Economists have today warned that the big freeze could hit the UK economy, impacting negatively on growth. In particular, retailers have been badly affected this weekend by a lack of shoppers, who opted to stay home due to the snow and ice. This weekend should have been the busiest of the year for retailers but [...]
The airline industry has been hit hard during the global economic downturn, which has led to a slump in demand for air travel with fewer people travelling. Many airlines went bust during the downturn, not just due to a fall in demand but also as a result of higher fuel prices. According to the International [...]
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is forecasting big losses for the airline industry next year but added that “the worst is likely behind us”. According to the industry body, airlines will suffer losses of $5.6 billion (£3.5 billion) in 2010 – an increase from the $3.8 billion it originally predicted. IATA said that European [...]
Low-cost airline bmi has announced plans to axe around 600 jobs as part of a restructuring plan. The carrier, like many others around the world, has been hit by a slump in demand, higher fuel prices and increased competition. The economic downturn has meant many airlines have been forced out of business as fewer people [...]
British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa) has today announced that pilots of struggling airline, British Airways (BA), have voted overwhelmingly to accept a 2.6% pay cut, which will save the airline up to £26 million a year in running costs. The airline recently admitted that it was fighting for its survival but it is not alone. [...]
A number of low-cost airlines are flouting EU rules on automatically adding travel insurance when flights are booked. An investigation by consumer rights group Which? found that easyJet, Jet2 and Monarch continue to automatically add travel insurance policies at the time of booking. The cost of this extra insurance is between £7 and £10.49 per [...]
M&S Money launches 3% cash ISA
M&S Money has launched an Advantage Cash ISA paying 3 per cent, and which allows transfers in from other ISAs. It can be opened with a minimum deposit of £100 lump sum followed by minimum monthly deposits of £25. The 3% rate is variable, but there is no short-term bonus so the return won’t plummet [...]
Google suspends UK Compare Mortgages site
Google has closed its UK mortgage comparison site which it launched in July last year, after it proved to be less popular than expected. Mortgage comparison sites are designed to allow visitors to compare mortgages quickly and easily without having to visit each lender’s individual site. Google was competing with several well-established comparison sites, including [...]
AA launches ‘black-box’ policy for young drivers
The AA is launching an innovative car insurance policy called Drivesafe which could help younger drivers save up to £850 a year. Younger drivers already pay substantially higher premiums than other motorists and these costs are increasing. A new study by Confused.com suggests insurance costs for younger driver have gone up by 5.7 per cent [...]
ATOL scheme updated to protect online bookers
ATOL, a financial protection scheme managed by the Civil Aviation Authority, is being extended to protect up to six million more holidays a year. The scheme ensures that holiday makers do not lose out financially if a travel company collapses, and that they are not stranded abroad. An increase in the number of holidays booked [...]
Home repossessions lowest for four years
The number of UK homes repossessed fell to 36,200 in 2011, significantly below the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ forecast of 40,000, and lower than 2010 when 37,100 homes were repossessed. With interest rates remaining low and lenders adopting a sympathetic attitude to customers in financial difficulty, repossessions fell to their lowest level since 2007. However, [...]
Monthly pay lasting just 17 days
Workers are running out of money just 17 days after receiving their monthly pay, according to new research by the Halifax bank. This means that the average UK worker spends half the month worrying about money. The study, based on the responses of more than 2,000 adults, found that 10 per cent of workers start [...]
Women disadvantaged by auto-enrolment changes
Government proposals to increase the auto-enrolment threshold to £10,000 could put 1.8 million women at risk of missing out on a pension, the TUC has warned. Under the auto-enrolment scheme, which will be phased in from October, private sector employers will automatically enrol workers between the age of 22 years and the state pension age, [...]
Emergency household repairs company Homeserve is taking longer than expected to get back on track after its operations were suspended last October. The company expected customer numbers to fall by 5% this year but it has increased this estimate to 8% and announced the loss of 200 jobs. It estimates that renewal revenue in 2013 [...]
Sale rumoured for Yorkshire and Clydesdale banks
There is growing speculation that National Australia Bank (NAB) may sell Yorkshire Bank and Clydesdale Bank after the Australian parent company announced a strategic review of the two banks’ operations. The Australian economy is performing well and NAB reported strong profits for the final quarter of 2011 but with the UK economy at a virtual [...]
More women experiencing debt difficulties
Women in Debt, which offers female-focused debt advice, has warned that the number of UK women facing serious debt has grown significantly over recent years. The organisation believes that more women will need advice on solving debt problems in the future because they are building up an unsustainable level of indebtedness. Women in Debt’s director, [...]
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