Britain is sitting on a new £173bn debt time bomb - and with rates set to rise it's ticking even louder 

Britain is sitting on a £173bn debt time bomb - and with interest rates set to rise it's

Our investigation has uncovered the startling rise in debt levels due to people splashing out on new cars, TVs, conservatories and home improvements.

Shares jump as global markets post strong recovery amid hopes for new stimulus measures in China and Japan

The ministry of finance in China pledged overnight to strengthen fiscal policy, increase infrastructure spending and speed up tax reforms.

Want to make the most of the Footsie dip? Experts pick five top UK equity funds to buy into right now

Want to make the most of the dip in the FTSE? the top five UK equity funds to buy

UK equities have had a rollercoaster year so far as global problems weighed heavily on the FTSE.
Here we look at UK funds that could be a buying opportunity, as things start to brighten up for the economy.

Generation of women betrayed over state pension: Susan may die before she claims hers while Wendy faces poverty waiting

FullSizeRender.jpg

Like millions of other women in their late 50s and 60s, Susan Sutherland and Wendy Eachus are being forced to wait years longer than expected before they can claim their pensions.

France labelled 'sick man of Europe' after it was the only EU county not to post second quarter growth 

epa04920498 French President Francois Hollande makes his speech during the Convergences World Forum at the Palais Brongniart in Paris, France, 08 September 2015. The 8th Convergences World Forum will take place on the 7th, 8th and 9th September 2015 in Paris. This years' edition will gather international professionals for three days of exchange and thought on the topic 'Zero exclusion, zero carbon, zero poverty'.  EPA/YOAN VALAT MAXPPP OUT

The French economy stagnated in the second quarter of the year despite growth in every other country - including crisis-torn Greece and rivals Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain.

Homeowners rush to equity release as warning is sounded over borrowers stuck with an interest-only timebomb

Model of house on pile of copper coins

Around one million homeowners are lumbered with interest-only mortgages that they don't know how to repay.

Shoppers could foot the bill for higher wages - but they still benefit from heavy discounting by fashion stores despite small rise in food prices

Fruit & vegetables section at Sainsburys Superstore in Camden Town, London, England.

Shop prices fell 1.4 per cent last month, unchanged from July, with clothing stores recording the biggest fall of 5.4 per cent, the latest BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index showed.

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FTSE LIVE: Footsie stays strong on hopes for fresh stimulus moves as US stocks start higher, although opening surge pared 

FTSE LIVE: Footsie strong as US stocks start higher, but gains pared 

With around an hour and quarter of trading to go, the FTSE 100 index was 102.6 points, or 1.7 per cent higher at 6,248.7, also easing off the session peak of 6,284.17. On Wall Street, the blue chip Dow Jones industrial Average was up 75.8 points at 16,567.5, 100 points below an opening peak, albeit having surged 370 points higher in the previous session.

Hargreaves Lansdown shares soar as growth in assets under management offsets an as expected fall in profits

CRMKEP Hargreaves Lansdown building Bristol Harbour

The company, which sells financial products to retail clients, said assets had grown to £55bln, from £46.9bln, and net revenue rose to £294.2m from £291.9m in the twelve months ended June 30.

Goals Soccer Centres share price tanks on profit warning as players cancel kickabouts and head to sunnier climes instead

Goals soccer center sports building Ipswich, Suffolk, England. (Photo by: Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The East Kilbride-based firm said it now expects annual pretax profits to be in a range of £9.3million to £9.8million, against previous City expectations of £10.9million.

UK economic recovery has slowed, says think-tank, trimming GDP estimates, as manufacturing and exports see sharp falls

A stock photo of technicians using electric screwdrivers to assemble machine parts on production line in manufacturing plant

The NIESR estimated that economic growth in the three months to the end of August was 0.5 per cent, compared with 0.6 per cent in the three months to the end of July.

Rising demand for new homes boosts Barratt Developments as annual sales and profits jump

The exterior of Barratt London?s New South Quarter development in Croydon.
www.barrattlondon.com/newsouthquarter.

Pieter Daniel Jordaan 1.jpg

Barratt said today that its pretax profit for the year to the end of June rose by 45 per cent to £565.5million on the back of a surge in housing completions and soaring prices.

Ryanair hikes profit forecast by 25% as it flies record numbers of sun-starved Britons to the Med and reaps the rewards of being 'nicer'

A general view of Bahamas San Salvador Island sailing by Club Med.





