Leading business group, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), has downgraded its growth prospects for the UK economy. The BCC now expects the economy to grow by 1.3% this year, slightly lower than a previous forecast of 1.4%. The figures are much lower than the 1.7% expected by the Office of Budget Responsibility but are [...]
According to the fourth annual Post Office Consumer Credit Report, millions used their credit card this month for daily purchases, suggesting the pressure on household finances is growing. The Government’s spending cuts, together with rising inflation, is having a major impact on families and this is highlighted in the research by the Post Office. The [...]
The Office For National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed the extent to which the recession has had on UK households after spending fell for the first time in a decade. The data shows how households have been squeezed after spending was £455 in 2009, down from £471 in the previous year – the first fall [...]
According to the latest Markit UK Household Finance Index, people are continuing to pay off their debts rather than top up their savings. This has been the case for some time now as historically low interest rates discourage consumers from saving. Meanwhile, the survey of 1,500 households discovered that around 27% of those questioned saw [...]
The Bank of England’s quarterly report covering the autumn of 2009 shows householders’ disposable incomes after tax, housing costs, loan payments and utility bills having fallen by an average £100 per month over the past year. Manual workers, many of whom have been hit by reduced working hours, saw their disposable incomes depleted by between [...]
Supermarket giant Tesco is continuing its expansion into financial services by agreeing a partnership with Fortis, which will form a new motor and household insurance company. Tesco, which has a 30% share of the grocery market, already offers credit cards, savings accounts and insurance via its Tesco Personal Finance (TPF) brand and announced plans late [...]
The cost of running a home in the UK has plummeted to a three year low, according to new research from Halifax. A study by the bank found that the cost of owning and running a household has fallen by nearly a fifth during the past twelve months to the lowest level since 2006. Household [...]
Figures released today by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) revealed that spending by British households fell by 1.2% in the first three months of 2009 – the largest fall since 1980. According to the ONS, the only positive contribution to growth was Government spending. In addition to the fall in household spending, the ONS [...]
Today the government has announced a £9 billion scheme that will install a new smart energy meter in every UK home. Both the Department for Energy & Climate Change and the energy companies believe that the measure will result in savings for consumers. The meters are electronic and available for both gas and electricity and, [...]
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has outlined plans to contribute at least £5 million to support households in England that are at particularly high risk of flooding. The scheme is aimed at properties which are not protected by traditional community level defences and will be in addition to help already provided [...]
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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