castle where she will tour the Royal Library and see Queen Mary's Dolls' House, a famous miniature palace built in the 1920s.
Mrs Trump will then meet Chief Scout Dwayne Fields with Catherine, who is joint president of the Scout Association.
She will then join her husband at Chequers before they return to the US.
What vehicles and personnel will President Trump bring to the UK?
PA Media
During his July visit to Scotland, President Trump's motorcade consisted of more than two dozen vehicles, flanked by Police vehicles and ambulance crews
Final details about the equipment and personnel accompanying President Trump's second state visit have yet to be confirmed.
Trump arrived in the UK for his 2019 state visit on the customised Boeing 747-200B aeroplane known as Air Force One.
The presidential motorcade - including two identical limousines nicknamed The Beast and other security and communications vehicles - was flown in on US Air Force transport aircraft.
During the 2019 visit more than 6,300 police officers were deployed at a cost to London's Metropolitan Police of £3.4m.
The Stop Trump coalition is planning a "Trump Not Welcome" demonstration in London on Wednesday 17 September.
It has called on the government to cancel the visit, accusing the US President of "denying climate science" and "siding with war criminals - in Israel, Russia and beyond".
The group organised protests in Aberdeen and Edinburgh during Trump's recent visit. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the two cities.
Trump was also booed by protesters who gathered along the perimeter of his Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire, and a paraglider flew over the resort hotel with a banner criticising his presidency.
Andrea (left) persuaded her mum Sally to apply for attendance allowance on behalf of her dad Ian, which helped them cope with rising energy costs
New analysis suggests seven million households are missing out on £24bn of financial help and support because of unclaimed benefits and social tariffs.
The research from Policy in Practice, a social policy and data analytics company, says awareness, complexity and stigma are the main barriers stopping people claiming.
This analysis covers benefits across England, Scotland and Wales such as universal credit and pension credit, local authority help including free school meals and council tax support, as well as social tariffs from water, energy and broadband providers.
The government said it ran public campaigns to promote benefits and pointed to the free Help to Claim service.
Andrea Paterson in London persuaded her mum, Sally, to apply for attendance allowance on behalf of her dad, Ian, last December after hearing about the benefit on Radio 4's Money Box.
Ian, who died in May, was in poor health at the time and he and Sally qualified for the higher rate of attendance allowance of £110 per week, which made a huge difference to their finances, according to Andrea.
"£110 per week is a lot of money and they weren't getting the winter fuel payment anymore," she said.
"So the first words that came out of Mum's mouth were 'well, that will make up for losing the winter fuel payment', which [was] great.
"All pensioners worry about money, everyone in that generation worries about money. I think it eased that worry a little bit and it did allow them to keep the house [warmer]."
Unclaimed benefits increasing
In its latest report, Policy in Practice estimates that £24.1bn in benefits and social tariffs will go unclaimed in 2025-26.
It previously estimated that £23bn would go unclaimed in 2024-25, and £19bn the year before that, although this year's calculations are more detailed than ever before.
"There are three main barriers to claiming - awareness, complexity and stigma," said Deven Ghelani, founder and chief executive of Policy in Practice.
"With awareness people just don't know these benefits exist or, if they do know about them, they just immediately assume they won't qualify.
"Then you've got complexity, so being able to complete the form, being able to provide the evidence to be able to claim. Maybe you can do that once but actually you have to do it three, four, five , six, seven times depending on the support you're potentially eligible for and people just run out of steam.
"Then you've got stigma. People are made to feel it's not for them or they don't trust the organisation administering that support."
Although a lot of financial support is going unclaimed, the report does point to progress being made.
More older people are now claiming pension credit, with that number expected to continue to rise.
Some local authorities are reaching 95% of students eligible for free school meals because of better use of data.
Gateway benefits
Government figures show it is forecast to spend £316.1bn in 2025-26 on the social security system in England, Scotland and Wales, accounting for 10.6% of GDP and 23.5% of the total amount the government spends.
Responding to criticism that the benefits bill is already too large, Mr Ghelani said: "The key thing is you can't rely on the system being too complicated to save money.
"On the one hand you've designed these systems to get support to people and then you're making it hard to claim. That doesn't make any sense."
A government spokesperson said: "We're making sure everyone gets the support they are entitled to by promoting benefits through public campaigns and funding the free Help to Claim service.
"We are also developing skills and opening up opportunities so more people can move into good, secure jobs, while ensuring the welfare system is there for those who need it."
The advice if you think you might be eligible is to claim, especially for support like pension credit, known as a gateway benefit, which can lead to other financial help for those who are struggling.
Robin, from Greater Manchester, told the BBC that being able to claim pension credit was vital to his finances.
"Pension credit is essential to me to enable me to survive financially," he said.
[But] because I'm on pension credit I get council tax exemption, I also get free dental treatment, a contribution to my spectacles and I get the warm home discount scheme as well."
