Some neighbourhoods close to the Olympic Park development have seen sharp rises in house prices since 2005, when the Capital was awarded the Games. According to research from Lloyds TSB, Homerton and Shoreditch have recorded average property price rises of 69% and 53% respectively, well above the Greater London average of 36%. However, only four [...]
A survey by Westpac bank and the Melbourne Institute has revealed that Australian consumer confidence has been hit by the recent hike in interest rates. The study, which questioned 1,200 people, found that consumer morale in May fell for the second consecutive month – by 7% to a reading of 108. This represented the biggest [...]
Influential think tank, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), believes taxes will increase sharply in the next ten years, in order to cut the UK’s budget deficit. According to a report by the Institute, taxes would have to rise by the equivalent of 6p on the basic income tax rate to bring [...]
In its latest Scottish House Price Monitor, Lloyds TSB tracks the continued recovery of the region’s housing market. Most areas of Scotland were showing price increases over the three months to the end of January 2010, with the average cost of a home up 5.9% on the previous quarter, to £160,074. Dundee and Edinburgh led [...]
A study called “Precious Plastic” by accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has found that while there has been a “cooling passion” for credit cards, bad credit card debts could jump as much as 9% of all outstanding balances by the end of 2010. According to Richard Thompson, a partner at PwC, over the last year, “there [...]
In today’s Budget, Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling said the country is suffering as the economy is in the midst of its worst year since World War II. In an attempt to drive the UK to recovery, the Chancellor unveiled a series of measures including tax rises and spending cuts. Those earning in excess [...]
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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