The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed UK unemployment rose in the three months to December. The ONS said unemployment grew by 44,000 in the three month period to 2.49 million. The latest figures means the unemployment rate is unchanged from last month at 7.9% – in line with forecasts. In the meantime, [...]
Influential think tank, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), has today suggested the UK economy recovered in January after adverse weather conditions led to a shock contraction in the final quarter of last year. Last month, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed the UK economy contracted by 0.5% in the October [...]
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has today revealed uncertainty surrounding the economy means buyers and sellers remain cautious. As a result, the housing market has got off to a slow start in 2011 as buyer demand remains weak and supply levels remain low. However, the Institution said new buyer enquiries picked up in [...]
Figures published by the Insolvency Service have revealed personal insolvencies climbed to a new high in 2010. According to the Insolvency Service, there were 135,089 personal insolvencies in 2010 – a rise of 0.7% compared with 2009. This was also double the number of people declared insolvent in 2005 and represented the highest figure since [...]
The slowdown in consumer spending looks set to continue after the John Lewis Partnership, which is regarded as a barometer of British retailing, reported a further fall in weekly sales. The renowned employee-owned chain said department store sales fell 0.9% o £49.5 million in the week to 29 January. In the week to 22 January, [...]
Influential think tank, the National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NIESR) is expecting the Bank of England to lift interest rates three times this year. The London-based think tank made the comments after calling on Chancellor George Osborne to consider deferring the harsh spending cuts the Government has introduced. Ray Barrell of the NIESR [...]
The Government’s massive spending cuts, which were introduced to trim the spiralling budget deficit, is to lead to a cut in funding for debt advisers. The news comes as debt advice charities are at their busiest as households are squeezed by unemployment, tax hikes and rising inflation. As a result, many debt advisers believe that [...]
The latest house price index from the Nationwide Building Society has revealed a 0.1% fall for the month of January compared with December. The latest fall means house prices are now 1.1% lower than this time last year with the average UK home costing £161,600. According to Nationwide’s chief economist Robert Gardner, the outlook remains [...]
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 [...]
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, British Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to say later today that the UK economy is making “progress”. His speech will come just days after official figures revealed the UK economy contracted by 0.5% in the October to December period. The figures shocked economists who had expected [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed the UK economy contracted by 0.5% in the October to December period. The figures shocked economists who had expected growth of between 0.2-0.5% following growth of 0.7% in the third quarter and 1.1% in the April to June period. Meanwhile, economic growth rose by 1.7% on [...]
The initial reading of fourth quarter economic growth will be published today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Analysts expect growth to have slowed significantly to 0.2% in the quarter, down from 0.7% in the third quarter and 1.1% in the April to June period. Today’s estimate, however, is the first of three and [...]
A report by insolvency specialist Begbies Traynor has revealed 2011 could see a 10% hike in insolvencies. According to the report, 147,836 firms are facing serious difficulties than at any time since the beginning of 2009. The report suggests firms are still feeling the effects of the recession and the Government spending cuts will only [...]
According to economists, the Bank of England is widely expected to keep interest rates on hold this month. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) commences its two-day meeting today and interest rates are expected to be kept at the historic low of 0.5% – where they have been for almost two years. In addition, analysts expect [...]
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has today warned of a fragile economic recovery in the UK with growth expected to slow in the final quarter of 2010. There has been suggestions that economic growth will be severely hampered because of the Government’s massive spending cuts. There is a possibility that the Bank of England’s [...]
The heavy snowfall which gripped most of the country last month was expected to impact negatively on retail sales. However, retail sales fell just 0.3% on a like-for-like basis, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC)/KPMG retail sales monitor. However, total sales rose 1.5% against 6% growth the previous year – a sharp drop but [...]
Wm Morrison Supermarkets has today reported a rise in Christmas and New Year sales, despite the bad weather which gripped most of the country during December. The grocer, which is Britain’s fourth largest, said like-for-like sales grew 1% in the six-week period over Christmas and New Year compared with the same period a year ago. [...]