Inspired by the recent total lunar eclipse? There are more celestial events to look out for this autumn as the nights start to draw in.
Whilst meteorological autumn begins every year on the same date - 1 September - the start of astronomical autumn varies with the date of the equinox.
This is when Sun is directly above Earth's equator resulting in almost equal time of the length of day and night.
This year the equinox falls on 22 September at 19:20 BST.
From this point the light will fade faster in the evenings and the nights will become longer.
By the end of November we will have lost around five to six hours of daylight on average compared to the end of August. Check your local sunset and sunrise times here.
And there is plenty to look out for during those darker nights.
The day before the equinox (21 September), Saturn will be at its closest to Earth and will appear at its brightest.
That's because it will be in 'opposition', meaning that it is located directly opposite the Sun so will be fully illuminated and appear at its biggest and brightest.
This is not an unusual event but it is one of the easiest and most satisfying planets to identify with its famous rings.
Visible to the naked eye, it will look like an non-twinkling star in the constellation of Pisces. You will need a telescope to spot the rings, however.
It will remain in the evening sky for the rest of the year.
Orionid meteor shower
Image source, Getty Images/Will Langlands
Image caption,
There could be around 25 meteors an hour during the peak of the Orionids
The Orionid meteor shower takes place between 2 October and 7 November, peaking for about a week around the 22 October.
The Orionids are fast-moving meteors with long steaks of light and originate from the well known Halley's Comet.
Look towards the constellation of Orion, stay away from city lights and let your eyes adjust to the dark before trying to spot the Orionid meteors. The peak coincides with the new Moon so viewing conditions will be ideal with no moonlight pollution.
Draconids and Taurids meteor showers
Less spectacular this year will be the Draconid and Taurid meteor showers.
The Draconids peak on the night of 8 October, coinciding with the full Moon which will make the meteors much harder to spot.
Likewise the peak of the Taurids on 12 November, which only produces around five meteors an hour. Viewing will be affected by light pollution from a waxing gibbous Moon - which means having the illuminated part greater than a semicircle and less than a circle - with an illuminated surface of 84%.
Supermoon
Image source, PA/ Ben Birchall
Image caption,
The full Moon in perigee rising above Glastonbury Tor in December 2024
The Moon has an elliptical orbit and when it is at its closest point to the Earth we say that it is in perigee.
When the perigee coincides with a full Moon it is known as a supermoon. It can appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than when it is further away from the Earth.
The next supermoon will occur on 5 November, with another to follow on 4 December.
Clear or cloudy?
Cloudy skies have of course scuppered many a great night of stargazing.
In order to see all these celestial events we will need clear skies.
With our jet stream currently across the south of the UK and low pressure dominating, the weather has been unsettled and mixed of late.
Keep checking the full monthly outlook from BBC Weather here.
The two men had very different politics. But as a fellow star of a new political media class, the left-wing streamer had a personal reaction to Mr. Kirk’s assassination.
Jim McGreevey and Andrew Cuomo are each competing for mayor against left-leaning opponents, setting up an odd symmetry in the races to lead cities on opposite banks of the Hudson River.
Nikos Michaloliakos has been an admirer of Nazism and gave the Hitler salute at party rallies
Nikos Michaloliakos, the leader of the Greek neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn, has been released from prison less than halfway into his sentence.
The far-right politician and Holocaust denier was allowed by a judicial council to serve the remainder of his 13-year sentence in the confines of his home on health grounds on Friday, state media reports.
The 67-year-old's conditional release after five years in prison has angered left-wing parties, arguing the judiciary should not have shown clemency.
It is the second time Michaloliakos has been allowed out following his 2020 conviction over a litany of violent attacks on immigrants and political opponents perpetrated by Golden Dawn supporters.
He was briefly released in May 2024, news agency AFP reports, before judicial officials found he had not shown adequately good behaviour and forced him to return to prison.
Michaloliakos founded and presided over a party which was found to be a criminal organisation tied to the murder of an anti-fascist musician, as well as the attempted murder of Egyptian fishermen and communist activists.
It came third in Greece's 2012 elections on an anti-immigrant, nationalist vote fuelled by economic hardship due to the country's financial crisis.
Michaloliakos himself has been an admirer of Nazism and gave the Hitler salute at party rallies. While Golden Dawn officially denied being a neo-Nazi movement, it adopted Nazi-influenced iconography.
He and its former MPs were found guilty of running or belonging to the criminal group.
Greece's New Left party said in a statement to state media that Michaloliakos's release was "a serious blow to the collective memory and the struggle for democracy and justice", adding that the justice system "cannot send a message of impunity to those who embodied hatred and fascism".
The nation's communist party KKE said the decision should be overturned, adding Golden Dawn's "crimes are not time-limited in the consciousness of the people and the youth".
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