UK Inflation Surges to 3.5% as Fuel Prices Drive New Cost-of-Living Pressures
UK 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 readLatest in Economy
UK National Debt Exceeds £3 Trillion for First Time as Borrowing Surpasses Forecasts
UK public sector net debt passed £3 trillion in September 2026, while monthly borrowing reached £24.5 billion and exceeded the official forecast.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readPaddy Power Owner Plans Up to 1,400 Job Cuts, Blaming UK Gambling Tax Increases
Flutter Entertainment has announced proposals for up to 1,400 redundancies across its UK and Ireland business, attributing the restructuring to higher UK gambling taxes.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readUK Job Vacancies Fall Below 700,000 for First Time Since 2021 as Labour Market Weakens
UK vacancies fell to an estimated 691,000 in July to September 2026, the first reading below 700,000 since early 2021, according to new ONS figures.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readChancellor Backs Heathrow Third Runway Growth Case Despite Prime Minister's Reluctance
Chancellor John Healey has backed the economic case for a third runway at Heathrow, contrasting with Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s refusal to endorse the proposal before further decisions.
Staff member · 3 min readIMF Urges Chancellor to Prioritise Welfare and Pension Reform Over Higher Bank Taxes
The IMF has urged Chancellor John Healey to consider welfare, pension and tax-system reforms before increasing taxes on banks ahead of the 28 October Budget.
Staff member · 3 min readGovernment Rejects MPs’ Call to Extend Employer National Insurance Relief to Under-25s
Ministers have rejected a cross-party committee recommendation to extend employer National Insurance relief to all workers under 25, amid concerns over youth employment costs.
Staff member · 2 min readUK Economy Defies Forecasts With Unexpected Growth Ahead of Chancellor’s Budget
Official figures show UK GDP rose by 0.1% in August 2026, beating forecasts of a contraction, although construction and consumer-facing services weakened.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readChancellor Faces £8bn Tax Rise Warning as Fiscal Headroom Halves to £12bn
Resolution Foundation estimates the Chancellor’s fiscal headroom has fallen from £24bn to £12bn and recommends around £8bn in tax reforms ahead of the Budget.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readIMF upgrades UK growth forecast but warns of persistent inflation and slower 2027 expansion
The IMF has raised its UK growth forecast for 2026 to 1.3%, but expects slower growth in 2027 and inflation to remain above the Bank of England target.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readIFS warns Healey could need £35bn in tax rises or benefit cuts ahead of Budget
The IFS estimates that protecting departmental budgets and raising defence spending could require around £35bn in tax rises or benefit cuts.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readUK Borrowing Costs Hit 19-Year High Ahead of Labour’s Budget
The 10-year gilt yield touched 5.527% on 8 October amid a global bond sell-off, adding pressure ahead of John Healey’s 28 October Budget.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readConservatives pledge to slash new-build costs by £50,000 in huge deregulation drive
The Conservatives have unveiled a sweeping deregulation programme which they claim could cut the cost of a new-build home by up to £50,000, including abolishing the Environment Agency and Natural England as separate bodies.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readG7 agrees immediate release of 100 MILLION barrels from emergency reserves as fuel-price crisis deepens
G7 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 readBurnham to create state-owned Great British Grid
Prime Minister Andy Burnham is to create Great British Grid, a new publicly owned body within Great British Energy intended to invest in electricity infrastructure and speed up grid connections.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readHealey puts ‘fiscal discipline’ at heart of 28 October Budget
Chancellor John Healey has pledged to stick to the Government's fiscal rules and said fiscal discipline will run through the 28 October Budget.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readBurnham Government revives Help to Buy with 2.5% deposits and 20% taxpayer-backed equity loans
The Government is reviving the Help to Buy equity-loan model with a new scheme offering eligible first-time buyers 2.5% deposits and Government equity loans worth up to 20%.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readGovernment launches guaranteed-jobs scheme for young people on health benefits
The Government has announced a scheme offering eligible young people with disabilities or long-term health conditions a guaranteed paid job, with participation remaining voluntary.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readGovernment announces ‘biggest wave of insourcing in a generation’ and new British-jobs requirements for utilities
The Government has announced a new Insourcing Unit to drive what it calls the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation, alongside measures aimed at securing British jobs from utility investment.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readBurnham refuses to back Heathrow third runway, putting previous Government support in doubt
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has declined to back a third runway at Heathrow, saying the views of Londoners should be heard before he takes a position on the project.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readUK defence spending with British industry reaches record £34.1bn
Ministry of Defence figures show spending with UK industry and commerce reached a record £34.1 billion in 2025/26, up 3.2% in real terms.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readMPs launch inquiry into whether Bank of England independence is still ‘fit for purpose’
The Treasury Committee has launched an inquiry into whether the Bank of England’s monetary policy independence remains fit for purpose almost 30 years after it was introduced.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readGovernment confirms Manchester will host the 2027 G20 Leaders’ Summit
The Government has confirmed Manchester will host the G20 Leaders’ Summit on 27 and 28 November 2027, with world leaders gathering at Manchester Central.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readMPs tell Government to protect OBR independence and recommend new 10-year forecasts
The Treasury Committee has urged ministers to protect the independence of the Office for Budget Responsibility while recommending that the fiscal watchdog add a new 10-year forecast alongside its existing five-year outlook.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readUK borrowing overshoots official forecast by £8.1bn ahead of Budget
