Economy
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Economy Young drivers warned over ghost broking scams that leave them unknowingly uninsured
The Financial Conduct Authority alerts that up to half of drivers aged 17-25 have bought car insurance through risky channels as fraudsters…
20 May 2026 -
Economy UK inflation drops to 2.8% as Ofgem energy price cap cuts household bills
The Confederation of British Industry confirms utility bills drove April’s inflation slowdown, with the energy regulator’s quarterly price…
20 May 2026 -
Economy ONS housing chief says UK house price inflation continues to ease across regions
Latest figures show annual growth slowing to 3.5% with North East leading gains while London lags behind House price inflation across the…
20 May 2026 -
Economy UK House Prices Stall While Private Rents Continue Rising, ONS Confirms
Official figures show average UK house prices remained flat year-on-year at £268,000 while private rents increased 3.5% to £1,381 a month…
20 May 2026 -
Economy UK Raw Material Costs Jump 7.7% as Manufacturing Prices Surge
Official data reveals accelerating price pressures across British supply chains, with both input and output costs rising faster than…
20 May 2026 -
Economy UK inflation rises to 3.3% in March as petrol prices push up costs
The latest ONS figures show consumer price inflation ticked higher last month, driven primarily by increased motor fuel costs, though core…
20 May 2026 -
Economy UK productivity growth shows stark divide between measurement methods
Preliminary ONS data reveals a 1.7 percentage point gap between survey-based and administrative estimates for the first quarter of 2026…
19 May 2026 -
Economy Government Spending Reaches Three-Decade High as Share of UK Economy
Official statistics reveal day-to-day public expenditure now accounts for 44.0% of GDP, up from 35% in the mid-1990s. The Office for…
18 May 2026 -
Economy Government Spending Climbs from 38% to 46% of GDP Over Three Decades, ONS Data Shows
New official statistics reveal UK public expenditure reached pandemic peak of 52% of GDP in 2020 before settling at current levels. The…
18 May 2026 -
Economy Iran War Fuel Shock Hits Kent’s Tourism and Channel Trade Hard
A near-20% jump in petrol and one-third surge in diesel since late February are already filtering through to ferry surcharges and day-trip…
18 May 2026 -
Economy New ONS Survey Reveals How Kent’s Single-Site Businesses Fared Over Past Year
The latest Business Insights and Conditions Survey tracks trading conditions for local firms from March 2025 to March 2026. Business owners…
15 May 2026 -
Economy ONS Data Reveals South East Leads UK in Business Price Rises
New official statistics show the South East, including Kent, had the highest proportion of single-site businesses raising prices in March…
15 May 2026