Wage growth slows as number of people employed falls

Wage growth in the UK eased to 4.5% between September and November, official figures suggest, following a sharp slowdown in private sector pay increases. The pace of pay growth for those employed by private businesses slowed to the lowest rate in five years, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).more

Rent fell for the first time on record last year, new data has revealed, as the number of first-time buyers surged and less young people stay living with their parents. The cost of newly-agreed rents dipped by 0.7 per cent across the UK in 2025, according to estate agency Hamptons. It is the first rent fall over a calendar year since the agency began recording the data in 2011.more

London has been named the most powerful city in the world in the 2026 edition of the ‘Global Power City Index’. This list ranks the ‘magnetism’ of cities around the world.more

The UK government today approved the construction of a new, highly controversial Chinese embassy in London. The facility is expected to be the largest in Europe, and its location raises concerns that it will be used for spying.more

Major disruption is expected on more than a dozen bus routes in east London next month as bus drivers back further strike action. Two 48-hour bus strikes have been called by the union Unite in an ongoing dispute over alleged bullying and union busting at Leyton bus garage.more

The government will consult on whether social media should be banned for under-16s in the UK. It said "immediate action" would give Ofsted the power to check policies on phone use when it inspects schools, and it expected schools to be "phone-free by default" as a result of the announcement.more

Chocolate eggs are looking smaller than ever this year and it is not just because Easter is still so far away. Many of the Easter eggs already out on supermarket shelves this month not only cost more, but have been reduced in size or weight as the price of cocoa has driven a new wave of shrinkflation.more

London is a pretty cool place to live but not all of its postcodes seem to have been made equal. One East London neighbourhood has officially been dubbed the city's coolest area — and it might leave you surprised.more

BBC Weather has forecast the exact dates when five days of sleet will fall over London. The capital looks set to be covered by the snow-rain mixture as temperatures begin to drop once agaBBC Weather has forecast the exact dates when five days of sleet will fall over London. The capital looks set to be covered by the snow-rain mixture as temperatures begin to drop once again.more

Scottish Power, EDF and British Gas have been named the worst energy suppliers in an annual ranking by Which? With just a 56% rating, Scottish Power received the lowest overall score and was awarded fewer points than any other provider for handling complaints.more

Some people are waiting a year or more for HM Revenue and Customs to refund overpaid tax and national insurance contributions (NICs). In some cases, refunds that were previously processed within a few weeks are taking 10 months or more, an investigation by Guardian Money has found.more

Trend of mini-me dressing – wearing same clothes as one’s children – has extended to four-legged friends.more

Marks and Spencer has plans for a potential mass expansion of 500 new and refurbished food stores, with 200 in London including in neighbourhoods across Croydon and parts of West London such as Ealing and Hounslow.more

During yesterday's talks with European leaders and US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterated his position on the 10 per cent tariffs announced by the United States on eight European countries that supported Greenland in the face of Trump's claims to the Danish island.more

The gap between London’s richest and poorest neighbourhoods is growing, with those at the top having almost £76,000 more to spend a year than those at the bottom. Households in the Leamouth neighbourhood of Tower Hamlets had an average disposable income of £107,600 after tax in the financial year ending 2023.more

A new funding scheme will give access to emergency cash for people on low incomes across England. The Crisis and Resilience Fund beginning at the start of April will provide £1bn annually for the next three years.more

Londoners could soon be facing an increase in council tax bills to provide "crucial" funding for police to crack down on mobile phone theft. Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan has announced he is planning to increase bills by more than £20 a year on the average Band D bill, meaning if plans are approved, the portion City Hall receives will exceed £500 per bill for the first time.more

The EU is said to be demanding that financial compensation be paid by any future British government that reneges on a post-Brexit “reset” deal signed with Sir Keir Starmer, as part of an attempt to protect the agreement should Reform UK ever come to power.more

A third of parents highlighted feeling more pressure financially since having a child, the Current Account Switch Service said.more

Muslim women should be subject to police stop-and-search if they wear the burka, according to Reform UK’s candidate to become London mayor. Laila Cunningham said parts of the capital “feel like a Muslim city” and she wanted to ban face coverings.more

The British government announced yesterday that it will raise the maximum age of reservists who can be called up for military service from 55 to 65 and lower the threshold required to call them up for active service.more

