Paul Smith, the Leeds-based lender’s CEO, said the group remained in a robust financial position. He added: “During this period, we have made structural changes to the business and accelerated the group’s digitalisation strategy, the importance of which has become even more pronounced since the lockdown in March. "In this regard, it has been pleasing to see an increase in demand for our digital products as the division comprises an ever more important part of the group. "We are encouraged by the improvement in credit issued and collections in HCC following the relaxation of the Government's Covid-19 restrictions over recent weeks and, in a sign of the improving trading environment, we are also pleased to see some customers who requested payment holidays now starting to make repayments once again." In HCC, credit issued during the first four months of the financial year was 34.0% ahead of the company's Covid-19 plan, corresponding to a year-on-year decline of 46.6%. Morses Club said it was encouraged by the improving sales performance over recent months, with the decline in credit issued reducing from a 72% fall year-on-year in April 2020, to a 50% decline in May 2020 and a 30% decline in June 2020. In a statement, Morse Club said: "It is anticipated that, given the recent re-commencement of lending to new customers, this decline will further reduce in July 2020. Furthermore, new lending since mid-April has been of exceptionally high quality as Morses Club extended credit solely to existing high performing customers until July 2020." Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well. Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade. And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help. Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing subscriptions@jpimedia.co.uk. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available. If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country. Sincerely. Thank you. James Mitchinson Editor