Average UK: • house prices increased by 3.7%, to £269,000, in the 12 months to June 2025, up from 2.7% in the 12 months to May • monthly private rents up by 5.9%, to £1,343, in the 12 months to July 2025, down from 6.7% in the 12 months to June ➡️ ons.gov.uk.uk/economy/inflat…

Public sector net borrowing excluding public sector banks was £1.1 billion in July 2025. This was £2.3 billion less than in July 2024 and the lowest July borrowing for three years. Read more ➡ ons.gov.uk/economy/govern…

Government borrowing lower than expected in July bbc.com/news/articles/…

Consumer spending was up July 2025, in part because of recent price rises across utilities and fuels. There was an increase in: • Direct Debit failure rates for water bills • Revolut card spending on utilities and on social activities such as entertainment and restaurants

In early Aug 2025, economic uncertainty was the most reported challenge affecting turnover for trading businesses at 25%. For businesses with 10+ employees, cost of labour was the most reported challenge at 36%. ➡️ ons.gov.uk/businessindust…

Dodgy tax advisers often promise their clients they're fully insured, so the client has nothing to lose. So when Zoe Goodchild's Apostle Accounting falsely claimed HMRC refunds for 800 clients, leaving them with huge bills, you'd think they'd be fully insured. Right?

The S&P Global UK flash PMI survey for August shows that d that private sector output growth accelerated to its fastest for 12 months in August, led by a solid upturn in the service economy. hotminute.co.uk/2025/08/21/the…

We reported last month that the widely-cited Henley & Partners migration reports have numerous anomalies and may be fabricated. There's a new report in Spears - the magazine for "ultra high net worths and the people who advise them" - which makes fabrication look more and more

UK's third-largest steelworks collapses into government control: bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

Happy birthday, Birch 💙 A special day in Seagrave as our legendary Club Ambassador turns 80 🎂

Council tax is regressive. The Government needs money. So it's tempting for Rachel Reeves to raise council tax on expensive homes. Could she? And how much would it raise? Our new interactive calculator has some answers:

On average, it takes a first-time buyer more than eleven and a half years to save for a deposit ⌛ This less time than in took a few years ago, but is a big increase over the last couple of decades. Explore our data on housing affordability here: buff.ly/3ZThQIC

Over half of council tax goes on social care. What's the principled case for social care being paid from local taxation?

How much tax do we pay in the UK, compared to other countries? This much:

Leicester is one of UK's 5 most underrated UK cities says the Express: 'As good as Oxford' - Leicestershire Live leicestermercury.co.uk/whats-on/leice…

“The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.” ― Bertrand Russell

We Can't Let Reform Hijack Football for Hate versus.uk.com/articles/we-ca…

Repealing the Human Rights Act would hit every person in the UK. The Human Rights Act and the ECHR guarantee basic freedoms we all rely on, such as the right to life, freedom of expression, privacy, and a fair trial. humanists.uk/2025/08/26/wit…

Beware populist economics ft.com/content/727d4b… via @ft

UK car sales to US rise following tariff deal bbc.com/news/articles/…