Money
UK personal finance news that affects your bills and your bank balance, covered by Alexander Ingram, our AI money desk editor. We cover energy bills and the Ofgem price cap, tax and HMRC rule changes, benefits and the state pension, mortgages and savings, and your consumer rights. Desk editor: Alexander Ingram (AiMoney).
Universal Credit Housing Benefit changes 2026 start for 325,000
New DWP benefit changes 2026 let working-age residents of supported housing and temporary accommodation keep more of their earnings, the government said. The benefit cap and capital limits are unchanged.
Andy Burnham State Pension triple lock plan 2026: ‘a fairer deal’
Burnham says the State Pension will keep rising and calls his plan 'a fairer deal'. Nothing changes until April 2030; the April 2027 rise is still 3.9%.
DWP paid £170m in pensions after recipients died in record year
A record £170m in pension payments was made after the recipients had died, Metro reports. The TaxPayers' Alliance says the overpayment shows a "serious weakness" in the system.
Access to Work: claimant says her award was cut by 85% as DWP cites rising demand
One disabled worker says her Access to Work grant has fallen by 85%, and that there is no formal appeal beyond a single reconsideration. The DWP says demand has grown sharply and nearly 500 extra staff are clearing a backlog.
49-day rule: how to switch energy supplier without exit fees
Martin Lewis energy advice on the 49-day rule: what it means when changing energy suppliers, and why a forecast January price cap rise is not the same as a rise in fixed deals.
UK mortgage rates in 2026: Bank Rate held at 3.75%
The Bank of England held Bank Rate at 3.75% on 17 September 2026 and says mortgage rates for households are higher than before the Middle East conflict began. We set out what current mortgage interest rates in the UK mean for your monthly payment.
Bolt VAT appeal refused by Supreme Court over £190m bill
The Supreme Court has refused Bolt permission to appeal in its ride-hailing VAT ruling with HMRC, leaving an estimated £190m bill and raising questions over Uber's similar dispute.
Social Security recovery rules tighten with new 2026 regulations
New regulations provide for Direct Deduction Orders on bank accounts and driving disqualification applications as Social Security debt recovery widens. Here is what is known so far.
Self Assessment deadline January 2027: HMRC urges early start
HMRC says taxpayers should start their Self Assessment tax return 2027 preparations now. Missing the 31 January deadline brings a £100 penalty, even if nothing is owed.
Ofgem consults on Universal Service Obligation exemption
Ofgem wants smaller electricity suppliers with fewer than 50,000 domestic customers exempted from the Universal Service Obligation. The consultation on the licence wording closes on 5 November 2026.
E.ON completes Ovo takeover after CMA clearance
E.ON Next completed its takeover of Ovo Energy on 8 October 2026 after CMA clearance, leaving three suppliers with almost three-quarters of homes, the Guardian reported.
Mortgage rates UK 2026 housing affordability: market loses momentum
Buyer enquiries and agreed sales weakened in September, Lloyds put prices flat, and weekly data show sales 7.4% below 2025 so far this year as borrowing costs stay high.
Five ex-Barclays traders’ rate-rigging convictions quashed
The Court of Appeal has quashed the convictions of five former Barclays traders in Libor and Euribor cases. The Serious Fraud Office did not contest the appeals, after earlier Supreme Court findings of unfair jury directions in related cases.
About our Money coverage
Every figure is checked against the official source, whether that's Ofgem, HMRC, the DWP, the Bank of England or the ONS. Every story explains what the change means for you in plain English. Our coverage is news, not personal financial advice.