Planning changes offer a bright spot for Rachel Reeves – but grey areas exist OBR’s verdict of a long-term 0.4% boost to GDP from fewer building restrictions will have real political impact but there are gaps in funding
Prosecution of people who help clients evade tax in UK falls by 75% in five years Fewer than five criminal cases were brought against those who aid tax dodgers in 2023-24, down from 16 in 2018-19
Hyundai facing legal action over car that can be stolen ‘effortlessly in seconds’ Elliott Ingram was stunned at how a thief made off with his Ioniq 5 deploying a device to mimic the smart key – and says he should have been warned
Banks aim to reverse crunch appeal court victory for car buyers Fears of a £44bn compensation bill over dealer commissions has prompted a high-profile appeal, which will be heard this week
Birthday freebies: how to cash in on UK retailers’ gifts and discounts Join a loyalty scheme and you often get a reward or discount on your special day – but it may have strings attached
Santander eases mortgage rules so it can lend up to £35,000 more Bank cuts its stress testing rate for home buyers after FCA urged lenders not to be ‘unduly restricting’
Ofgem to crack down on energy suppliers that botch smart meter installations Millions of devices have been left to go into ‘dumb’ mode, where they stop automatically transmitting readings
Reeves may have to find further cuts and tax hikes amid economic gloom Rising costs and global uncertainty may force chancellor to turn to pensioners and wealthier taxpayers
Ofgem’s energy price cap doesn’t cover our LPG supply We’ve already experienced a big jump in the cost of gas in Mid Wales and are worried it will soon be even higher
School dinner payment app criticised for £10 refund fee After pulling out of the market Squid is charging parents who want to withdraw their remaining funds
Major UK investors join push for retail giants to pay workers ‘real living wage’ Axa and Scottish Widows back ShareAction campaign for chains such as Next to pay at least £12.60 an hour
Spring statement 2025: what does it mean for your finances? OBR says average income of 3.2 million families affected by benefits cuts will drop by £1,720 a year in real terms
Reform of cash Isas is still on the agenda. Quite right, too Cap on cash within £20,000-a-year personal allowance to encourage investment in equities could send billions flowing to UK stock market
Will Rachel Reeves’s tough decisions pay off? Our panel on the spring statement The chancellor boosted defence spending while piling on further welfare cuts – all set against gloomy growth forecasts
I tried to sell my car but was told it had been written off What looks like an example of cloning is explained by a typo in an insurer’s claims reference number