Citizens Advice has found that the 'Big Six' suppliers have increased prices by 36 per cent since October 2010, during which time earnings have risen by 4.4 per cent. Prices have also easily outstripped the rate of inflation, almost four times the 10.2 per cent increase in the last three years.
The Chancellor is facing a tidal wave of demands to spend £1.7 billion on a business rates freeze to rescue cash-strapped shops.
Average total earnings in the FTSE 100 group of companies reached £3.3million, compared to £2.4million in the previous year, according to new research.
Long-life mortgages are coming to the rescue of hard-up homeowners. Brokers say increasing numbers of borrowers are asking for loans of 30 or 35 years rather than the traditional 25-year repayment mortgage. Emma Coyle (pictured) is benefiting as she settles into her new home, a Victorian flat in Manchester.
The orange airline is expected to report pre-tax earnings of £476million this year, up some 50 per cent on last year.
Linda Black (pictured) faces huge costs to sort out the estate of her late father, who left only a handwritten will dating from 2000.
The Energy Secretary's comments will infuriate City investors and the energy groups, coming just days after some issued warnings of lower-than-expected profits.
Website iCarhireinsurance surveyed prices from leading providers and found the bill for a typical family vehicle rented for a week is on average £299, up £81.
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MIDAS SHARE TIPS: Startling payouts show confidence in future
Find out which firms have been exceeding expectations with their dividend payouts.
Hiring a car abroad over the winter holidays will cost families a third more than a year ago
Typical family vehicle is up £81-a-week on 2012.
'I went on Dragons' Den to please my mum. Now I plan to save Jessops'
Peter Jones speaks of his biggest ever business challenge.
My grandson has arm pain from heavy lifting but was threatened with the sack if he can't do his job
What can he do?
TONY HETHERINGTON: George Clooney and a horror movie offer
An invitation to invest in a blockbuster movies is not all that it seems.
I'm suffering with anxiety and family problems and can't cope with the gym
So why won't LA Fitness let me cancel?
Interest rates should return to 'normal level' of 4-5% once economic recovery is assured
Bank policymaker on long-term outlook.
Will the property market recovery make it cheaper to rent a home?
As first-time buyers turn to Help to Buy, might rents start to fall?
Ditching the UK for sunnier climes?
Clever transfers and careful planning could help you fund your new luxury lifestyle.
My daughter's identity was stolen by her step-sister and now she can't get credit.
What can we do?
The REAL £650m pensions scandal affecting Britain's retired expats
Forget the £21.4m winter fuel payments, says Adam Uren.
Best place to live in the UK?
Solihull comes top in 'standard of living league' while Scottish towns fare worst.
Midas is starting a new column – dividend surprises. The column will look at the ten companies in the FTSE 350 index whose latest payouts most surpassed brokers’ forecasts. While past performance is no guarantee of the future, history shows that companies that produce these dividend surprises tend also to deliver share price rises that beat the market.
Directors dipped into their own pockets to take part in the fund-raising exercise, which took place with Ocado seemingly struggling to survive.
The engines will power 50 Airbus A350 XWBs, an aircraft for which they were specifically designed, but that has yet to take to the skies for a commercial flight.
The Valuation Office Agency is sending backdated bills for rates on the machines in the next few weeks, after changing the way it calculates their rateable value.
Weak productivity means that faster growth quickly translates into higher inflation, says former Bank of England economist Danny Gabay.
We round-up the Sunday newspaper share tips. This week: SSE, and dividend surprises from Premier Oil, Man Group and Antofagasta.
BALANCE TRANSFERS
FIVE FAVOURITE ISAS
BEST BANK ACCOUNTS
TOP CREDIT CARDS
CUT ENERGY BILLS
CHEAP MORTGAGES
CAR INSURANCE
HOLIDAY SPENDING
BALANCE TRANSFERS
FIVE FAVOURITE ISAS
The run-up to Christmas started in earnest last week when pop sensation Jessie J switched on the lights in Oxford Street – an event that should prompt anyone thinking of travelling over the festive season by train to book their tickets now before prices rise steeply. According to online ticket seller TheTrainLine, a total of £5 million is saved by rail travellers buying Christmas tickets this month rather than waiting until December. Sam Leutton (pictured) profited.
