France has passed a law banning under-15s from social media, with age checks on every account from January 2027. How it compares with Australia's ban, the UK's under-16 ban and the EU's next move.
The average UK house price reached £271,000 in May 2026, up 2.7% in a year. The fastest and slowest regions, why London is falling, flats vs houses, and what it means for first-time buyer deposits.
Single bus fares in England outside London will be capped at £2 for the whole of 2027, replacing the £3 cap. Dates, savings, funding and which services are covered.
B&M fined £2 million over food hygiene failings at three Birmingham stores. Why commercial insurance cannot cover the fine, and what it can cover instead.
Ofgem confirmed on 20 July 2026 it is preparing to regulate energy brokers and other third-party intermediaries, citing hidden commissions and misselling. Registration before operating is planned; the sector review completes in 2026 with regulatory proposals expected in 2027.
Classic Parade Ltd, a supercar hire firm claiming a Knightsbridge base, was wound up at the High Court on 14 July 2026. Action Fraud logged 48 complaints alleging £220,675 in losses; over £1.4m passed through accounts unexplained, including spending at Harrods, Gucci and Prada.
HMRC's 21 July 2026 reminder: side hustle earnings over £1,000 a year may require Self Assessment registration. The threshold combines all trading income. New 2025-26 entrants must register by 5 October 2026 and file by 31 January 2027. Selling old belongings does not usually count.
VAT on domestic electricity bills falls from 5% to 0% from 1 October 2026 until 31 March 2027, cutting around £45 a year off the Ofgem price cap. Announced 21 July 2026 and funded by cancelling the £1.8bn Digital ID programme, it stacks on the £150 removed at the last Budget.
GAME Retail Limited (company number 07837246) is now listed as in administration. Here's what UK law actually says about gift cards, pre-order deposits, warranties and refunds when a retailer collapses, including how the £15.8m creditor claim breaks down.
Self-reported AI use among UK businesses with 10+ employees has risen from around 12% to around 35% since late 2023, according to ONS data published 20 July 2026.
OPSS has told businesses on 20 July 2026 that testing alone cannot assure sand-containing toys are free from asbestos, after a growing number of product recalls.
EU border queues under the Entry/Exit System have hit up to 5 hours at some Schengen airports this summer; the Commission has rejected calls to suspend EES.
TUI flight BY2786 turned back to Manchester on 19 July 2026; under UK261 rules passengers may be owed compensation if they arrive more than 3 hours late.
Incoming PM Andy Burnham is reportedly preparing new North Sea drilling policy, as polling shows 71% back domestic oil and gas production over imports.
Incoming PM Andy Burnham is scrapping the digital ID scheme, costed by the OBR at £1.8 billion over three years, as he takes office on 20 July 2026.
Ryanair has named 15 European airports where the EU entry-exit system is causing significant delays, including Lisbon, Madrid, Malaga, Alicante, Berlin and Krakow. Border queues rarely qualify for UK261 compensation, but care duties still apply.
Dwr Cymru Welsh Water's hosepipe ban takes effect from 10am on Sunday 19 July across mid and south Ceredigion and parts of north Pembrokeshire and north Carmarthenshire, covering 33,000 properties after demand topped a billion litres a day.
South East Water's annual report says it has funds to July 2027 but needs new loans shortly after to continue as a going concern. The supplier to 2.4 million customers also agreed a £30.5 million Ofwat redress package.
Emirates has cancelled multiple Dubai-Kuwait services through Sunday 19 July after air traffic at Kuwait International Airport was suspended amid regional tensions. Etihad and Air Arabia services are also disrupted.
FOI data shows Hackney Council paid £10,253 in parking charges and penalties in 2025/26, including £5,640 for 47 TfL penalty charge notices issued to staff, while collecting £11.3 million from its own PCN operations.
National Highways is running overnight M25 closures from Friday 17 to Sunday 19 July, including J27 to the M11, J25 to J26, J18 to J20 and both M40 link roads. Most run from 10pm or 11pm to 6am.
Andy Burnham is considering removing VAT from energy bills, moving older renewables onto fixed-price contracts and an affordable energy guarantee, with estimated savings of around £130 a year per household.
UK cosmetic products, from soap to suncream, must be safety-assessed and notified to OPSS. 861,686 notifications have been logged by 24,112 Responsible Persons since 2020. What the label symbols mean and what to check before you buy.
A joint FCA, ASA, SRA and ICO taskforce had 170 misleading car finance claims adverts removed in June 2026, taking the total to over 1,200. Here is what was found, and how to claim for free instead.
UKHSA data compared across 4 bulletins shows injuries, allergic reactions and collapsed with unknown problem are always above baseline, while heat-related calls just turned above baseline during this week's amber heat-health alert.
Home Office research published 16 July 2026 found only 18% of UK adults can correctly identify money muling as illegal. Here is what the research found and who is most at risk.
Cambridge Water and Affinity Water hosepipe bans became enforceable on 17 July 2026, joining South East Water and Anglian Water. Here is which areas are affected, what's banned, and what's still allowed.
The government confirmed on 16 July 2026 a ban on selling high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s from April 2027. Here is what it means for parents, what retailers must do, and how it fits with other child health measures.
The government confirmed on 16 July 2026 that 134 councils across 14 more areas of England, including Kent, Hertfordshire and Nottinghamshire, will become 38 unitary authorities. Here is what changes, when, and what's still undecided.
A one-off MenB vaccine programme offers free doses to freshers and under-25s starting university this autumn, with first doses from 20 July 2026. A separate JCVI recommendation on 16 July 2026 covers a possible future routine programme for 15-year-olds.
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