Finanse

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced yesterday before the House of Commons that he is prepared to release the frozen assets of Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, former owner of Chelsea FC, in order to help Ukraine. This was in response to a question from a Member of Parliament regarding the United Kingdom's support for Ukraine.more

69% of Poles intend to reduce their Christmas spending, most often by taking advantage of promotions, foregoing the purchase of new decorations and clothes, and preparing meals themselves, according to a survey by ANG Odpowiedzialne Finanse.more

Falls in food, alcohol, and clothing prices last month helped drive inflation to its lowest level in eight months in November. The inflation rate fell to 3.2% from 3.6%, a larger fall than analysts expected.more

Resident doctors across England began a five-day strike today, demanding, among other things, higher wages. With the flu season in full swing, hospital directors are warning of overcrowding in medical facilities and numerous difficulties that may affect patients.more

According to a survey conducted by BIG InfoMonitor, the average Pole will spend PLN 1,122 on this year's Christmas celebrations, which is one third less than last year. Respondents declared that they would spend the most on gifts (PLN 447) and food (PLN 413).more

Pub landlords are banning Labour MPs from entering their pub due to increased business rates that allegedly threaten their survival. Around 50 pubs across Britain have put up a sign saying "No Labour MPs" to show their disapproval, according to restaurateurs behind the rallying cry. more

Liverpool is the most generous city in the UK this year, according to figures from a fundraising platform. GoFundMe ranked the Merseyside city at the top of its list, based on the number of donors and population figures, for the second year in a row.more

HMRC is contacting Self Assessment taxpayers to remind them that tax bills can be paid through monthly installments. With the Self Assessment deadline looming, taxpayers may be concerned about paying their upcoming bills, especially with the financial pressures of Christmas.more

People who might otherwise turn to friends, family, or social media influencers for financial advice are to be given new help to invest their money. Targeted support from registered banks and other financial firms is being given the go-ahead by the City regulator and should start in April.more

Christmas dinner will be slightly cheaper this year compared to last, according to new industry data. The cost of a traditional turkey dinner is £32.46, a few pence cheaper than in 2024 due to lower prices on two items. more

Young people will be stripped of their right to claim benefits if they refuse a taxpayer-funded job after 18 months without a job, the work and pensions secretary says. Pat McFadden told the BBC they would need a "good reason" to decline one of the 55,000 six-month placements, to be rolled out from next April.more

London’s high streets are bracing for more disruption as Halifax prepares to shut another 14 branches across the UK in 2026 - including one in the capital. The latest round of closures comes as banks continue to scale back their physical presence in favour of digital services. One of the branches set to disappear next year is the Halifax in Wandsworth, scheduled to close on January 15, 2026.more

Around 3.3 million pension savers are on course to be clobbered by salary sacrifice changes announced in the Budget, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) figures indicate. Guidance published online by HMRC about the changes said an estimated 7.7 million employees currently use salary sacrifice to make pension contributions.more

Aldi has taken back its title as the UK's cheapest supermarket, Which? says. According to the latest price analysis from the consumer website, Aldi has beaten Lidl to the cheapest supermarket of the month for November.more

Energy companies have been given the green light to spend £28bn on Great Britain’s gas and electricity grids, raising fears of higher household bills. The energy watchdog, Ofgem, approved more than £17.8bn of spending plans to upgrade gas transmission and distribution networks in the five years from April 2026.more

British adults are hiding their outgoings on things like beauty products, gambling and cryptocurrencies from their partners as part of a pattern of "secret spending", a new report has found.more

Anyone clearing out before Christmas has been issued a stark warning over a HMRC raid. HMRC can now see online selling activity, and non-compliance with tax rules could lead to in-depth investigations or large fines that exceed your earnings.more

The cost of a pint of beer in London pubs is to rise as they are hit with a triple blow on tax, business rates and staff costs, hospitality chiefs are warning.more

Rachel Reeves unveiled a £15 billion benefits spending plan at Wednesday's Budget, which includes increased payments for those on Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and child benefits.more

House prices in London and the wider south of England have dipped for the first time in 18 months, driven by uncertainty in the run up to the autumn budget, according to Zoopla.more

W 2024 r. w ekstremalnym ubóstwa żyło niemal 2 miliony ludzi, w tym ponad 400 tys. seniorów. Co piąta starsza osoba była niedożywiona – podało Stowarzyszenie Wiosna w ostatnim „Raporcie o biedzie”. Z publikacją także, że w 2024 r. 5 na 100 mieszkań nie częściowo toaletowych.more

Brexit is costing the UK up to £90bn a year in lost tax revenues, a new analysis shows, just days before Rachel Reeves prepares to hike levies in her make-or-break Budget. more

Rachel Reeves is delivering a speech in the House of Commons setting out details of her second Budget since becoming chancellor. A number of measures from the yearly tax and spending plan had already been announced in the days leading up to the statement. Other measures have been revealed by accident after the UK's budgetary watchdog mistakenly published its official forecast early.more

Pre-packaged milkshakes and coffees that are high in sugar will be hit with an extra tax from 2028, after the health secretary announced he was extending the tax on fizzy drinks to include milk-based products.more

Germany is the European leader in social spending, which accounts for 41% of all public expenditure. This is more than in any other European country, including the Nordic countries, according to a study published yesterday by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW).more