Investigations by consumer group Which? found that existing customers are typically charged up to 12p a minute from a landline and up to 40p a minute from a mobile to call helplines. EU rules will ban the use of expensive numbers for helplines next year, but financial firms are excluded.
Peter Jones's personal wealth is estimated at almost half-a-billion pounds. In March he bought the high-street photographic chain. The company had collapsed into administration and Jones snapped it up and began drastic surgery, giving customers the chance to play with products in the same way as at an Apple store.
Twitter has introduced a system in the UK enabling smaller firms to target Twitter users with their advertising, but Facebook is hitting back.
Rose, who has joined Duvet & Pillow Warehouse as chairman, holds the same position at Ocado, Fat Face, Blue Inc and Oasis Healthcare dental group.
The payout made to the family’s main company, Wittington Investments, came after a jump in sales boosted turnover to £1 billion for the year to February.
Ministers are facing demands that British firms supplying goods and services to next year’s Commonwealth Games should be allowed to boast of their involvement.
A dodgy past accompanies an invitation to invest in a £62million blockbuster movie about Greenpeace starring George Clooney, Leonardo Di Caprio, Matt Damon and Tom Hanks, none of whom have agreed to appear in it.
Undeterred by intimidating regulatory and complaints regimes and the financial muscle of the firms they challenge, these admirable few fight on regardless in the pursuit of justice.
Hopes for the plan had been troubled by the scandals surrounding Serco, which is a member of one of the consortiums bidding for the MoD procurement contracts.
The latest version will be the third since the marque became part of the German car maker in 2000 after the break-up of its previous owner Rover Group.
Savers are being urged to put their cash into everyday current accounts as a growing number now pay interest rates that are many times higher than savings accounts – even tax-free cash Isas. With banks battling to attract new business, some are offering 5 per cent interest for customers who stay in credit. Simone Matthews (pictured) has switched.
The Valuation Office Agency is sending backdated bills for rates on the machines in the next few weeks, after changing the way it calculates their rateable value.
Heat will be captured from a Northern Line vent and piped into a heat network to warm local homes and help cut energy bills.
After racking up losses of £9.7 million last year the company has reported profits for the year to April 2013 of £2.9 million on turnover of £185 million.
Now that the property market is recovering and Help to Buy is spurring first-timers into buying, might rents start to come back down?
Fund manager Alan Rowsell (pictured) has got the Standard Life Global Smaller Companies fund off to a flying start. Since launch early last year, it has returned 45 per cent - far more than a fund tracking the FTSE All-Share index. Rowsell runs the fund on a day-to-day basis while Nimmo oversees it.
Our town centres will evolve a new role as part of the economic recovery, but we cannot simply hope they can be artificially returned to their former selves.
Wiese is keen to expand his empire and will visit in the next few weeks to investigate which firms would fit with his South African-based group Pepkor.
Cathedral cities are on song — and not just because they are warming up for the festive season. We’re all flocking to live in their lively enclaves. And when the property market holds its value despite downturns, there’s little wonder they are proving so popular. Here are our four of the best.
Headlines have been grabbed by Facebook and Twitter but there are also many top tech contenders in the UK. We highlight five of the best.
LSG said national average monthly rent costs increased by 1 per cent in October and were now 11 per cent higher than a year ago at £785 a month.
Some 7,200 families lost their homes between July and September, the lowest quarterly figure recorded by the Council of Mortgage Lenders.
My doctor wrote a letter to them advising of my situation, however as the letter did not say I was unable to exercise they refused to accept it.
Desperate for quick cash to fund home improvements or to use as bridging loans, the UK's affluent are increasingly putting up their supercars as collateral, according to personal asset lender Borro. English classics, sleek Italian models and environment-killing gas guzzlers are being handed over to the lender for safekeeping in return for hefty loans of as much as £120,000. The loan is not without risk, as one in 10 end up unable to pay it back and must give up their prized possession.
Hundreds of tickets were listed on 'secondary' ticketing websites immediately with prices starting at about £80 and with some sellers asking for as much as £250.
The Valuation Office Agency is sending backdated bills for rates on the machines in the next few weeks, after changing the way it calculates their rateable value.
Journeys by light-goods vehicles have soared by a whopping 5.1 per cent in the three months to September this year.
