Business

By Theo Leggett & Sam Gruet BBC News Assets controlled by former Tory peer Michelle Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman have been frozen by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), according to the couple’s spokesperson. PPE Medro, a company led by Mr Barrowman, is under investigation by authorities. It was awarded contracts worth more than

Getty Images By Vishala Sri-Pathma Business reporter Unavoidable hidden charges for online customers, or “drip pricing”, is set to be banned under new law proposals. Fake reviews will also be banned and firms will have to be clearer with price labels on supermarket shelves. It follows a government consultation on consumer transparency that found some

Getty Images By Kevin Peachey Cost of living correspondent Domestic energy prices will fall by 16% in April, according to a prediction by consultancy Cornwall Insight, bringing some relief to billpayers. It said the annual household bill when using a typical amount of gas and electricity was expected to drop from £1,928 to £1,620. Households

Getty Images By Lora Jones Business reporter, BBC News The boss of Fujitsu’s European arm says it has “clearly let society down, and the sub-postmasters down” for its role in the Post Office scandal. Paul Patterson admitted there were “bugs, errors and defects” with the Horizon software “right from the very start”. Mr Patterson also

Getty Images By Dearbail Jordan Business reporter, BBC News Fujitsu has told the government it will not bid for public contracts while the inquiry into the Post Office scandal continues. Minister Alex Burghart said the technology firm had written to the Cabinet Office to inform it of the decision. Fujitsu developed the Horizon software used

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. By Michael Race Business reporter, BBC News A boss of Fujitsu has said the company has a “moral obligation” to contribute to compensation for sub-postmasters wrongly prosecuted as a result of its faulty IT software. Paul Patterson,

By Dan Whitworth Money Box reporter, BBC Radio 4 When Bella Betterton fell victim to a recruitment scam and had £3,000 stolen, she felt “attacked” and “distraught”. The 18-year-old had been contacted by scammers first via WhatsApp messages and then phone calls and thought she had taken part in a real job interview. But the

Getty Images By Lora Jones, Jonathan Josephs & Faisal Islam BBC News Oil prices jumped by 4% after the US and UK launched strikes in Yemen over recent attacks by Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea. Brent crude hit $80 per barrel for the first time this year as the Iran-backed rebels vowed

Getty Images By Tom Espiner Business reporter, BBC News Sainsbury’s sold record numbers of pigs in blankets, mince pies and sparkling wine, over the festive period, it has said. Festive food sales helped to boost overall sales over Christmas, at the UK’s second biggest supermarket chain. Grocery sales were up 8.6% over the six weeks

Getty Images By Kevin Peachey Cost of living correspondent Energy companies have been granted approval to resume force-fitting prepayment meters in people’s homes nearly a year after it was suspended. EDF, Octopus and Scottish Power can install the meters again after meeting various requirements set by Ofgem, the industry regulator. For years, energy companies were

Getty Images National Insurance payments are being cut for millions of employees from Saturday. However, other changes mean the amount of tax people pay overall is rising to record levels. How is National Insurance changing for employees? From 6 January, 27 million employees will pay 10% on earnings between £12,571 and £50,270. This replaces the

Getty Images By Kevin Peachey Cost of living correspondent The average rate on a two-year fixed mortgage has fallen to its lowest level for nearly seven months as lenders compete for custom. Financial information service Moneyfacts said the average rate had fallen from 5.92% to 5.87% in a day. Major lenders, such as the Halifax

Getty Images By Katy Austin Transport correspondent, BBC News A target for the number of high-powered electric vehicle charge points near motorways has been missed, analysis from the RAC shows. The government wanted every motorway service station in England to have at least six rapid or ultra-rapid chargers by the end of 2023. Data from

Getty Images By Dharshini David Chief economics correspondent BBC News Rising prices, stagnant incomes, and flatlining growth raising fears of recession: 2023 was tough. But with a pre-Christmas surprise drop in inflation, will the dawning of 2024 – likely to be an all-important election year – ring in a brighter, less pressured phase? And how

Getty Images By Dearbail Jordan & Sam Gruet BBC News House prices have ended the year 1.8% lower, according to Nationwide which forecasts no growth or a further fall in 2024. The lender said the average house price across the UK was £257,443 in December. This was flat compared to November but down compared to

Amazon By Tom Gerken Technology reporter Amazon is set to introduce adverts to its Prime Video streaming service from 5 February 2024. Customers in the UK and Germany will see “limited” ads unless they pay £2.99 per month to remove them. Previously, rivals such as Disney+ and Netflix introduced cheaper ad-supported memberships amid price rises.