ULEZ row: Khan reassures 90 per cent are unaffected by expansion, as 700K face new charge and ‘massive financial impact’ March 24, 2023 Nearly 700,000 car drivers in London will face a daily £12.50 ultra low emission zone (Ulez) fee when the scheme expands, according to new analysis. The RAC, which carried out the research, said the expansion of the zone from August 29 will have a “massive financial impact on motorists and businesses”. It comes a day [...]
Explainer: The cost of transport in London is higher than any other major city March 24, 2023 If you live in London, you will have noticed public transport costs have gone up. And by quite a big chunk – from the 5th of March TfL fares went up by an average of 5.9 per cent. This makes the UK the country with the most expensive public transport in the world, according to [...]
Dating, DIY and Netflix: Brits stop spending on love and luxury due to cost of living crisis, Nationwide says March 24, 2023 The value of households’ spending on subscription services, home improvements and dating fell annually in February, according to analysis by Britain’s biggest building society of its members’ outgoings. The volume of dating transactions fell by a third (33 per cent ) in February 2023 compared with the same month in 2022, also falling by 7 [...]
Lump sum or regular saving, investing for children and how to go green: Your Isa guide to making the most of this year’s tax-free allowance March 24, 2023 With just under three weeks left until the end of the tax year, savers may still be considering how to use their annual tax-free Isa allowance. You can use your allowance whether you are looking at setting up a regular savings plan, or investing a lump sum, or even considering putting some cash aside for [...]
FTSE 100 close: London index falls as investors react to mixed retail figures, JD Wetherspoon and Tui March 24, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 index closed 1.31 per cent lower today as investors failed to be enthused by data showing the UK’s economy is faring better than expected following the Bank of England’s (BoE’s) decision to hike interest for the eleventh time in a row. The capital’s premier index fell 1.05 per cent to 7,424.71 points [...]
Sharp increase in retail sales amid ‘subdued’ outlook due to inflation – but is there a ‘chink of light’ with Easter holidays? March 24, 2023 British retail sales grew sharply last month compared to pre-pandemic levels, but price increases continue to deliver a “subdued” longer-term outlook. Sales volumes are thought to have increased by 1.2 per cent in February after a rise of 0.9 per cent in January, suggesting the industry is recovering from the pandemic well. Industry figures are [...]
Families grow increasingly confident about UK dodging recession March 24, 2023 Families are increasingly confident the UK will dodge a recession this year in another sign the economy is performing better than feared than at the turn of the year, a closely watched survey out today indicates. UK consumer confidence jumped in March for the second month in a row, albeit up to a historically low [...]
Rising food prices surprised the Bank of England, but supermarkets saw it coming March 24, 2023 An unexpected rise in inflation and the price of food shows us not to take it for granted.
TfL budget to cover costs but Londoners still set for fares hikes March 23, 2023 Transport for London (TfL) has said its latest budget will allow it to cover its operating costs, as fare rises continue to hit Londoners’ pockets with a four per cent rise set for next year. London’s transport network will achieve an overall operating surplus of £79m, its 2023/24 financial statement revealed, which it wants to [...]
First Kingfisher now Wickes: DIY drop off dents profit for home improvement – but it’s not all bad news March 23, 2023 Wickes has seen a drop in profits for the year as consumers’ love for home improvements took a dent from rising costs, despite the company reporting ‘record’ sales. The DIY retailer posted pre-tax profits of £75.4m down from a “record” £85.0m in 2021 when Brits were engulfed in a number of circuit breaker lockdowns and [...]