The Chancellor says offshore wind projects could be refused Government-backed contracts unless they lower electricity bills and can connect to the grid.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readBank of England figures show house-purchase mortgage approvals fell to 53,443 in September, their lowest since December 2023, as new mortgage rates rose to 4.63%.
Staff member · 2 min readResolution Foundation forecasts typical non-pensioner household incomes will fall £1,050 (3%) by 2028–29 despite the Autumn 2026 Budget.
Staff member · 2 min readThe OBR forecasts UK growth of just 1% in 2027, with inflation set to peak at 3.8% and real household disposable income per person falling in 2026–27.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readHouseholds across the UK can apply for government-backed low- or no-interest loans for solar panels, batteries and heat pumps, with maximum borrowing of £35,000 for ground-source heat pumps.
Staff member · 3 min readOfgem has approved an agreement to preserve gas import capacity through the Britain–Belgium interconnector, while consulting on a proposed charge of around £1.19 per gas customer annually.
Staff member · 2 min readUK consumer confidence fell 11 points to -24 in October, its sharpest monthly drop since the early Covid pandemic, according to the GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer powered by NIM.
Staff member · 2 min readA Commons committee has urged ministers to move remaining energy-transition policy costs from electricity onto gas bills, while protecting vulnerable gas customers.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readUK annual CPI inflation increased to 3.5% in September 2026 from 3.1%, with motor fuel prices the largest driver of the rise.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readMinisters have accepted recommendations for new heating oil consumer protections after a competition watchdog found around 1,700 households affected by cancelled orders during price spikes.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readGoogle Maps now displays near-real-time UK petrol and diesel prices using the Government’s Fuel Finder data, helping drivers compare nearby forecourts.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readG7 countries have agreed an immediate coordinated release of 100 million barrels of emergency petroleum reserves over four months, including a front-loaded diesel release within the first 20 days.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readUK CPI inflation rose from 2.9% to 3.1% in August as higher petrol, diesel and air fares pushed up prices, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readDowning Street says pensioners whose only income is the basic or new State Pension will not pay income tax on it during this Parliament, as the full new pension heads above the Personal Allowance.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readReform UK has pledged to raise the income tax personal allowance from £12,570 to £15,000 within its first 100 days in government, with the party saying most taxpayers would save around £500 a year.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readThe Government has tightened school-uniform rules to stop schools circumventing new limits on compulsory branded clothing and PE kit, with ministers warning they can intervene where policies breach the requirements.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readThe Burnham Government has launched a cross-government taskforce to examine greater public control across housing, water, energy and transport, while stressing that detailed ownership models and any nationalisation plans have not yet been decided.
Charlotte Mercer · 5 min readMore than three million children from Universal Credit families are now eligible for free school meals as the Government rolls out a wider package of breakfast clubs, childcare and school-cost support.
Daniel Whitmore · 4 min readA government cap preventing Plan 2 and Plan 3 student-loan interest rates from exceeding 6% has taken effect for the 2026/27 academic year, with ministers citing the risk of inflationary shocks linked to conflict in the Middle East.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readMike Ashley has launched a fierce attack on Andy Burnham's high-street strategy, branding parts of the Government's business-rates approach ‘delusional’ and calling for urgent action on retail costs and shoplifting.
Daniel Whitmore · 5 min readHousehold energy bills are set to rise again from October after Ofgem increased its price cap by 4% to £1,723, despite the Government removing VAT from domestic electricity.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readThe Government has allocated £9.58 billion to 33 strategic housing partners for 73,600 homes, as scrutiny turns to Andy Burnham's pledge to revive council housebuilding.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readPrime Minister Andy Burnham has refused to rule out tax rises in the October Budget as he warned that Britain's public finances are in a challenging position.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readThe Treasury has launched an independent review of business rates valuations for pubs and hotels, but any resulting changes are expected to feed into the 2029 revaluation.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readBritain’s economy grew by 0.4% between April and June, but the Bank of England expects underlying growth to slow to around zero as renewed Middle East conflict, higher energy costs and Budget uncertainty test Andy Burnham’s new government.
Charlotte Mercer · 5 min readHouseholds within 500 metres of eligible new electricity transmission infrastructure could receive £250 a year off their electricity bills for ten years, with 43 expected projects named across England, Scotland and Wales.
Charlotte Mercer · 5 min readPrime Minister Andy Burnham will begin a month-long tour of the UK on Monday, promising to listen to communities and announce further measures addressing living costs, consumer practices and struggling high streets.
Charlotte Mercer · 5 min readHousing Secretary Angela Rayner has approved a data centre and wider redevelopment around Brick Lane despite demands for a housing-led future for the former Truman Brewery estate.
Charlotte Mercer · 5 min readChancellor John Healey will present the Government's next Budget on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, alongside a new economic and fiscal forecast from the OBR.
Charlotte Mercer · 1 min readEducation Secretary Lucy Powell has said reviewing England's student loan system is "at the top of my in-tray", describing the current system as needing reform while stressing that no decisions have yet been made.
Staff member · 2 min readHousing Secretary Angela Rayner has ruled out freezing rents as part of Andy Burnham's cost of living measures, telling BBC Breakfast the government would not be pursuing rent controls.
Staff member · 3 min readPrime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a 20% cut in business rates for pubs, clubs and live music venues in England, with the Government saying nearly 32,000 businesses will benefit from the new relief scheme.
Staff member · 2 min read