Banks called on to slash mortgage borrowing costs May 7, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has called on lenders to take informed risks in the mortgage market to improve consumer support. The City regulator has launched a consultation on mortgage rules which targets reducing the overall cost of borrowing through term reductions and access to cheaper products when remortgaging. It said discussions will include “consideration [...]
Dire economy needs lifesaving surgery, before it’s too late April 24, 2025 When Rachel Reeves became Chancellor last summer, the biggest issue facing her was the existence (disputed by the Tories) of a £22bn black hole in the public finances. The political pain of cutting the winter fuel allowance was deemed necessary to balance the books and give the new government a clean sheet of paper on [...]
UK mortgage approvals dip in February March 31, 2025 Mortgage approvals for house purchases decreased again in February as gains in consumer credit borrowing slowed down by £300m compared to January, the Bank of England said on Tuesday. House buying appeared to slow down as lenders approved around 65,500 mortgages in February, compared to some 66,100 in January. January saw a decrease of around [...]
Reeves crosses her fingers and hopes for growth March 25, 2025 Ahead of last October’s Budget, ministers allowed months of speculation as to what would be unveiled, and the never-ending drumbeat of doom and gloom talked the economy to a standstill. Largely as a result of the contents and consequences of that Budget, economic growth has since evaporated and now all eyes are on this week’s [...]
Reeves doubles down on fiscal rules amidst waning headroom March 17, 2025 Rachel Reeves doubled down on her fiscal rules in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Monday, despite speculation that economic conditions have left the chancellor with little or no room for manoeuvre. Following the Autumn Budget, Reeves was left with a £9.9bn buffer to maintain her key rule for day-to-day spending to be funded by [...]
Economists warn of tax hikes after borrowing blow February 21, 2025 Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that tax receipts fell short of expectations in January due to the sluggish performance of the UK economy.
Pressure on Rachel Reeves grows as tax receipts disappoint February 21, 2025 Tax receipts rose at a slower pace than expected in January, new figures show, in a sign that the poor performance of the economy could have damaging fiscal consequences. According to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the government recorded a monthly surplus of £15.4bn, meaning it received more in taxes than it [...]
Borrowing boom to boost banks February 17, 2025 Banks have been given a boost after new data predicted borrowing growth would rise throughout 2025. After the Bank of England slashed interest rates three times in the last six months, research from EY Item Club anticipates total UK bank lending will rise to 3.7 per cent this year, up from 2.3 per cent in [...]
Further tax rises ‘a good bet’ after Chancellor’s borrowing blow January 22, 2025 Borrowing in the month of December was at its third highest level since monthly records began back in 1997, excluding only the pandemic and 2009.
Davos: Reeves defends fiscal rules and says Heathrow expansion is ‘pro-growth’ January 22, 2025 Rachel Reeves has insisted the UK would continue to meet her “fiscal rules”, describing them as the “bedrock” of the stability she aims to restore to the economy and public finances. The Chancellor spoke at a Bloomberg event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector [...]