The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed UK unemployment rose sharply in the three months to July – the biggest rise in almost two years. The ONS said unemployment rose by 80,000 in the three month period to 2.51 million – far higher than the 70,000 expected by economists. The latest figures take [...]
The Italian Senate has today passed a tough austerity budget, which proposes cuts of €48 billion (£42 billion) over the next three years. Senators voted 161 to 135 in favour of the measures. The country’s Finance Minister, Giulio Tremonti, is aiming to cut the deficit to zero by 2014 from this year’s 3.9% of GDP. [...]
A 24-hour strike is underway in the UK as public sector workers protest against pension reforms. The Public and Commercial Services (PCS), which is Britain’s largest civil service union, as well as three teaching unions, are protesting against changes to their pensions. The industrial action will result in Britain’s worst strike for decades and will [...]
Protesters have gathered on the streets of Athens today as a 48-hour general strike commences, which will see the country come to a virtual standstill. Apart from the metro, no public transport is operating as many people opt to join the fourth general strike called this year by the country’s two largest unions. The general [...]
According to the Fawcett Society, the gender equality charity, lone parents are set to be squeezed by the Government’s austeirty measures, which include cuts to benefits and tax hikes. A report by the Society explains the public service cuts will result in lone mothers losing an average 8.5% of their income after tax by 2015. [...]
The OECD’s chief economist, Pier Carlo Padoan, has warned that the UK may be forced to ease its pace of spending cuts if economic growth remains sluggish. Mr Padoan of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said if growth worsens, the Government may need to reconsider its plans for cutting the deficit. In the [...]
According to statistics agency Eurostat, Greece’s public deficit reached 10.5% of GDP at the end of 2010 – higher than the 9.5% forecast. The Greek finance ministry has previously attributed the larger deficit to a deeper than expected recession, which cut into tax revenues and social security contributions. The figures suggest the country continues to [...]
British Prime Minister, David Cameron, has warned that next year will be “difficult” as he delivered his new year speech. However, Mr Cameron said Britain has a “really bright future to look forward to” and defended his Government’s spending cuts as tough but necessary, in order to trim the budget deficit. The cuts have received [...]
Prime Minister David Cameron has stood firm over his Government’s plan to cut housing benefits. The opposition claimed the policy was a “complete shambles” but the PM defended the moves and said: “These are difficult changes but I think it is right.” The proposals include ending the “council housing for life”, which means tenants in [...]
The French Government has today warned that strikes against pension cuts are costing the economy between €200 and €400 million per day. Ongoing protests and strikes against the Government’s changes to pensions have resulted in fuel shortages and travel chaos throughout the nation. France’s Finance Minister, Christine Lagarde, said: “Today, we shouldn’t be weighing down [...]
Prime Minister David Cameron has delivered a speech today at the CBI’s annual conference and has outlined a “strategy for growth” for Britain’s private sector – just days after his Government unveiled its harsh Comprehensive Spending Review. The spending cuts introduced by the Coalition Government have received mixed responses; many have been critical of them [...]
After yesterday’s Comprehensive Spending Review, Chancellor George Osborne has today defended his package of £81 billion spending cuts but deemed them to be fair. Addressing parliament yesterday, Mr Osborne said “Tackling this budget deficit is unavoidable. The decisions about how we do it are not. There are choices. And today we make them. Investment in [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today reported a decline in UK retail sales for the month of September – the second monthly fall. According to the ONS, retail sales dipped 0.2% last month and followed a downwardly revised fall of 0.7% in August. The fall was attributed to weak demand for clothing and [...]
Chancellor George Osborne has today unveiled his Comprehensive Spending Review – in what has been described as the most savage spending cuts since the Second World War. Mr Osborne confirmed he would proceed with almost all of the cuts he detailed in his emergency budget in June. Firstly, defending the cuts, Mr Osborne told parliament: [...]
Chancellor George Osborne will today reveal the Comprehensive Spending Review. He is set to provide details of how he intends to slash spending by £83 billion by 2014 as he endeavours to bring down the spiralling budget deficit. The cuts have received mixed responses; many have been critical of them warning that slashing the deficit [...]
Employers’ group, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), has today said it supports the coalition Government’s overhaul of the benefits system. It is also suggesting the Government consider ending final salary pensions for public sector workers. The coalition Government has introduced tough austerity measures and has said they are necessary to slash the budget deficit. [...]
International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Union (EU) auditors have today said Greece has made “considerable progress” in dealing with its public deficit. For many months now, Greece has been making big cuts to public spending. However, this has met with strong opposition from unions. Greece’s two main unions have launched several strikes this year [...]
The Children’s Mutual has suspended all new business to its most basic Child Trust Fund (CTF) accounts following the government’s decision to scrap the CTF scheme. CTFs were one of the first things to face the coalition’s axe as they seek to make massive cutbacks to tackle Britain’s national debt. David White, chief executive of [...]
It has emerged that big bonuses are to be awarded to Home Office staff despite the new coalition Government’s public spending cuts. Speaking before the Commons home affairs committee, Damien Green, Immigration Minister, said the payments to senior officials would total almost £800,000 this year, compared to last year’s bonuses which totalled £1.4 million. In [...]
Banks are being urged to show compassion when allocating bonuses this year – in light of the cost-cutting measures in the public and private sectors. Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Mark Hoban, said banks need to be mindful during the forthcoming bonus season – at a time when pay restraints are being implemented across the [...]
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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