Nearly 20% of people will eventually need long-term care but the system that provides it is close to collapse, according to a group of charities.
Caring Choices, a coalition of charities that includes Age Concern and Help the Aged, is to launch a debate on the future of long-term care, and said that the current system is […]

The Dow Jones index of top US shares has closed above the 13,000 mark for the first time in its history, propelled by strong company results.
The index ended the trading day at 13,089.08, up 135.4 points, and gaining 1% on the day. These gains followed three record closing highs in succession last week as investors […]

British Gas is cutting the price of its energy for the second time in six weeks, the Centrica-owned company has announced.
Electricity prices will come down by 6% and gas by 3% immediately. The saving for the average customer who buys both their electricity and gas from the company will be £40 a year, an amount […]

The jump in consumer price inflation to 3.1% in March will hit consumers hard and could lead to a significant increase in bad debt and mortgage repossessions, according to Business Strategies, the independent global economic consultancy arm of Experian.
“The rise in inflation heralds a further increase in interest rates to 5.5% or even 5.75%, with more […]

A massive investment by Three Delta, the investment group, has sent Sainbury’s shares soaring as it has purchased 14% of the retailer with a £1.5bn bid for a block of shares.
Three Delta has ties to entrepreneurs and brothers Robert and Vincent Tchenguiz, with Robert already owning 5% of the supermarket. He believes the company should be […]

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has warned insurance companies that the standard of their cold calling is often ”poor” and “unsatisfactory”, and that customers are not being treated fairly in many instances.
After a survey of the way 43 firms sold policies on the phone, the FSA concluded that bad practice was often in evidence and that […]

A sell-off of real estate stocks in Spain has fuelled fears of a property crash amongst the huge ex-pat British community in the country.
The share prices of leading Spanish property companies have fallen by up to 66% in the past week, with investors worried that the debt taken on by some developers is too heavy for comfort and […]

High Street bank Lloyds TSB is launching a UK current account aimed at the tens of thousands of Poles who have come to this country in the past three years.
The bank joins other financial institutions in recognising one of the greatest demographic changes in modern UK history and targeting the new Polish community with products […]