Government defends VAT rise

4 January 2011

Chancellor George Osborne insists today's hike is a "tough but necessary step" towards economic recovery

Bargain hunting? Wait for the Golden Week

23 December 2010

The high street is already teeming with sales but the real bargains won't kick in until Boxing Day

Beat the January VAT rise

7 December 2010

It's worth making large buys – where the hikes are greater – soon to cut costs before the increase from 17.5% to 20%

Savers hit as inflation remains high

14 September 2010

Higher air fares and food bills helped keep rises in the cost of living over the year well above the official target

The £14,400 minimum cost of living

6 July 2010

People on low incomes are increasingly struggling to get by due to soaring inflation, research suggests today

Osborne defends "fair" budget

23 June 2010

The Chancellor defended his austerity measures as "tough but fair" as he accused Labour of leaving the economy in a mess

Emergency Budget: how the huge tax shake-up affects you

22 June 2010

Today's Budget brought tax rises for everyone as the Government tries to plug the mammoth budget deficit

Emergency Budget: VAT to rise to 20%

22 June 2010

The sales tax will rise from its current 17.5% level from next January

Economic recovery fragile until 2011, CBI warns

22 March 2010

The UK's economic recovery may not pick up pace until the middle of next year, it is claimed

VAT rise triggers inflation hike

16 February 2010

Last month's sales tax rise meant inflation leapt to 3.5% in January, its highest level since November 2008

Record inflation hike: could interest rates soon rise?

19 January 2010

The one percentage point increase raises the possibility of the Base Rate rising earlier than expected

VAT returns to 17.5% but some stores to freeze prices

1 January 2010

The cost of many high street and online purchases is set to rise today, but not across the board