The route will provide vital access to London's night-time industry for people living in parts of west London, writes MyLondon.news.more

Frequent flyers among you may want to put your bets in now, by casting your mind back to the times you have been so confused by terminals, or waylayed by delays and cancellations, you wanted to scream. If one particular airport stands out, you might be on the money. According to Condé Nast Traveller, London Gatwick is number eight on the list of the world’s most stressful airports.more

In May 2025, the government published a white paper that proposed a number of changes that would make it harder to move to and settle in the UK. The document, which was called “Restoring control over the immigration system”, does not change the law itself, but presents alterations that the government intends to make in the future.more

It seems like the cold snap has only just ended, but another Arctic blast is set to hit the UK this month with temperatures predicted to drop to minus 7C in some places.more

Seven in 10 parents who had child benefit suspended in an HMRC fraud crackdown last year were in fact legitimate beneficiaries who had not emigrated, the tax authority has revealed. The chief executive of HMRC, John-Paul Marks, told the Treasury select committee that 71% of those targeted, higher than the 63% previously admitted, were in error.more

The increasing popularity of weight loss jabs presents an "opportunity" for the fast-food chain Leon, its boss believes. John Vincent told the BBC the dishes the brand is serving is the "sort of food people on weight loss jabs want to eat". Vincent, an original co-founder of the chain, bought the company back from Asda last year.more

TSB has launched a new current account switching offer worth up to £200. Customers who switch to a TSB Spend & Save or Spend & Save Plus account and switch using the Current Account Switch Service (CASS) can earn £150, with the chance to get another £50 for deposits made in April.more

The shoplifting capital of London has been revealed by data - as retail crime continues to spiral amid the cost-of-living crisis and a theft “epidemic”. Home Office figures show that shoplifting offences have soared across the nation since the pandemic, as the cost-of-living crisis has bitten.more

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick has been sacked by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch for "plotting to defect". Badenoch says she had "clear, irrefutable evidence" that Jenrick was "plotting in secret to defect in a way designed to be as damaging as possible" to her party. more

The East Sussex coastal town - Hastings - beat hundreds of destinations to claim second place in Time Out's 2026 UK travel guide thanks to its thriving independent high street and stunning nearby beaches.more

British dual citizens visiting the UK without a British passport may soon be denied entry, as fresh rules come into force next month. Under changes coming into effect on 25 February, British nationals abroad must present a current UK passport or a certificate of entitlement to prove their status when entering the country.more

SW1A, spanning London’s political centre in Whitehall and St James’s, is now the capital’s most expensive postcode, according to analysis from mortgage broker Enness Global.more

Russell & Bromley is rumoured to be the next victim of the UK high street, with the historic footwear chain at risk of closing down entirely. More than 450 jobs may be on the chopping block amid reports that the brand may shut all of its stores across the UK amid claims of a business takeover. more

The UK Foreign Office has said it is "carefully considering" a response to Russia expelling a British diplomat. Moscow accused the unidentified man of being an intelligence agent working undercover at the embassy in Russia's capital.more

The roll-out of 4G and 5G high-speed mobile coverage on the London Underground has reached the half-way stage – with the £1bn project due to be completed by the end of the year.more

Millions of Brits are estimated to be abstaining from alcohol in January, but warding off deathly hangovers is not the reason why. Alcohol Change UK, the charity that launched the Dry January challenge in 2013, estimated that 17.5 million people were planning to quit booze for the entire month, with financial savings reported as the primary motivation.more

Train operator sees increase of 500,000 passengers on 2024 – with total of 12.2m journeys on its core London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord route.more

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer assured on Wednesday that his government would not back down on the issue of Elon Musk's xAI chatbot Grok, and that the X platform must comply with British law.more

Us Brits are a nation of legume lovers, getting through more than 2 million tins of baked beans every day. But if you’re one of the millions who automatically reach for tins of Heinz at the supermarket – either out of brand loyalty or the notion that pricier equals better – it may be time to reconsider.more

The government has dropped plans requiring workers to sign up to its digital ID scheme in order to prove their right to work in the UK. By 2029, right to work checks will be done digitally – for example by using biometric passports – but registering with the new digital ID programme will be optional.more