AA8YEX Bahamas San Salvador Island sailing by Club Med

NEW Ryanair has hiked its full year profit forecast by a staggering 25 per cent after UK families took advantage of the strong pound this summer.

Has Bentley delivered the ultimate 4x4? New Bentayga will hit 187mph and costs as much as TWO Range Rovers

Bentley reveals its Bentayga 4x4 that will hit 187mph

British luxury car giant Bentley has unleashed its first ever 4X4 and pledged that the £160,000 Bentayga will be 'the most powerful, luxurious, and exclusive sports utility vehicle in the world'. Bentley hopes the new Bentayga will prove one of its biggest sellers by capitalising on the boom in luxury 4X4s among the world's super-rich.

Rolls-Royce rocked by China slowdown as global sales fall 10% in first seven months of 2015 

Rolls Royce Dawn

BMW-owned Rolls-Royce launched a convertible yesterday but, like most car makers has been hit by a slowdown in the world's largest market.

ASK TONY: My mother has no passport so the post office has refused to give her an account 

ASK TONY: My mother has no passport so the post office won't give her an account 

My 85-year-old mother decided to move her savings from Co-op Bank, which was closing its doors for good in our town, to the Post Office. Her Isa account transferred without problem, but the savings account is still to be opened despite a cheque for £3,534.91 being paid in. She is unable to access this money.

ASK TONY: Virgin Media keeps sending my late father sales offers after we sent them his death certificate

My sister and I had to move our father into a nursing home in January after realising he was just too ill to cope on his own. We then started the painful task of going through his finances.

How an online estate agent could save you a small fortune: But would you be a DIY seller to get a cheaper flat-fee?

Rocketing property prices are pushing thousands of homeowners to sell through cheap online estate agents, but would you take the low-cost DIY route?

A bereaved son's crusade forces NOW: Pensions to change its ways after distressing saga over £2.05 pension pot

NOW: Pensions pledges change after distressing saga over £2.05 fund

Matt Cooper said he was 'frankly staggered' at what NOW: Pensions put him through during a time of 'extreme stress and sadness' after he lost his mother Jane. The firm has promised an urgent review of its procedures after the distressing treatment Mr Cooper received over his mother's pension pot, which turned out to hold just £2.05. He had to fill in reams of paperwork and wait four months before the size of the fund was revealed in a short letter, which referred to his mother by name, National Insurance number and 'Deceased' in brackets at the top, and subsequently just as 'the member'.

Women are STILL pension victims: The state may have moved on but the workplace hasn't, says JAMES CONEY

James Coney - Daily Mail byline  17.06.11. Photo Chris McAndrew / All Moral Rights Asserted 2011. 07740 424 810

For decades, women expected to get about £5,000 a year from that age. Now some have to work an extra six years. In effect, they've been left £30,000 - or more - worse off.

Brits expect to buy their 'forever' home by the age of 44 - and one in ten would spend £30k over the asking price to secure their property dream

Brits expect to buy their 'forever' home by the age of 44 says Tepilo

House buyers across the UK expect to be living in their 'forever' home by the age of 44, new findings suggest. But, one in three people aged 55 or over believe that no such place exists, research by Sarah Beeny's estate agency Tepilo said. As house prices in many parts of the country increase and a rise in mortgage rates looms, the average house buyer in the UK currently has a budget of £205,221 and will own two homes in their lifetime.

Up to 30,000 Britons can claim compensation after Spanish government forced to change 'unfair' inheritance tax laws on holiday homes

Up to 30,000 Britons with holiday homes in Spain could still be due compensation from its government after they were hit with 'unfair' inheritance tax charges.

Carrier bags from big retailers will cost 5p each from next month... but live fish, bananas and razor blades are exempt

From next month, shoppers who enter large retailers may want to take reusable carrier bags as the Government imposes a blanket 5p charge on each one used.

My house is worth millions but my children can't afford starter homes - should I use equity release to help them?

My house is worth millions - should I use it to help my children buy homes?

I bought a house in Dulwich in London some decades ago which is worth several million pounds now, but my adult children are struggling to get on the housing ladder. I'm therefore thinking of freeing up cash from my property so they can afford to buy homes of their own. What do equity release schemes involve, and what are the implications for inheritance tax?

