Latest UK personal finance news — updated daily. Cited from primary UK sources.
Data under Open Government Licence v3.0.
Subsidence is when the ground under a property sinks and its foundations move, often after dry weather shrinks clay soil. Most standard buildings insurance covers it, though a high excess (typically £1,000) applies. In Q2 2026 the average subsidence claim hit a record £20,000 (ABI).
6 Aug 2026 · 7 min read
The energy price cap limits what suppliers can charge per unit of gas and electricity on a standard variable tariff. For a typical dual-fuel Direct Debit household it is £1,663 a year from 1 July to 30 September 2026. Ofgem reviews it quarterly; the October cap is due by 26 August 2026.
5 Aug 2026 · 7 min read
From 6 April 2026 the full new State Pension rises 4.8% to £241.30 a week and the basic State Pension to £184.90. Most benefits rise 3.8% in line with September 2025 inflation, while Universal Credit standard allowances rise by more under the Universal Credit Act 2025.
5 Aug 2026 · 7 min read
Most standard home insurance covers storm and flood damage: buildings cover pays for repairs, contents for belongings. In 2025 the average home flood payout hit £30,000 and the average storm payout £2,450 (ABI). Cover, excesses and exclusions vary; gates and fences are often excluded.
5 Aug 2026 · 7 min read
If your DWP benefit is due on Monday 31 August 2026, the summer bank holiday, it is paid early on Friday 28 August 2026. Universal Credit, State Pension, PIP, Pension Credit and Child Benefit are affected if due that day. The amount is unchanged: only the date moves forward.
5 Aug 2026 · 7 min read
Tax-Free Childcare gives working parents a 20% government top-up on registered childcare, worth up to £2,000 a year per child (£4,000 if disabled). For every £8 you pay in, the government adds £2, up to £500 per child every three months. HMRC says families save on average almost £100 a month.
5 Aug 2026 · 7 min read
From 17 August 2026 the 16-17 Saver railcard lasts a full year from purchase and no longer expires at 18. It gives 50% off most fares, beating the 16-25 Railcard's third off for teenagers, and helps over 70,000 young people a year who lost savings worth about £175.
4 Aug 2026 · 8 min read
More than 37 children's sand toys have been recalled in the UK during 2026 after asbestos was found in the play sand, traced to quarries in China. Affected items span Asda, Tesco, Argos and more, and can be returned for a full refund with no receipt.
3 Aug 2026 · 7 min read
UK travellers can visit Spain visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period on a passport issued within the last 10 years. Biometric EES checks now apply at the border, and ETIAS authorisation is expected from late 2026.
2 Aug 2026 · 6 min read
NS&I has raised its fixed-term British Savings Bonds for the third time in 2026, with new issues paying up to 4.75 percent AER on the five-year bond and 4.72 percent on the one-year. All deposits are fully backed by HM Treasury.
2 Aug 2026 · 6 min read
UK passengers can claim fixed compensation of £220, £350 or £520 for flights delayed three hours or more or cancelled at short notice, when the airline is at fault. The right is set out in retained Regulation EC261 and enforced by the Civil Aviation Authority.
1 Aug 2026 · 6 min read
Nationwide's House Price Index shows the average UK home rose 0.1 percent in July 2026 to £277,542, the first monthly gain in three months. Annual growth slowed to 1.8 percent as higher mortgage pricing and a held 3.75 percent base rate kept the market subdued.
1 Aug 2026 · 5 min read
Sainsbury's has agreed to sell Argos to Swift Partners for cash proceeds of at least £120 million. The deal covers 201 shops, 466 store-in-store sites and about 1,400 staff, and completes in February 2027. Nectar, gift cards and warranties continue unchanged.
1 Aug 2026 · 6 min read
Two Lincolnshire farmers must pay fines and costs of nearly £7,000 after admitting waste offences at Lincoln Magistrates' Court on 27 July 2026, in an Environment Agency prosecution linked to the national Waste Crime Action Plan crackdown.
