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One in five hospitality businesses fear collapse in the next 12 months, according to an industry-wide survey that comes days before rises in tax and employment costs kick in.more

The majority of councils in England have announced a council tax increase of 4.99 per cent – the maximum allowed without special permission. The average rise will equate to £109 per household.more

The UK housing market was sluggish last year, with little growth in prices, according to official figures. Statistics from the Office for National Statistics show the average UK house price rose just 1.3 per cent to £268,000 in the 12 months to January.more

The UK economy will be hit harder by the effects of a war with Iran than the economy of any other G20 country, the British media point out, citing a forecast published today by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).more

Resident doctors in England will strike for six days after Easter after rejecting what they said was the final offer by the health secretary, Wes Streeting, to end the long-running pay and jobs dispute.more

The UK inflation rate stayed at 3% in the year to February as lower fuel prices were offset by a rise in the price of clothing. However, these official figures were gathered before the US-Israel war with Iran began – when data suggests the price of petrol was at its lowest since June 2021. more

Royal Mail workers tell BBC they are asked to hide mail to appear as if delivery targets are met. The company responds amid increasing delays and parliamentary scrutiny.more

Transport Secretary announces HS2 trains could run at reduced speed of 300 km/h to cut costs and enable earlier service start.more

Rachel Reeves has ruled out universal support to deal with any future rise in energy bills, saying any government help would be targeted, and criticised the support offered by Liz Truss’s government as unaffordable and irresponsible.more

Poland owes its economic success and its position as the world’s 20th-largest economy to the introduction of a free market following the fall of communism and its, until recently, liberal migration policy, according to the American newspaper “The Washington Post”.more

According to a CASE analysis published on Friday, we will pay 12.8 per cent more for selected food products this Easter than we did last year. The analysis highlighted that the price rise is due to the high cost of chocolate; without it, the cost of the basket would have risen by 1.8 per cent.more

The government is introducing new recycling rules for bin collections in England from March 31, 2026, with the aim of making it easier for households to recyclemore

According to a report by UCE Research and Shopfully Poland, 73 per cent of respondents fear that the armed conflict in the Middle East will lead to a rise in the prices of festive products. Experts reassure us that price increases should not exceed 5 per cent, provided consumers do not panic-buy.more

British households have been told to brace for a surge in inflation and multiple interest rate hikes this year after surging oil and gas prices sparked by Donald Trump's war on Iran. Tehran has launched a series of retaliatory strikes on energy sites in the Gulf since the conflict began, and has throttled the key shipping route of the Strait of Hormuz.more

Unemployment holds steady, but Bank of England is unlikely to be convinced by ONS data to cut interest rates.more

UK energy bills expected to increase by £250 annually as government advisers warn of prolonged impact from Iran conflict on gas market.more

The minister tasked with resetting the UK’s relationship with the European Union has ruled out a customs union with the bloc – and said he does not believe Britain will ever return to the EU.more

UK households spent a record £226bn to keep a roof over their heads last year, figures showed on Monday, with mortgage borrowers finishing fixed-rate deals particularly hard hit by rising payments. Overall housing costs have gone up by £66bn over the past five years, a rise of 41%, the property group Savills said.more

Companies are to be paid grants to hire more young people under new government proposals to tackle youth unemployment. Ministers want to create 200,000 jobs and are pledging £1bn in funding for several initiatives.more

The UK economy unexpectedly failed to grow in January, with eating out in restaurants suffering in particular. The zero growth for the month was weaker than had been predicted, and followed growth of 0.1% in December. The overall picture is "subdued", said the Office for National Statistics (ONS), while analysts called it a "disappointing start to the year".more

The state pension triple lock will increase benefits by 4.8% in April 2024. However, the Iran conflict and rising inflation may impact its future.more

Elon Musk’s Tesla could soon be powering homes in the UK after the company was given the green light to launch a household energy supplier in Britain.more

The rise in fuel prices following the outbreak of war with Iran is increasing interest in electric cars in Germany, the dpa news agency reported yesterday. Online car sales platforms have seen an increase in the number of electric model configurations.more

Amid general gloom about the property market – house prices are falling and mortgage costs are going up – Zoopla says competition to land a rented home is at its lowest for six years. The price of rent is going up 1.9 per cent year-on-year, down from 2.8 per cent before, leaving the average monthly rent at £1,319.more

From airfare hikes to school closures and four-day workweeks, governments and companies around the world are reacting to rising oil prices and reduced availability caused by the US-Israel war with Iran and the paralysis of transport through the Strait of Hormuz.more