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UK recession deeper than first thoughtThe UK economy contracted by 0.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2012, according to official figures as the construction sector slipped by more than previously thought. |
Holidaymakers short-changed by currency ‘postcode lottery’Holidaymakers are being hit by a postcode lottery on currency exchange rates that could leave some of them short-changed, research by Which? reveals. |
Which? says supermarkets dupe shoppers in four separate waysResearch by consumer champion Which? reveals that supermarkets use four main tactics to entice shoppers into believing they are getting a better deal than is the case. |
Unpaid taxes £1.1bn higher ‘due to HMRC job cuts’Tax collection has been £1.1 billion lower than it could have been because of job cuts at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), a public spending watchdog is claiming. |
GDP update depends on true picture of construction sectorThe second estimate of GDP is released today and whether the economy contracted by 0.2 per cent depends on what actually happened in the construction sector. |
Drop in retail sales means 2nd QTR GDP likely to fallUK retail sales volumes slid 2.3 per cent in April – its biggest fall since January 2010 – driven by a record drop in fuel sales and a slump in clothing sales. |
Electricity bills to rise by £100 a year in energy reformsHouseholds will be charged around £100 a year more for electricity bills under plans to build nuclear power stations and wind farms over the next 20 years. |
Tesco's Philip Clarke waives bonus after unsuccessful first yearThe chief executive of Tesco, Philip Clarke has said he will not accept his annual bonus of over £1 million following a disappointing trading year for the supermarket. |
Inflation to fall in April as oil prices retreatInflation figures for April are out today and after a surprise rise in the consumer prices index in March, economists expect lower oil prices to push inflation down to 3.2 per cent. |
Petrol prices set to be cut by a further 3p a litreSainsbury's has announced that it is to cut the cost of petrol and diesel by three pence a litre from today and it is expected that other retailers will follow suit. |
Energy bills "have risen seven times faster than incomes"New research from uSwitch.com indicates that gas and electricity costs have risen seven times faster than rises in incomes since 2004. |
DECC predicts energy price rises will raise fuel poverty numbersNew figures released by the Department for Energy and Climate Change shows a fall of 500,000 households in fuel poverty but price rises will push this figure up for 2012. |
SSE to freeze energy prices until October as profits riseSSE, one of the UK’s ‘big six’ energy suppliers, has reported a two per cent rise in profits, boosted by growth in its power generation unit. |
Fall in fuel duty revenue may lead to fast-track of road tollsA report by the Institute of Fiscal Studies warns that the government will have to find a way of plugging the shortfall in fuel duty caused by green cars. |
E.ON lays down marker for energy prices in 2012One of the "big six" energy firms, E.ON has promised its five million residential customers that they will not see an increase in gas or electricity prices this year. |
British Gas warns customers to expect higher gas billsCentrica, the owner of British Gas has warned its 16 million customers to expect higher gas bills this year due to the rising cost of wholesale gas. |
EU mobile roaming charges to fall from JulyBrits travelling to Europe this summer will have significantly lower mobile phone bills after the EU confirmed price caps on data roaming charges. |
Consumer confidence falls back in AprilConsumer sentiment took a tumble in April as Brits struggled with a shrinking economy and continuing fears over job security, a new report reveals. |
Wettest April on record dampens retail salesBritain’s retail sales were hampered by dismal April weather, according to latest figures from the British Retail Consortium. |
SSE fined £1.25m for doorstep mis-sellingOne of the "big six" energy firms has been fined £1.25 after a Trading Standards investigation found them guilty of mis-selling energy products to customers. |
Supermarkets ramp up bank holiday petrol price warFour of the UK's biggest supermarkets, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons have announced cuts of up to 2p a litre in the cost of petrol. |
Collective switching ‘could get better deals for consumers’Collective switching using social media could shift the balance of power from suppliers to consumers, a new report suggests. |
Royal Mail defends stamp price riseThe biggest rise in the price of stamps for 37 years took effect yesterday with critics arguing that pensioners are being disproportionately hit by the price rise. |
IPPR says "big six" energy prices don't reflect "true cost"A report into the cost of gas and electricity by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) concludes that utility bills do not reflect the "true cost of energy." |
Spare time spending costs soarBrits are being increasingly whacked in the wallet for indulging in hobbies and treats, with the price of leisure activities having rocketed in the past decade. |
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