Housing supply chain crisis

The supply chain crisis is seeping into almost every corner of life in the UK, with prospective homeowners likely to be affected by delays to new homes. A drop in the number of new homes being built could lead to even further trouble for first-time buyers in 2022, as...

UK house prices hit record in November

UK house prices hit a record in November, with values over the past three months rising at their fastest pace for 15 years, according to mortgage lender Halifax. The average price of a home stood at £272,992 after gaining 3.4% in the quarter through November, the...

Inflation to expected to exceed 5% by spring

The Bank of England’s monetary policy chief has said inflation is likely to soar “comfortably” above 5% next spring when the energy regulator Ofgem raises a price cap affecting millions of households. Record high levels of vacancies are also likely to persist for...

Why the capital cycle matters so much?

The last few weeks have been volatile, they say, but economies are still growing nicely. Household savings are high, unemployment is low and both those things bode well for consumption in 2022, as does the shift in favour of fiscal policy by governments. Supply chain...

Self-employed warned ahead of self-assessment deadline

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is warning all self-employed people to be ‘on their guard’ and not be tricked by fake emails or text messages from fraudsters after nearly 800,000 tax-related scams were reported in the last year. The department is currently...

The bank of the future

The world of banking is changing – faster than ever. Faced with technology developments, and evolving customer demands, banks must think carefully about their future and the strategy they need to remain responsive and relevant. As well as facing a more competitive...

HMRC proposes ISA breach penalties

ISA managers could face new penalties if they break ISA rules, according to proposals put forward by HMRC. The taxman is calling for evidence on the proposals, which aim to shake up the existing system due to concerns that it penalises investors for the bad behaviour...

Threat of UK withdrawing from Northern Ireland Brexit deal

The so-called Northern Ireland protocol, agreed as part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement in 2019, sets out how trade works in the region following the U.K.’s exit from the EU. The protocol was drawn up to protect the EU’s single market post-Brexit while avoiding a...

Banks forced to offer scam victims compensation

The Financial Ombudsman Service, which manages disputes between financial firms and customers, is ruling against banks in 73% of authorised fraud cases, data exclusively obtained by Which? demonstrates. This means if you have been tricked into sending money to a...