Business confidence climbs on consumer spending power Business Business confidence has risen to its highest level since March, as resilient consumers shrug off the impact of the Iran war and Budget-related speculation is kept to a minimum. According to the Lloyds Business Barometer, confidence among British firms rose four points in August to 53 per cent, the highest reading since the outbreak of [...]
Octopus boss Greg Jackson calls for ‘urgent reform’ on energy as bills rise Politics Octopus boss Greg Jackson has called on Andy Burnham to deliver “urgent reform” to the energy market to protect households from “volatile” gas prices. Jackson, founder of the UK’s biggest household electricity supplier, said: “The government’s decision to take VAT off electricity and remove some of the levies from bills has helped soften the blow [...]
‘Broken promises’: Burnham under fire on cost-of-living plans as energy bills set to surge Politics Andy Burnham is facing pressure over his commitment to tackle the cost-of-living crisis as energy bills are set to jump again. Opposition figures have accused the Prime Minister of breaking Labour’s pledge to cut household energy bills, with one Tory figure dubbing the price hike “outrageous”. The price cap on bills is set to rise [...]
Energy price cap rises to three-year high August 26, 2026 Brits are set for another squeeze from energy bills this winter after watchdog Ofgem confirmed the price cap was set to rise to a three-year high. The regulator said on Wednesday the default tariff for consumers across Britain would increase four per cent to £1,723 for the final quarter of the year. The rise marks [...]
As it happened: Antofagasta leads FTSE 100 rally; oil falls as US-Iran deal ‘close’ August 26, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM FTSE 100 liveblog. The UK’s blue-chip index slipped on Wednesday morning, dragged down by oil majors BP and Shell, before recovering later in the day to be level with Tuesday’s close. Brent crude – the international benchmark – fell by more than two per cent on Wednesday to $86 [...]
Soaring energy bills set to fuel inflation spike August 16, 2026 Rising energy prices are poised to send UK inflation rearing back up, as economists warn that the summer boost to the economy could be fleeting. The rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation is tipped to rise to 2.9 per cent in July, climbing from June’s 15-month low of 2.6 per cent, when the Office [...]
Energy price cap to jump 13 per cent this summer May 27, 2026 UK households will be hit by a sharp £200 rise in energy bills next month, leaving Brits bracing for a painful winter of higher bills off the back of the Iran war. From 1 July to 30 September the annual energy price cap will be £1,862 per year, up from the current cap of £1,641, [...]
Energy price cap set to jump as consumers brace for soaring bills March 31, 2026 The Ofgem energy price cap is expected to leap by 18 per cent after June as households brace for the impact of spiralling oil and gas prices. Energy consultancy firm Cornwall Insight has forecast the average annual energy bill to be set by the regulator Ofgem at £1,929 in July. It would represent a £288 [...]
Is Rachel Reeves actually to blame for the ‘Truss crash’? March 26, 2026 After years of blaming the 'Truss crash' on tax cuts, Rachel Reeves has finally gestured to the real problem – her own instinct to overspend, writes Tom Harwood.
Here’s how to make energy cheaper March 23, 2026 Tax cuts, radical planning reform and massively expanding nuclear is the answer to the energy crisis, says Sam Richards How do you respond to an energy crisis? That’s the question ministers will be asking officials as war in Iran sends oil and gas prices soaring. I know, because I was sitting in Number 10 being [...]