The Chancellor of the Exchequer's first - and last - Autumn Statement was very much focused on measures to keep the economy out of recession. But there were announcements that impacted significantly on our personal finances, for better and for worse. We look at eight key areas that will be affected - and how you can tackle them or take advantage.

Small businesses are the engine of economic growth, a sentiment echoed in Chancellor Philip Hammond's Autumn Statement last week. As such, he is determined to help them, particularly technology firms and those outside London and the South East. Mercia Technologies is ideally placed to benefit from his good intentions. The group aims to help up-and-coming technology firms in the regions, primarily the Midlands, the North and Scotland. As they grow and their value rises, Mercia's shares should follow suit.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond this week promised that this government will be the one to get Britain building again. But will a few billion pounds solve decades of neglect that have left Britain in a housing crisis?

While 95 per cent of customers for the Italian maker's grand tourers, sporty coupes and softtops are male, British bosses say they expect up to 40 per cent of the takers for its Levante 4x4 to be women. The Levante is expected to be a popular sight around upmarket shopping areas.

The housing market traditionally begins to slow in the run up to Christmas as people postpone life-changing decisions until the New Year. But you can still proceed with your sale in December by following these seven tips - and with a shortage of homes going up for sale it may stand out more.

I helped an elderly neighbour to cancel her car insurance in the cooling-off period but she was charged £50 and now the insurer, One Call, won't return any of her phone calls or my emails, even though we have proof it was cancelled in the 14-day window, will she be able to get the money back?

Formula One could be on track for a tax investigation by the European Commission after research revealed that it has avoided paying at least $500million (£400million) over the past decade in an agreement with HM Revenue & Customs. F1 is based in London and in the year to December 31, 2015 its parent company Delta Topco made underlying profits of $463.6million on $1.7billion of revenue. However, an investigation by ITV News revealed that it paid just $6.5million in corporation tax. Delta Topco is based in Jersey and its offshore subsidiaries have given huge loans to the UK-based companies which generate F1's profits.

Bumper Black Friday sales spurred fresh excitement on the markets, pushing the Dow Jones and S&P; 500 to fresh peaks after Thursday's Thanksgiving break. The stock rally in the United States on the back of hopes of a spending boom for infrastructure projects is giving fuel to traders across the globe, with many UK companies making profits across the pond. And it's boosting the funds of British savers who hold giant American firms in their pensions.

The gender pay gap in the UK's high tech sector is 25 per cent - significantly higher than the national average of 18 per cent. Consultancy Mercer, which analysed data from 66,000 employees across 153 countries, found small firms had the largest pay gap, with a 30 per cent difference in median pay between men and women, and 26 per cent for mean base salaries. The difference fell as the size of companies grew.

Landlords are always ripe for a kicking in some circles, so it should come as no surprise that they were swiftly painted as potential future villains in the ban on tenant fees. But landlords have as much right to be angry as tenants over letting agency fees and it is easy for them to fight back.

The average easy-access Isa now pays a miserly 0.73 per cent, according to figures from personal finance site Moneyfacts.   This spells more bad news for savers: prices are currently rising by 0.9 per cent a year and with a sharp rise in inflation on the cards according to predictions, savers could soon begin to see the value of their savings pot severely eroded.

Millions of couples aged 40 or over are squirreling away cash which their partners know nothing about. Around one in six people admitted in a survey that they've not told their partner how much they earn, Prudential said. With many keen to keep their cash habits a secret in case of a future break-up, around 9 per cent of people confessed to having secret savings and investments their other half has no knowledge of.

After several years of low inflation, the weakness of sterling post-Brexit, and a Donald Trump win means it could rise as high as 4 per cent by the end of 2017, according to NIESR. How can savers combat inflation and can investors use it to their advantage?

Three quarters of British homeowners have stuck with their mortgage lender despite the fact that switching provider could save them an average of £2,800 a year. Research by YouGov and mortgage broker firm Trussle found mortgage holders were more than twice as likely to have switched energy provider than their current mortgage lender - despite the annual savings from doing so being far lower.  Switching energy provider can lead to savings of around £200 a year, a trifle compared to the £2,800 the average UK household could save by shopping around for the best mortgage, claimed Trussle.

Philip Hammond's first mini-Budget provided some cheer with increases to tax allowances, the National Living Wage, and a new savings bond. The state of Britain's finances were laid bare, with Mr Hammond confirming the government is no longer seeking a budget surplus in 2019/20, and he also announced plans to abolish the Autumn Statement - only to convert it into an Autumn Budget with a Spring Statement!

Hammond has backed recent HMRC proposals for a crackdown on using the loophole for smartphone and gym contracts, buying cars and TVs, or private medical insurance. But work-related benefits deemed more worthy, like pension saving and advice, childcare and bicycles, will still be allowed. 'Salary sacrifice' allows employers and their staff to reduce their National Insurance payments legally, through workers taking pay cuts in exchange for work-related perks.

Just like Lewis Hamilton, you could be clambering into your very own F1 car on a Sunday morning. The only difference is you could be driving yours to a Harvester for a roast dinner. This fully road-registered UK car is up for sale at auction next month - here's everything you should know about it.

I sold something on eBay in March for £273 but the money went into my son's account, who sadly passed away four years ago. I've sent the death certificate and my identification to Paypal but it's now asking for a legal letter to release the money to me, which will cost £200-£300.

There are legitimate and important new ways to earn more cash and beat the taxman. Canny money-makers can end up with thousands more in tax free earnings every year than the average UK take home pay. How? Here is our step-by-step guide of what you need to know and do.

Stock markets have confounded forecasts and risen on Donald Trump's election to US President, but will the Trumpflation trade run out of steam? Trump's spending, tax cuts and tearing up of regulations have been seen by traders as spelling good news short term for many US companies - but will he prove to be a good President long-term for investors?

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.

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.

Despite endless media coverage of the political wrangling and financial speculation, the average Briton can be forgiven for remaining confused about what 'soft' and 'hard' Brexit really mean. About the difference between the 'Norway model' for the UK's post-Brexit relationship with the UK and the 'Swiss solution'. But a clever table put together by HSBC in a report called 'Is Brexit Getting Harder?' cleaves some clarity from the murk.

An interest rate cut before the end of the year looks less likely following the plunge in the pound. However, the Bank of England has indicated that higher inflation driven by rising import costs won't make it lift rates.

Musicians have seen pay rises averaging nearly 20 per cent in 2015, while cleaners are getting 17.8 per cent more, and window cleaners 12.3 per cent. Artists in general are earning 14.6 per cent more in 2015 than 2014, according to the huge annual data dump of pay scales by the Office For National Statistics highlights.