The latest house price index from the Nationwide Building Society has revealed a 0.4% rise for the month of December compared with November. The latest rise means house prices are now just 0.4% higher than this time last year with the average UK home costing £162,763. Commenting on the figures, Nationwide’s chief economist Martin Gahbauer, [...]
Job losses resulting from the Government’s spending cuts is expected to bring widespread industrial action next year, unions have suggested. In his New Year message, Brendan Barber, the TUC’s general secretary, claimed 2011 would be a “horrible” year of cuts and will also be tough for the Government. Unemployment will undoubtedly rise, said the union. [...]
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has revealed more than half of UK firms will either slash or freeze employee’s pay in 2011. The survey, which covered 450 businesses, found 45% of firms would give their staff a pay rise, 49% said they would freeze wages, while 6% said they planned to cut salaries. Companies [...]
Phone fraudsters stealing bank card pins
Fraudsters using a phone scam to trick bank card holders into revealing their pin numbers stole £750,000 in the first four months of this year. This is the same amount stolen through this scam in the whole of last year. The fraudster telephones a bank customer, often someone elderly or vulnerable, telling them that their [...]
FSA rules out ban on interest-only mortgages
Speculation that the Financial Services Authority would ban interest-only mortgages as part of its Mortgage Market Review has proved to be unfounded. However, lenders will be required to monitor the performance of the investment product taken out by the customer to repay the mortgage at the end of its term. Investments are performing poorly because [...]
Bank of England may end free in-credit banking
A director of the Bank of England has warned that official intervention could be considered to end the ‘dangerous myth of free in-credit banking’. Andrew Bailey has already spoken out against free banking in relation to the mis-selling of financial products. In a speech made available to media, he reiterated his concern, saying that it [...]
Bank of England votes against more economic stimulus
The Bank of England voted against a further round of quantitative easing, at its latest Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting. Just one member, David Miles, voted for further asset purchase to encourage growth in the UK economy, while the other eight members voted to keep the Bank’s quantitative easing programme steady at £325bn. The minutes [...]
Catalogue debt growing says helpline
Calls from people concerned about their debts with mail order catalogues accounted for more than 12 per cent of all calls received by National Debtline last year, compared with just 8 per cent in 2007. More people were concerned about catalogue debt than about payday loans, mortgage or rent, according to the Money Advice Trust [...]
Homeserve faces mis-selling investigation
HomeServe, which provides emergency insurance cover and domestic repairs to households in the UK, is to be investigated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Issues over the possible mis-selling of household emergency policies were uncovered last October during an internal review at the Walsall-based company. Homeserve’s call centre staff were found to be selling ‘Complete [...]
OFT warns Wonga over debt collection methods
Payday loan company Wonga used aggressive and misleading methods to collect debts from customers, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has found. Wonga sent letter and emails to certain customers suggesting they had committed fraud and threatening to report them to the police if they did not act in the way Wonga suggested. The company [...]
NS&I re-launches investment account
National Savings & Investments (NS&I) has re-launched its Investment Account at a higher interest rate than it previously offered. The account now offers 0.75 per cent before tax, compared with between 0.2 and 0.3 per cent previously, depending on the account balance. Deposits and withdrawals on the account can no longer be made at Post [...]
Rightmove reports property downsizing trend
Two in five property owners planning to sell in the next year are planning to ‘trade down’, compared with one in four who plan to ‘trade up’. A survey by property website Rightmove found that moving to a smaller home is the main reason for moving in nine out of the ten regions in the [...]
More people failing to save for retirement
The proportion of people with no pension savings has grown from 20 per cent to 22 per cent over the past year, according to Scottish Widows’ latest survey. The pension provider surveyed 5,200 adults in the UK, aged 30 or over, and earning at least £10,000 a year, for its annual review of pensions. Ian [...]
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