New National Counties BS bond that will increase with base rate 

BH8D84 Piggy bank under rug

Halifax offers a similar deal on its 18-month Tracker Bond, paying 1.54 per cent (1.93 per cent). This promises that you'll always earn 1.14 (1.43) percentage points more than the base rate.

Halifax boosts switching sweetener to £125 for new current account customers as First Direct offers £150

A woman walks past a Halifax bank in Leicester, central England, September 17, 2008. British bank Lloyds is in advanced merger talks with UK mortgage lender HBOS, the BBC reported on Wednesday, citing sources. HBOS, the group created by the merger of Halifax and Bank of Scotland, is Britain's largest savings group. REUTERS/Darren Staples (BRITAIN)

Customers looking to switch current accounts can cash in on incentives being offered by banks looking to snare new business.

Wrath of the dragon: Chinese authorities arrest almost 200 'dissenters' for speaking out in wake of stock market crash

Wrath of the dragon: Chinese authorities arrest almost 200 'dissenters' for speaking out

Communist authorities have issued instructions to media outlets not to 'exaggerate panic or sadness', or use 'emotionally charged words such as 'slump', 'spike' or 'collapse'.Yesterday one of the country's most prominent fund managers re-emerged after disappearing for days following the crash, only to claim she had not been detained by authorities but instead had been 'on holiday meditating'.

Housebuilders boosted as Berkeley Group reports strong trading, while Redrow posts 53% surge in profits  

Berkeley Group posts strong trading, while Redrow sees profits surge 

Following a strong start to the year, Berkeley reiterated its previous guidance for earnings to be in the region of £2billion over the next three years. Meanwhile, FTSE 250 rival Redrow also found support after it posted a 53 per cent rise in annual pretax profits to £204million. Redrow said its group revenue rose 33 per cent to a record £1.15billion, driven by a 12 per cent increase in legal completions and a 13 per cent increase in average selling prices to £269,800.

Whitbread weakened by cheap Euro as Britons splash out on holidays not coffee 

WHITBREAD BUYS COFFEE NATION FOR £59.5m ACCELERATING COSTAøS GROWTH
Costa announced today the acquisition of Coffee Nation and its plan to launch a new brand, Costa Express which will target the self-serve coffee bar sector, providing great tasting Costa coffee on the go.
Picture shows: Andy Harrison, CEO - Whitbread PLC
Note to Press:
These images are supplied free of charge for editorial usage.
Mandatory credit: VisMedia

The budget hotel group, which owns the Costa Coffee and Premier Inn chains, said sales at outlets open at least a year grew by just 1 per cent during August.

Fears plunging commodity prices could scupper tie-ups after Glencore is forced to make U-turn on debt plan

Commodities.psd

As the price of commodities including copper, iron ore, oil and gas remain weak, City analysts have become concerned about the true extent of the impact on resources giants.

How would an interest rate rise impact my investments and should I do anything to protect them?

How would an interest rate rise impact my investments?

After more than six years of rock bottom rates how would an interest rate rise later this year impact my investments? What do I need to know and is there anything I should be doing now to guard against any negative impact?

The conmen who target council tax: Fraudsters are charging £350 admin fees over rebates that do not exist

Housing and Council Tax Benefits Application Form. 
BBC1 documentary: On The Fiddle? Special. Every year a staggerin £2.6billion worth of benefits go missing or end up in the wrong hands-much of it down to cheating. This fascinating one-off documentary shows how specially trained investigators track down gangs and individuals taking part in large-scale fraud.


Benefits_image_2.jpg

Scammers are calling householders to tell them they are in the wrong council tax bracket and are entitled to thousands of pounds back, according to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau.

Helpline for cancer patients: Nationwide service offers customers specially trained adviser to help with money worries  

Red telephone

Vulnerable customers are routinely let down by financial companies when they need help the most.
This pilot scheme will give customers affected by cancer the option to talk to a trained expert.

The 100-year club: The professions where it would take at least a CENTURY to save up enough to buy a home revealed

Professions where it would take 100 years to save a deposit to buy a home

For many who work in the UK's key occupations, getting on to the housing ladder is a pipe dream as it would take literally hundreds of years to save for the deposit.
For lollipop ladies and men it would take a staggering 552.4 years to scrape together enough money to buy their own home.

Camden taking EIGHT WEEKS to respond to parking ticket appeals rather than 10 days it aims for after deluge from fed-up drivers

Camden Council is buckling under the weight of parking ticket appeals it emerged today after a deluge by drivers in North London.

