- Monday, January 23, 2012, 11:59
- Economy
Pessimism about the fragile state of the UK economy is prompting a growing number of people to plan on cutting their spending over the coming year, according to survey carried out on behalf of the Resolution Foundation.
The study, which was conducted by the polling organisation Ipsos MORI, found that a third of all adults ...
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- Saturday, May 7, 2011, 15:12
- Personal Finance
Tattooed jobseekers are able to use public money to have their skin ink removed if it improves their chances of securing employment.
Darra Singh, the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, has told his staff they are free to dip into the public purse to fund plastic surgery and laser removal treatments to remove tattoos if the procedure improves a claimant’s job prospects.
Although data is not collected ...
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- Tuesday, January 4, 2011, 17:21
- Featured
Mortgage approvals rose slightly in November for the first time in six months according to figures published by the Bank of England today.
Some 48,019 new loans were written, up from 47,315 in October. The increase was driven by a rise in the number of people remortgaging their properties and are a sign that ...
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- Tuesday, January 4, 2011, 17:16
- Economy
The VAT hike could cost families an extra £520 a year and result in the loss of up to 250,000 private sector jobs experts have warned.
Yesterday was the last chance for shoppers and motorists to take advantage of the lower rate. Large queues formed at garage forecourts and in shops before the increase from 17.5% to 20% came into force at midnight.
The price rise will ...
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- Tuesday, December 21, 2010, 15:35
- Featured
Continuing adverse weather is likely to have a “significant” effect on the UK economy and could damage its fragile recovery.
Shares in retailers and airlines have been hit over the past week as fears grow that the cold snap could have a negative impact on growth. Analysts had been expecting consumers to spend on ...
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- Tuesday, December 21, 2010, 15:33
- Economy
UK consumer confidence is near to collapse according to figures published today.
The monthly GfK /NOP Consumer Confidence Index, conducted on behalf of the European Commission, remained static at minus 21 points with every major indicator down on November bar one.
The only measure propping the index up was a slight rise in the number of big ...
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- Monday, December 20, 2010, 17:20
- Personal Finance
Britons struggling with the consequences of the recession have been urged not to turn to door step lenders and loan sharks to pay for presents and festivities over the Christmas period.
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) say that more than a quarter of a million people may be vulnerable to unscrupulous lenders charging punitive rates of interest when they are unable to access credit elsewhere ...
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- Monday, December 20, 2010, 17:18
- Personal Finance
Some 57% of Briton’s fear that they will encounter financial difficulties in 2011, according to a study by the Samaritans.
Nearly two thirds of people are concerned that they will not have enough money to make ends meet next year after what nearly a third described as their worst year ever in 2010.
Around 56% of those surveyed said that they were worried that they might suffer ...
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- Monday, December 20, 2010, 17:11
- Personal Finance
The coalition government’s attempt to slash the public deficit will push an extra 200,000 children into absolute poverty according to analysis by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS).
Overall poverty will rise amongst children and working age adults over the next three years as average incomes stagnate, unemployment rises, inflation starts to bite and benefits are cut. Housing benefit reforms alone will force 100,000 children below ...
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- Monday, December 20, 2010, 17:08
- Mortgages
Millions of homeowners are at risk from a rapid rise in interest rates the Bank of England has warned.
The historically low base rate has tempted many families to opt for tracker or variable products as opposed to fixed rate deals leaving them vulnerable to a sudden increase in prices.
The Bank’s financial stability report says that many households could face mortgage misery if interest rates rise ...
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