31 Jul 2026 · 6 min read
Around six million households qualify for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, but you must be named on your electricity bill by 23 August 2026 to get it automatically. Who is eligible, the trap that catches recent movers, and what else is changing on bills.
31 Jul 2026 · 5 min read
A mistake on a tax return can cost up to 30% of the underpaid tax if HMRC judges it careless, rising to 100% for deliberate and concealed errors. How the behaviour-based penalty system works and why telling HMRC first cuts the bill.
31 Jul 2026 · 5 min read
An 86-year-old with Parkinson's was criminally convicted through the Single Justice Procedure over £3.34 of unpaid car tax. How DVLA enforcement escalates from an £80 penalty to prosecution, and the steps that stop it happening to you.
31 Jul 2026 · 5 min read
UKHSA has reported 67 cases of cyclosporiasis in UK travellers between 30 April and 15 July 2026, most linked to Mexico, against an annual average of 93. What the parasite is, how to avoid it, and your rights if illness ruins a package holiday.
31 Jul 2026 · 5 min read
Ofgem's assessment of the seven largest energy suppliers found £172m of historical charges written off for almost 1 million customers under backbilling rules, 11 million bills issued late in 2024, and wide variation in support for vulnerable customers. Your billing rights explained.
30 Jul 2026 · 6 min read
Ofcom's Media Nations 2026 report finds 26% of viewers turn to Netflix first and 25% to the BBC, while pay-TV and streaming revenues grew over £1 billion to £11.4 billion despite flat subscriber numbers. What the nation's viewing habits mean for your subscriptions.
30 Jul 2026 · 5 min read
New government case studies show model assessments for all 21 hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, from damp and excess cold to fire and overcrowding. How HHSRS scoring works, when councils must act, and what landlords and tenants should know.
30 Jul 2026 · 5 min read
Around 6,600 people in England with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy will be able to access aficamten, a once-daily pill approved by the MHRA and recommended by NICE on the same day. Who qualifies, how it works and when the NHS will offer it.
30 Jul 2026 · 5 min read
The US Federal Reserve held interest rates at 3.50% to 3.75% in a 9-3 vote, with three policymakers pushing for a hike, the first triple dissent in one direction since 2016. What the hawkish hold means for the pound, UK mortgage rates and the Bank of England.
30 Jul 2026 · 5 min read
Eight temporary use bans are now in force as drought conditions deepen, with South East Water restrictions covering five counties and fines of up to £1,000 for breaches. What a hosepipe ban actually covers, who is exempt, and what businesses can still do.
30 Jul 2026 · 5 min read
Hackers took around 607,000 records from the Department for Education, including names, phone numbers and email addresses of school leaders, officials and university staff. No bank details were accessed. Who is affected and how to protect yourself from follow-on scams.
30 Jul 2026 · 5 min read
The DVSA starts the national rollout of photos at MOT test on 3 August 2026, with around 2,500 garages in the first phase. Testers photograph your vehicle during the test to prove it was present, targeting ghost MOTs. What changes for drivers and garages.
30 Jul 2026 · 5 min read
The first quarterly update under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is due by 7 August 2026 for sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000. Who must file, what the update contains, and what happens if you miss the deadline.
29 Jul 2026 · 5 min read
Nearly 32,000 pubs, social clubs and live music venues in England will get a 20% cut to business rates bills from April 2027, saving the typical pub around £1,100 a year. How the cut stacks with the current 15% relief, who qualifies, and how it is funded.
29 Jul 2026 · 5 min read
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Japan's Kumamoto prefecture on 28 July, with around 300,000 people told to evacuate and aftershocks continuing. What UK travellers in Japan or with trips booked should do on safety, flights, insurance and refunds.
29 Jul 2026 · 5 min read
Eurostar will run direct trains from London St Pancras to Antwerp from 14 December 2026, with up to four services a day cutting the journey to 2 hours 41 minutes. The catch: direct trains run one way only, with returns still connecting through Brussels.
29 Jul 2026 · 5 min readGet Kael Tripton in your Google feed
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