Pensioners to have £15 a week more than they need for decent standard of living in coming five years, says survey

Families with two parents in full-time work, workers without children as well as pensioners will also typically be better off, according to the report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Britain's first-time buyers face one of the toughest property markets in Europe... but Luxembourg is worse

In the UK nearly nine in 10 people said that it is becoming increasingly hard for first-time buyers to buy a house.

Holly Mackay road-tested 13 of the largest DIY investing platforms - and the best for your investment is...

Holly Mackay road-tests 13 of the largest DIY investing platforms

Self-investing via a DIY investing platform is growing in popularity, despite recent stock market falls. But choosing a provider can prove a minefield. Last month, I road-tested 13 of the largest platforms that allow investors to trade shares and funds at the click of a computer mouse - here are the results.

BLOCKED! As cold callers begin waking victims in the dead of night - here's how to get your revenge on the phone pests

How to fight back and banish cold callers

Jonathan stamp, a funeral director from Market Harborough, Leicestershire was one of hundreds of people recently rudely woken up in the early hours by an automated phone call. But their nightmare is just the tip of an iceberg. Last year, 22 million households were subjected to a variety of nuisance calls.

Financial advisers yank up price of getting pension help as freedom reforms widen retirement funding options

The cost of advice for converting a £100,000 pension pot into a lump sum and annuity has risen from £1,500 to £1,750, a study by adviser website unbiased.co.uk reveals.

Exciting new money radio show earns listeners a certificate in finance from Open University 

A unique radio show starts tonight which aims to help people with their finances and spread knowledge by offering the incentive of an Open University certificate at the end.

The 100 best places for families to live revealed: Do you live near a family friendly hotspot?

The 100 best places for families to live revealed

England's most family friendly places to live are not the high house price areas of the South East but locations in the more affordable North, according to a Family Friendliness index. We reveal the full list of the top 100 places to bring up a family and map them - so you can check whether one of the hotspots is near you.

SIMON LAMBERT: It's tempting for investors to try to dodge a bear market but that's a risky cure for the summertime blues

Trying to dodge a bear market is a risky cure for the summertime blues

For all the lines about 'time in the market, not timing the market', who wouldn't want to dodge a 30 per cent drop and buy back in relatively unscathed on the other side? The problem is that it's almost certain investors won't manage to pull this off.

SMALL CAP SHARE IDEAS: A 43% share price fall at Utilitywise offers opportunity as energy and water cost management firm expands

A repair man working on a gas boiler. Image shot 2008. Exact date unknown.

Utilitywise shares fell 43 per cent in the last three months, but for investors, this retrenchment may offer the chance to get into a stock that is currently valued at 9.6 times forward earnings.

Is it time to buy the dip? The stock market is suffering but now could be a good time to buy UK shares, say analysts

A combination of reasonable valuations and a stronger economy means that the UK equity market could be a smart place to put your money, argue analysts from JP Morgan.

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50 ways to save money: Simple steps to cut what you spend that could clear your debts or seriously boost your savings

50 ways to save money....

To clear the average national household debt of £13,000 at 6% interest with a monthly repayment of £100 will take around 17 years. There are, however, plenty of simple ways to make significant savings on your regular spending that could clear your debt - or boost your savings - in less than a year. This is Money's top 50 - updated - money-saving tips may appear light-hearted but are deadly serious.

SIMON LAMBERT: Eight simple but important lessons about money

Dr. Albert Einstein writes an equation for the density of the Milky Way on the blackboard at the Carnegie Institute, Mt. Wilson Observatory headquarters in Pasadena, Calif., in this Jan. 14, 1931 file photo. Einstein achieved world reknown in 1905, at age 26, when he expounded a theory of general relativity which proposed the existence of atomic energy. Though his concepts ushered in the atomic age, he was a pacifist who warned against the arms race. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921.  (AP Photo)

Learning more about money is a good way to keep hold of it and make more of it. Here are some simple but important things I'd teach people.

How to complain to the chief executive: We reveal the names and contact details of Britain's top company bosses

Businesswoman Using Cell Phone, while looking at her laptop computer screen, she is angry.  For feature on broadband technical support.   --- Image by   Morgan David de Lossy/Corbis
rights managed
1
20-25 years
20s adult
25-30 years
Access
Adults
Business and commerce
Businesspeople
Communications
Computer
Computer hardware
Connection
Connectivity
Desk
Females
Frustration
Head and shoulders
Indoors
Laptop
Mid-adult
Mid-adult woman
Mobile phone
Mobility
Multi-tasking
Office
People
Personal computer
Room
Telephone
Whites
Young adult woman
Young adults

Here is a list of the name and address for the chief executive of Britain's largest consumer facing companies: big banks, building societies, utilities companies, telecoms and mobile networks.

