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).
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.
Housing Benefit work incentive changes from October 2026 affect 325,000 people
New rules that took effect on 5 October mean Housing Benefit claimants encouraged to work should lose less as earnings rise. The government says 325,000 people in supported housing and temporary accommodation are affected.
HMRC tax refund: 730,000 went unclaimed, averaging £855
HMRC is checking 45 million PAYE records, and some refunds now have to be requested. Here is how to claim an HMRC tax refund and how long an overpaid tax refund takes.
Energy price cap January 2027 fixed deals: £1bn help reported
The Guardian reports the chancellor is planning £1bn-plus bill help in October's budget, as forecasts of a January cap rise reach £442. Fixed deals still beat the cap.
Bank of England inflation: what embedded price rises mean in 2026
Persistent price rises make it harder to bring inflation down. This explainer looks at embedded inflation in the UK economy, the latest 2026 figures and the next ONS release on 20 January 2027.
State pension retirement age: UK workers’ petition tops 50,000
A petition to lower the state pension age to 65 has 50,807 signatures, about half the 100,000 needed for debate consideration. The government must already respond.
Ofgem chief executive Tim Jarvis appointed permanently
Tim Jarvis has been confirmed as Ofgem's permanent chief executive after seven months as interim leader, as the price cap rises 4% to £1,723 for the average household this winter.
State pension triple lock to change from April 2030
Andy Burnham's state pension plan would remove the earnings link from the triple lock from April 2030. A former pensions minister says that leaves pensions about £1,000 a year lower by 2040.
Making Tax Digital: third of landlord software cannot file, firm says
Software firm LetCompliance says 44 of 128 landlord products on HMRC's list cannot yet file the tax return. HMRC's reminder to £30,000 sole traders and landlords is unchanged.
Supported housing benefit changes 2026: more of your earnings ignored
New rules from Monday 5 October let people in supported housing and temporary accommodation keep more of their earnings out of the Housing Benefit calculation, the DWP says.
5 year fixed mortgage rates 6%: remortgage searches up 40%
Average five-year fixed rates have reached 6% and sub-5% deals have almost gone, while Twenty7tec data shows adviser remortgage searches rose 40% in September.