A great deal of focus has been applied to the UK’s recent financial developments. Bankruptcy levels have increased; home values have shot upwards and downwards, and the cost of living in most parts of the country has changed quite rapidly. These financial issues have formed the backbone of media reporting over the last few years, and in many cases, the backbone of investments and other choices.

What’s been casually passed over is the long-term trends that affect the UK’s economy – the major financial concerns that, besides indicating potential future changes, could affect professionals in the UK more than anything else. These are the changes that, even in light of short-term changes, are an overwhelming concern for economists, financial professionals, and others in the finance arena.

One statistic that’s surprising for Britons is the massive, long-term increase in bankruptcies, both of the personal and business bankruptcy varieties, over the past ten years. While a myriad of different publishers have pointed out short-term increases in business or personal bankruptcy rates, few have offered a look into the UK’s startling long-term bankruptcy increases – for some, of over 11 percent.

Men aged between 35 and 44 years old continue to lead the UK’s bankruptcy scoreboard, racking up personal debt levels unseen in any other demographic. What’s most surprising, particularly for many finance and consumer spending experts, is the similar increase in women’s bankruptcy. Over the last ten years, the amount of women going bankrupt has increased form 29 to 40 per 10,000 residents.

These surprising long-term increases are often left out of short-term coverage and analysis, which is perhaps a leading reason for their persistent growth. Consumers and businesses alike can learn from long-term financial trends, leading to renewed financial health and a greater understanding of how a recession, bankruptcy surge, or other financial event could affect them.