With rival economies like India and China now engaged in a new space race, Britain has powerful potential trading partners with which to work.
Due to a flight delay of 13 hours my wife and I were unable to engage with our NCL cruise ship to Barcelona recently. Monarch has accepted liability and is refunding the cost of the flight, but my claim for the cruise part of the trip has been refused by Saga.
My grandson's developed severe pain in his arm from carrying 100kg carcasses in his job as a meat delivery driver and it was intimated when he mentioned it to his bosses that he would be laid off if he was unable to carry out his work. Do we have a case against the employer?
It is little wonder that so many people choose to ditch the dull and rainy UK weather and move overseas - but what will you need to think about before making the move and what tricks can help make your money go further?
Nationwide building society, the UK’s biggest mutual, is understandably anxious not to be tarred with the same brush as the calamitous Co-op Bank. Graham Beale, the chief executive, can give himself a pat on the back this weekend. But look a little deeper into the Nationwide accounts and there are lessons he will no doubt be drawing from the Co-op debacle.
Banks and building societies have flooded the market with buy-to-let loans and slashed their cost to tempt borrowers into doing business with them. These investors are fast becoming a valuable cash cow for the lenders who view them as a safe bet — but who also charge them more interest than residential borrowers.
The bank rate is at a rock bottom 0.5%, and one day it must rise. The big question is when? We explain the factors that will decide when interest rates rise and how quickly, including the latest forecasts from markets and economists. The Bank of England now says the stronger than expected recovery could see the 7 per cent unemployment benchmark arrive sooner.
Investors in small cap technology companies can look forward to a new wave of consolidation driven activity.
In its submission to the Chancellor ahead of his Autumn Statement next month, the CBI urged George Osborne (pictured) to cup rises at 2 per cent next year.
The group said there is ‘an urgent need to address long-simmering economic problems’ such as long-term unemployment and the widening gap between rich and poor.
In offering private investors discount entry to attractions such as Madame Tussauds and Legoland, Merlin helped roll back a decades-long erosion of shareholder perks.
Solihull came top in a standard of living league of UK regions thanks to its high scores on disposable income, life expectancy and fast broadband speeds, uSwitch said. The consumer comparison website added that Scottish regions fared the worst by virtue of low incomes, poor exam results, low life expectancy and fewer hours of daylight.
Asda boss Andy Clarke said the middle market fought over by Asda, Tesco, Morrison and Sainsbury is almost dead as shoppers flock to either discounters Aldi and Lidl or upmarket Waitrose. He is promising a five-year price war that will save shoppers £1billion, as part of a strategy to position Asda as a discount supermarket, but one where customers can do their full weekly shop.
The UK arm of Nestle announced it will create 1,900 jobs for young people over the next three years, while EnQuest announced a £4billion investment in the North Sea.
Increasing numbers of homeowners are fitting the cast iron burners into their new kitchens and have boosted orders by 15 per cent.
Mr Beale he said customers looking to switch bank accounts who traditionally would have moved to the Co-op are moving to Nationwide instead.
With house prices rising and the prospect of the Bank of England base rate increasing, now may be the right time to make sure you are on the best mortgage deal. Many lenders already offer their best buy rates for remortgaging rather than specific products. We compare what Leeds has to offer.
According to new WorldPay research, 87 per cent of customers are likely to spend more money per transaction when paying with a debit or credit card, as opposed to cash. Yet many small traders can't take cards and with cheques dying out find themselves with a payment problem.
UK companies are set to pay out a bumper £100billion in dividends next year. So, if you are desperate for some income, now may be time to look towards the stock market. With a good fund or shares, you can grow your money and get a little extra annual income by pocketing the dividend payout or yield.
The two energy companies revealed warnings on Thursday, with Centrica issuing a swingeing profits alert and Npower preparing to cut more than 1,000 UK jobs.
Two-thirds of the Department for Energy and Climate Change's budget is gobbled up by decommissioning nuclear waste - £1.9billion in the last year alone.
Arthur Pearson and his wife Irene were sold a fiendishly complicated investment scheme that had them borrow money with disastrous results.The debt includes a £200,000 mortgage they can’t pay off. Worse still, they have no one to complain to, as the independent financial adviser who convinced them to take out the investment, and the firm he worked for, are no longer in business.
