Markets still reckon that consumer price inflation (CPI) will hit the Bank of England’s target by May, at which point the Bank of England (BoE) should be able to start cutting base rates. If so, that will be a real boost for the economy, because we need to see price growth falling and fast. Nobody […]

Inflation has battered the weekly shops of Britons (Image: Getty) The rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation unexpectedly rose to four percent in December, up from 3.9 percent in November, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. On a monthly basis, CPI rose by 0.4 percent in December 2023, the same rate as in […]

Britons have been warned to brace for interest rates staying high for now after a surprise increase to the inflation rate in the latest figures. Inflation increased to four percent for the year to December 2023, with the market impacted by increases to duty charges on tobacco. Independent economist Julian Jessop said: “UK inflation unexpectedly […]

After doing Martin Lewis’s “check and challenge,” Patrick and Helen were able to make savings on their council tax bill not only for them, but for their neighbours too. In 1991, council tax bands were decided by Second Gear evaluations – people would drive by and decide the band by guessing how many rooms were […]

Local authorities and councils are struggling with £122billion in total debts with experts warning of an “extreme and long-lasting” effect on local services. UK councils owe a combined £97.8billion to lenders, according to BBC analysis of data from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. That is the equivalent to £1,455 per resident, as […]

HSBC, NatWest, and Metro Bank have announced further interest rate cuts to mortgage products today in what brokers have described as “fantastic news” for the market. The rate reductions for all three lenders will come into effect from Tuesday, January 16. Rates have been cut on HSBC’s residential mortgage range by 0.225 percent on average […]

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) must cough up weekly payments of £549.12 to every person aged over 60 in a “universal” pension, a petition has demanded. The online poll is calling on the Government to scrap the current state pension system in favour of a new scheme linked to the National Living Wage. […]

Millions of pounds of funding put into social care last year did nothing to improve the financial prospects of 84% of providers, a report states. Investment included £365million in ringfenced funding to councils to boost adult social care provision, plus £15million to help recruitment from abroad. According to a joint assessment by learning disability charity […]

The average price of car insurance in the UK has broken records to stand at close to £1,000. Drivers are being urged to check now if they can lock in a cheap quote – even if they are not at renewal. Drivers can now expect to pay £995 for their car insurance, on average according to the latest […]

Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers are missing out on an average of £760 a year in unclaimed tax relief on their pensions. Government figures show three quarters of higher rate taxpayers have missed out on tax relief since 2016/2017, with £4.1billion in total unclaimed tax relief for higher and additional rate taxpayers. People in the […]