UK public-sector borrowing reached £77.3 billion between April and August, placing it £8.1 billion above the Office for Budget Responsibility's forecast.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readBank of England warns inflation could exceed 4% as interest rates held at 3.75%
The Bank of England has held Bank Rate at 3.75% in a 6–3 vote but warned inflation could rise slightly above 4% in early 2027 as energy prices increase.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readMcLaren announces £500m UK expansion creating 1,000 jobs in major manufacturing boost
McLaren Automotive is investing around £500 million to expand its UK manufacturing and engineering operations, creating 1,000 jobs by 2032 and potentially supporting thousands more across the supply chain.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readUK inflation rises to 3.1% as petrol and diesel prices drive renewed increase
UK 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 readGovernment promises State Pension-only retirees will not pay income tax as payments head above threshold
Downing 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 readUK payroll jobs fall by 145,000 as vacancies sink to lowest level in more than a decade
New ONS figures show UK payrolled employment falling by an estimated 145,000 over the year as vacancies drop to their lowest level outside the Covid period in more than a decade.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readGeorge Osborne calls for Britain to rejoin EU customs union as he says economy has 'fallen off a cliff'
Former Conservative chancellor George Osborne has renewed his call for Britain to rejoin the EU customs union, arguing the economy has suffered severe damage since Brexit.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readUK economy grows 0.4% in July as GDP smashes forecasts
The UK economy grew by 0.4% in July, significantly beating expectations for no growth, as services and computer programming helped drive the stronger-than-expected performance.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readUK borrowing costs surge as 30-year gilt yields hit highest level since 1998
UK government borrowing costs have surged, with 30-year gilt yields reaching 5.925% — their highest level since 1998 — adding pressure on Chancellor John Healey ahead of his first Budget.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readUK borrowing costs hit highest level since 1998 as £4.25bn debt sale piles pressure on Healey
Britain has sold £4.25 billion of 30-year Government debt at a yield of 5.8168%, the highest borrowing cost at any gilt auction or syndication since comparable Debt Management Office records began in 1998.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readBusiness group urges Healey to scrap state pension triple lock ahead of Budget
The British Chambers of Commerce has urged Chancellor John Healey to replace the state pension triple lock with inflation-linked increases, estimating the change could save £3.3 billion over two years.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readHealey unveils £150m fund to back fast-growing businesses across North of England
Chancellor John Healey is unveiling a £150 million British Business Bank fund offering investments of £5 million to £15 million to fast-growing companies across the North of England.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readReform plans London and New York investor roadshow as Jenrick pledges £100bn spending squeeze
Reform UK plans investor meetings in London and New York as Robert Jenrick pledges more than £100 billion of spending reductions in the party's first 100 days in government.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readHealey to deliver first major Chancellor speech on Monday as Budget pressure intensifies
John Healey is set to deliver his first major speech as Chancellor on Monday, with UK borrowing costs at their highest level since 2007 and pressure mounting ahead of the 28 October Budget.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readHealey promises firm timetable for next major rise in UK defence spending
Chancellor John Healey says the 2027 Spending Review will set a target date for Britain to reach 3% of GDP on defence and a clear path towards the NATO core-defence commitment of 3.5% by 2035.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readStudent loan interest capped at 6% as new rules take effect
A 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 readUK gains full access to £13tn CPTPP trade bloc as Canada deal takes effect
UK businesses now have full access to all 11 other CPTPP members after the agreement entered into force with Canada, completing Britain's accession to a trading bloc worth almost £13 trillion including the UK.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readBadenoch sacks Mel Stride as Andrew Griffith becomes Shadow Chancellor
Kemi Badenoch has removed Sir Mel Stride as Shadow Chancellor and promoted Andrew Griffith to lead the Conservatives' economic team, with Claire Coutinho taking over the business brief.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readHealey considers windfall taxes on banks and oil companies as Treasury looks to fill £4.7bn Budget hole
Chancellor John Healey is reportedly considering windfall taxes on banks and oil companies as Treasury officials look for ways to plug an estimated £4.7bn gap in the public finances ahead of the October Budget.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readUnexpected £1.8bn July Borrowing Adds to Healey's Budget Pressure
The UK borrowed £1.8 billion in July, £2.3 billion more than the OBR expected, adding to the pressure on Chancellor John Healey before October's Budget.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readUK Economy Grows by 0.4% but Autumn Slowdown Threatens Burnham
Britain’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 readAndy Burnham Begins UK ‘Listening Tour’ Focused on Cost of Living and High Streets
Prime 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 readWhitbread to Close Remaining Beefeater Restaurants, Citing Rising Cost Pressures
Whitbread has announced plans to close all remaining Beefeater restaurants, saying significant cost increases, including measures announced in the Government's Autumn Budget, have made the business unsustainable.
Staff member · 2 min readBurnham Announces 20% Business Rates Cut for Pubs, Clubs and Live Music Venues
Prime 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 readBurnham Backs Away From Personal Tax Allowance Increase
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has stepped back from plans to increase the personal income tax allowance, citing the state of the public finances despite raising expectations during the Makerfield campaign.
Staff member · 1 min readAndy Burnham Announces £2 Bus Fare Cap Across England
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced plans to introduce a £2 cap on single bus fares across England from January 2027 as part of a wider package of cost-of-living measures.
Staff member · 1 min read