Want to buy a fashion retailer before the Christmas party season gets under way, but unsure which might offer the best return? We asked stock experts for tips.
With price hikes dominating the headlines savvy switching and cashback deals are some of the easiest ways to keep a rein on of rising costs
The adverts on TV are a real sign the shops are ready for Christmas — so you need to be, too. Our wallets are already wearing thin, especially with double-digit energy price rises looming. So this year, more than ever, it is vital to be a savvy seasonal shopper. Tony Hazell looks at how you can be prepared.
Mr Fisher added it was unlikely that the Bank’s monetary policy committee would vote to pump more money into the economy under the quantitative easing scheme.
The pledge that the Fed would stick with its massive stimulus programme for now was greeted by stock rises on Wall St, in Asia and a positive reaction in Europe today.
Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest and Halifax have already begun processing more than 2,000 mortgage applications under the Help to Buy guarantee, but other lenders have launched or cut 5 per cent deposit rates in recent weeks that are just as good or cheaper. We reveal the top low deposit home loans.
Venture capital firms vary dramatically in their ability and capacity to really add value to support the growth of your company.
The figures prompted the RICS to urge the Government to immediately tackle the problem of demand outstripping the supply of homes for sale.
I own a buy-to-let but cannot afford to live there as the value is now higher than my multiples will allow. I'm recently divorced and want to own somewhere as a shared mortgage with my new partner. Can I take advantage of the Help to Buy scheme?
Even though savings accounts vary hugely in the interest they pay, a quarter of savers are so disillusioned with low rates across the market they won't bother.
I have a £30,000 private pension pot on top of my company pension. Can I transfer this to my wife for her to purchase an annuity?
How can I raise the £15,000 I need for a loft conversion? The rates on a personal loan seem close to what is on offer for a remortgage, so which is better?
Your fledgling business's online presence can be make-or-break for its future, so it's worth doing all you can to make sure you are getting the most out of the world wide web - and drawing in lots of potential customers.
Businesses across Britain could be losing out on billions of pounds of support, despite it being available right now on their doorsteps. Here's how to get some.
Beauty enthusiast Eve Taylor grew her business to sell to 30 countries, but half of all small business owners blame psychological barriers for not exporting sooner.
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A new tax year means a fresh Isa allowance to save. We pick our five favourite cash Isas for savers, don't miss this essential Isa reading that is kept up-to-date throughout the year.
The Association of Investment Companies has analysed all investment trusts to find the 20 strongest and most consistent performers of the last decade.
Royal Mail investors were attracted by the lure of a bumper dividend of 6 per cent or higher. But there are lots of household names with a good dividend yield.
Neil Woodford is stepping down from his funds where he is Britain's favourite manager. We pick five alternative income funds and trusts worth a look.
The bank rate is at a rock bottom 0.5%, and one day it must rise. The big question is when? We explain the factors that will decide when interest rates rise and how quickly, including the latest forecasts from markets and economists. The Bank of England now says the stronger than expected recovery could see the 7 per cent unemployment benchmark arrive sooner.
For many buy-to-let looks an attractive income investment in a time of low rates and stock market volatility. Read our top ten buy-to-let tips
Mortgage lenders have some astonishingly low rates on offer and this is the best time to be looking for a home loan in six years. So should you fix now?
As house price inflation picks up, Savills has released its forecast for areas across Britain. We analyse the latest figures and the prediction for where you live.
Midwives in the UK get paid on average £29,248: so where does your salary fit into the national league table, and how does it compare to the average in your profession? Our table lists hundreds of Britain's jobs from company executives and doctors to van drivers, waiters and textile machine operators.
| Prize value | Winning bond No. | Area |
|---|---|---|
| £1,000,000 | 110NM465374 | Tyne and Wear |
| £100,000 | 187EE207065 | Manchester |
| £100,000 | 176RS978106 | Lincolnshire |
| £100,000 | 159QT036890 | Norwich |
| £50,000 | 63RH553428 | West Midlands |
| £50,000 | 191DH809832 | Greater Manchester |
| £50,000 | 43MJ093284 | Croydon |
| £50,000 | 49BK161200 | Norfolk |
| £50,000 | 211QN594328 | Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| £50,000 | 37PC596428 | Norwich |
You can get an income without gambling your savings
Fed up of lousy interest rates? Missed out on Royal Mail shares?
