Waitrose brings back free coffee for shoppers without need to buy anything Supermarket chain reintroduces loyalty scheme perk as it fights for customers with rival Marks & Spencer
Watchdog accuses HMRC of deliberately ‘degrading’ phone services Long call waiting times have ‘damaged trust in the tax system’, public accounts committee report says
Influence of super rich on Donald Trump threatens democracy, say Patriotic Millionaires Pro-tax group tell world leaders that ‘wealth extremism’ is damaging trust in media and influencing legal systems
UK pay growth rises despite firms cutting jobs after budget Labour market figures add to dilemma for Bank of England as it considers interest rate cuts
‘Pocket money’ toys costing less than £10 sell well as UK parents cut costs Toy sales fell in 2024 but industry reports growth in ‘kidult’ collectors of expensive Lego building sets
My mother has Alzheimer’s but O2 won’t refund unused phone contract A reader argues that her parent should be reimbursed for past four years of inactivity since diagnosis
Work-life balance more important than pay for employees worldwide Annual survey finds workers have ‘multifaceted expectations’ after changes cause by Covid pandemic
UK housing market ‘starts new year with a bang’, says Rightmove Number of homes new to market 11% higher than a year ago, despite uncertainty over interest rates and stamp duty
Lady Oppenheim-Barnes obituary Conservative MP who dedicated her energies to the rights of the consumer
The new gold rush: why the precious metal has lost none of its allure The price of gold continues to rise, but who buys it, and where do they keep it? We head to Zurich’s secret vault and meet the dealers
‘I know someone in a warehouse with a master’s degree’: how to break the cycle of youth unemployment The number of young people without jobs is poised to tip 1 million, unless proper steps are taken to help them find work and secure their – and Britain’s – future
UK mortgage rules could be eased to increase growth FCA also aims to change law to try to prevent a repeat of mass compensation schemes for consumers such as PPI
UK rail firms urged to issue ‘yellow card’ warnings instead of penalty People should not be punished for honest mistakes, says watchdog, amid concern at fare evasion measures
Sunbury-on-Thames sees biggest house price rise in UK in 2024 Surrey town saw 12.5% increase in asking prices last year with rest of UK rising just 1.4%, according to Rightmove
ATM withdrawals are on the rise, but can cash retake its crown in the UK? Cash use rose for the third year running in 2024, as shoppers in places such as Shotton use it to help them budget