UK house prices fall at fastest rate since May as mortgage rates weigh on demand Property UK house prices fell at their fastest pace since May as expensive mortgages and uncertainty ahead of the Autumn Budget fuelled caution among buyers. Prices fell 0.2 per cent during September, faster than economists had expected and reversing August’s 0.2 per cent increase, according to data from Nationwide. The average UK home was valued at [...]
The huge costs facing Andy Burnham – and the financial tightrope he must walk Politics Andy Burnham said he didn’t set out to deliver a “tub-thumping conference speech” but it was packed with huge pledges to take control over utilities and expand the state. Maurício Alencar considers just how costly his promises are in the long term – and in the next month. Andy Burnham had all the goodies for [...]
Bring ‘punishing’ high street taxes in line with banks, Healey urged Retail John Healey has been urged to bring down the “punishing” tax burden facing the retail and hospitality industries, which is higher than any other sector. Hospitality businesses pay 82p in taxes for every pound and retail pays 72p, compared to the 40p paid by banks, according to new analysis by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) [...]
UK disposable income rises as benefits payouts soar ahead of wages September 30, 2026 The average UK household’s disposable income increased in the second quarter of the year driven by a rise in benefit payouts. Real household disposable income per head – which measures the average spending and saving capacity of Brits – increased by one per cent in the second quarter to £6,577, new figures from the Office [...]
‘Last days of the honeymoon’: Anxious bosses prepare charm offensive at Labour conference September 25, 2026 Ahead of the Labour Party Conference on Sunday, and one month away from the Budget, businesses are feeling nervous, write Mauricio Alencar and Felix Armstrong Stepping onto an early-morning Avanti West Coast train from London Euston is now a familiar feeling for the Prime Minister. Andy Burnham is set to make the journey more regularly [...]
Healey plan to slash headroom would ‘not be received well’ by nervous bond market September 24, 2026 John Healey’s reported plans to slash the breathing space the government has before it breaks its spending rules would spark a negative bond market reaction and lead investors to question the country’s commitment to fiscal credibility. Bond traders told City AM that any attempt to significantly reduce its so-called fiscal headroom would leave the country [...]
Treasury’s new Head of Growth will have their work cut out September 24, 2026 Do you want the good news or the bad news? Trick question, I’m afraid. There is no good news. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has revised its forecast for UK economic growth this year from 0.9 per cent to 1.1 per cent, but – before you reach for the champagne – they’ve [...]
Business versus the Budget: How a ‘dismal’ fiscal picture could disrupt Labour’s Party conference September 24, 2026 As business chiefs look forward to the Labour Party conference and the ensuing Budget, Maurício Alencar explores how a difficult fiscal backdrop could disrupt meetings and undermine high expectations. In the months leading up to the Budget, hundreds of notes fly through the Treasury’s letterbox. Emails ping on officials’ phones. Lobbyists for academics, retailers, councillors, [...]
Burnham urged to boost West End with tax cuts and extra policing September 24, 2026 The West End risks losing its status as one of the world’s best shopping and hospitality destinations without immediate action to cut tax and boost policing, Andy Burnham has been warned. The New West End Company (NWEC), which represents 800 businesses involved in the world-famous district, has urged the government to slash business rates and [...]
Healey urged to cut business costs as consumer confidence slips September 24, 2026 Retailers have called on John Healey to slash the “burdensome” costs of doing business at the Budget next month, warning that consumer confidence will continue to stumble without urgent action. The British Retail Consortium (BRC), which represents top retailers like Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Marks and Spencer, has urged the Chancellor to tackle the “triple blow” [...]