50 ways to save money....
...or how to clear your credit card debts many times over in less than a year
Energy bills: As prices rise for winter, is it really worth switching
We show you how to win and where to find the best fixed rate deals
My daughter's identity was stolen by her step-sister
Bills have not been not paid and now she can't get credit. What can we do?
World shares climb towards five-year highs
Investors look forward to more cheap money from the States as the Fed sticks with stimulus
Clever transfers and careful planning could help fund a new luxury lifestyle
How to ditch the UK for sunnier climes
Asda promises £1bn in price cuts to stop shoppers deserting
Shoppers flock to either discounters Aldi and Lidl or upmarket Waitrose
Could cashback help claw back the costs of rising bills this winter?
With price hikes dominating the headlines savvy switching is in vogue
The ultimate DIY investment
Novices urged to self-build to solve housing shortage - and make a big profit
Should you join the rush to buy a woodburning stove?
We've cut our energy bills by 25%, claim one family
I'm 49 and have hardly saved anything. Should I just abandon the idea of a pension?
Have your say in Money Morals
House prices at highest level since 2008 after 7% growth in a year
And economists predict 8% rise for 2014
No mortgage if you've lived abroad any time in the past three years
Nationwide to have some of the toughest rules
The AA fitted a new starter motor for £200 - but now my car won't start
And it won't give my money back
A 7.5% return to investors willing to take a punt on Smartwater
Three-year retail bond from London-based security firm
Twitter may have helped overthrow governments, but is it worth investing in
Are the shares worth a look and how do you buy?
Taxman's 'shock troops' snatch back £100m
HMRC targets restaurants, landlords and second homes
RACHEL RICKARD STRAUS: I Wonga what you were thinking
A film about a payday lender?
Will auto-enrolment put your pay rise in peril?
Companies expected to tighten purse strings to cope with pension costs
| Prize value | Winning bond No. | Area |
|---|---|---|
| £1,000,000 | 110NM465374 | Tyne and Wear |
| £100,000 | 187EE207065 | Manchester |
| £100,000 | 176RS978106 | Lincolnshire |
| £100,000 | 159QT036890 | Norwich |
| £50,000 | 63RH553428 | West Midlands |
| £50,000 | 191DH809832 | Greater Manchester |
| £50,000 | 43MJ093284 | Croydon |
| £50,000 | 49BK161200 | Norfolk |
| £50,000 | 211QN594328 | Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| £50,000 | 37PC596428 | Norwich |
| Currency | Rate | Buy now |
|---|---|---|
| Updated 17 Nov 2013. | ||
| Euro | 1.1719 | Buy Now |
| US Dollar | 1.5791 | Buy Now |
| Australian Dollar | 1.6659 | Buy Now |
| Canadian Dollar | 1.6369 | Buy Now |
| Chinese Yuan | 9.4043 | Buy Now |
| Croatian Kuna | 8.791 | Buy Now |
| Czech Koruna | 31.2 | Buy Now |
| Danish Kroner | 8.6052 | Buy Now |
| Egyptian Pound | 10.467 | Buy Now |
| Euro | 1.1719 | Buy Now |
| Hong Kong Dollar | 12.105 | Buy Now |
| Hungarian Forint | 340.06 | Buy Now |
| Japanese Yen | 157.13 | Buy Now |
| Malaysian Ringgit | 4.9289 | Buy Now |
| New Turkish Lire | 3.1734 | Buy Now |
| New Zealand Dollar | 1.8914 | Buy Now |
| Norwegian Kroner | 9.5347 | Buy Now |
| Polish Zloty | 4.7843 | Buy Now |
| Singapore Dollar | 1.9479 | Buy Now |
| South African Rand | 15.849 | Buy Now |
| Sterling | 1.0 | Buy Now |
| Swedish Kroner | 10.304 | Buy Now |
| Swiss Franc | 1.4382 | Buy Now |
| Thai Baht | 48.577 | Buy Now |
| UAE Dirham | 5.7436 | Buy Now |
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Easy switching has arrived
Tony Hetherington
Tony Hazell