How to choose the best (and cheapest) DIY investing Isa - and our pick of the platforms

Pick the best (and cheapest) investment Isa platform

Choosing the right DIY platform is crucial but a wealth of choice and changes to charges have left many investors scratching their heads. We pick some of the best. We also highlight why investing in an Isa makes sense, as it should protect your hopefully growing investments from tax forever.

Revealed: The world's cheapest and most expensive stock markets - and where the UK stands

spt_Cape 3.JPG

We highlight the world's cheapest and most expensive stock markets, measured on three popular valuation tools and where the UK sits.

INVESTING TIPS: Fund and trust ideas for beginner and cautious investors

L Board sign on the rear of a blue saloon car , UK

If you are new to investing then the huge number of funds and investment trusts on offer can be confusing. Fortunately, This is Money's experts have some ideas to get you started.

INVESTING TIPS: Top fund and trust ideas for income investors

Income investing: Dividends can deliver both a healthy boost to long-term growth and a way to earn from your investments.

Income investing can let you draw on your portfolio or reinvest dividends to build solid growth over time. Our experts give their fund and investment trust recommendations.

INVESTING TIPS: Top fund and trust ideas for emerging markets

On the up: Emerging markets such as Brazil are where much of the world's growth is expected to be over future years.

If you're looking to add some flair to your investing Isa with emerging markets, This is Money's experts have some ideas to get you started

When will interest rates rise? Unemployment rises but wages robust after Bank hints at a move in early 2016

When will UK interest rates rise?

Unemployment has increased for the second month in a row, adding weight to the arguments of ratesetters in the lower for longer camp. This follows the outlook for when interest rates will rise shifting forwards slightly to about February 2016 in the recent inflation report.

Our savings picks: This is Money's five favourite best buy cash Isas for 2015

"No smoking" sign on a wall --- Image by © Christopher Stevenson/Corbis

We pick our five favourite cash Isas for savers. This is essential Isa reading and is kept up-to-date throughout the year

Looking for a better bank? This is Money's five of the best current accounts

Best five: which current accounts offer the best perks?

How hard does your bank account work for you? Here's our pick of the best accounts to make your money work harder, cut down on fees, or get free stuff.

Ten tips for buy-to-let: the essential advice for property investors

Ten tips for buy-to-let

For many buy-to-let looks an attractive income investment in a time of low rates and stock market volatility. Climbing house prices, rising rents and improving mortgage deals are tempting investors - although they will need a big deposit. Read This is Money's top ten buy-to-let tips

What next for house prices? House prices rise across the UK but London has caught a chill

spt_split-weather-houses.jpg

House prices are rising across the UK but London has caught a chill - property in the capital remains expensive but prices are slipping back from their peaks. We look at the latest figures.

What next for mortgage rates? The best fixed rates inch up as rate rise chatter increases - so is it time to fix?

A stock photo of a miniature toy house .

E08RMN

Some of the absolute cheapest mortgage rates have been pulled, as banks look to squeeze a little more from borrowers, but rates remain historically low.

Best paid UK jobs 2014: Compare your pay to the national average in the league table of salaries across 350 trades and professions

Best paid UK jobs 2014 Compare your pay to the national average

The influence of financial services on the economy is spelled out again as City brokers steal top spot in this year's official list of highest earners. According to the detailed 2014 annual salaries survey, brokers pocketed around 40 times more this year than those at the bottom of the list - the people responsible for keeping children safe on the way to school. Lollipop crossing patrols earned around £3,400.

Premium Bonds winners

September 2015
Prize value Winning bond No. Area
£1,000,000 181XE611069 South West Wales
£1,000,000 180AV204733 Overseas
£100,000 82NC804116 Outer London
£100,000 248RZ165168 Bedfordshire
£100,000 188PZ779903 Essex
£100,000 15SM469591 Overseas
£100,000 137XP786876 Fife
£50,000 89AE387151 Birmingham
£50,000 6HJ562295 Hertfordshire
£50,000 36BX381662 Leicester
£50,000 251XK512431 Surrey
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