Manchester named top hotspot for first-time buyers in Halifax study

Research covering UK outside Greater London places city ahead of Slough, Sandwell and others

From gnarled hands to murder: the show exposing the world’s worst workplaces

Hard Graft, an unsparing new exhibition at the Wellcome Collection, showcases artworks that respond to employee exploitation, from the ruined hands of a washerwoman to the lung-damaged workers of Death Alley

VAT should be cut on refurbished electricals, says Currys boss

Alex Baldock wants to keep gadgets out of landfill as UK’s largest electricals retailer embraces repair and reuse

‘People tend to think these battles have been won’: Next equal pay claimant on fight for recognition

Helen Scarsbrook says company, which is appealing against the ruling, hasn’t recognised value of female shop floor staff

Thames Water lobbied Whitehall to press Ofwat on allowing higher bills

Exclusive: Debt-ridden company also warned officials of ‘chilling effect’ of any renationalisation

Housing market at its strongest since Truss mini-budget aftermath

House prices grew at annual rate of 2.4% in August, the fastest since December 2022, Nationwide figures show

Workers in UK could get right to request four-day compressed week

Employees could work longer hours over fewer days under government proposals for flexible working

Lloyds Bank raises borrowing limit for first-time buyers

Group will provide mortgages worth up to 5.5 times household income – and other lenders could follow suit

‘Hold them captive’: Australian billionaire boss aims to end staff going out for coffee

Chris Ellison, of Perth-based mining firm Mineral Resources, has already banned working from home

I was quoted £1,100 to replace my easily stolen VW badge/sensor

Many of the car’s safety features are useless without the device, and the company has known about this problem for years

Thames Water says without steep bill increase it’s ‘neither financeable nor investible’

Debt-laden company tells Ofwat if it cannot charge customers 59% more, it ‘would prevent company turnaround and recovery’

Water bills must rise if Labour is to hit housebuilding target, industry claims

Companies need regulator go-ahead on significant increases or they will not be able to aid plan, says Water UK

City watchdog raises concerns over £4bn life insurance market

FCA to launch market study into pure protection products to discover if they ‘provide fair value’ to consumers

UK water companies to warn bill cap will drive away investors for overhaul

Ofwat’s tighter spending targets would ‘hamper sector’s ability to deliver improvements’, study will say

Next shop workers win six-year battle for equal pay in landmark case

Chain may have to foot £30m bill after tribunal hears firm paid 3,500 sales staff lower hourly wage than warehouse workers