City watchdog considers formal proposal to increase Britain’s £100 contactless spending limit as part of response to prime minister’s order for regulators to remove barriers to economic growth. Sky News has learned that the Financial Conduct Authority’s response to a Christmas Eve letter from Sir Keir Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds … Read more
Inflation unexpectedly fell to 2.5% after two months of rising, according to official figures. This means prices are still rising, but at a slower rate than before, according to December data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Economists expected this figure to remain at 2.6%, the level recorded in November. Inflation is still above … Read more
Tube and train fares in London will increase by 4.6% from next March, the capital’s mayor announced. This increase corresponds to the increase in regulated rail fares for major rail lines in England. From March 2, Transport for London’s (TfL) daily caps will increase by 40 pence to 70 pence, depending on the areas traveled. … Read more
NatWest Group is to give its CEO a potential multi-million pound raise as it becomes fully privately owned again after almost 17 years in state hands. Sky News has learned that the chair of the bank’s remuneration committee, Lena Wilson, is consulting with major institutional shareholders over an overhaul of its board remuneration policy. Details … Read more
False information spread on social media is blamed for soaring teenage abortion rates, experts have warned. Abortions among girls aged 15 to 17 have increased by a record 12 percent in just one year, following a dramatic drop in the number of girls using contraception, according to a new study. Experts attribute the shocking increase … Read more
Authorities have announced that people with a rare form of eye cancer will have access to a “pioneering” NHS drug which could improve their chances of survival. Uveal melanoma, which develops from cells in the middle layer of the eye known as the uvea, is estimated to affect between 500 and 600 people in the … Read more
Inflation jumped to 2.3% in October – a six-month high. An increase in household energy bills contributed to this higher than expected reading. Economists had forecast a figure of 2.2% after a three-year low of 1.7% in September. But how does all this affect the cost of groceries, clothing and leisure activities? Use our calculator … Read more
Water company United Utilities has reported hundreds of millions in profits as it seeks to further increase its customers’ bills. The utility serving seven million customers in the North West of England recorded £335.7m in underlying operating profits for the first half of this year, up almost 23% year-on-year. compared to £271.1m a year ago. … Read more
Easy to discover, hardy and seemingly harmless, this plant is the cause of a growing number of large and destructive wildfires in the United States. Grass is as ubiquitous as the sun, and under the right weather conditions, it can start wildfires with just a spark. Pollution warms the planet, increasing temperature and precipitation, which … Read more