Cost of living

The Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has today (Wednesday 6 March) revealed plans to address the "unfairness" in the current Child Benefit system. This follows extensive campaigning on the issue by MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) and its founder Martin Lewis. Currently, some families get less (or no) support as a result of overcomplicated tax rules.

Workers will pay less in national insurance from 6 April, the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced in today's Spring Budget. Around 29 million workers are set to benefit from the change, which will see contributions cut from 10% to 8% for employed workers and from 9% to 6% for self-employed workers.

If you've got a Ring doorbell 'Protect Basic' plan, you'll see the cost of your subscription rise by 43% on Monday 11 March, whether you pay monthly or annually. However, if you want to stick with Ring, you've less than a week left to use our trick to beat the hikes for at least a year. Here's what's happening.

English student living loans will rise by 2.5% from September, the Government has announced. But with inflation currently at 4%, it means students will see ANOTHER real-terms cut in the amount they get to help them with living costs. MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) founder Martin Lewis has warned that this is one of the biggest practical problems for students, with some not having enough money to live on.

Millions of people would have to double their incomes to escape poverty, according to a new report from charity the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF). MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis says the problem seems to be getting worse, and has joined the charity in urging policymakers to act.

Every primary age child in London will get free school meals again from this September, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has confirmed. Here's what you need to know.

If you sell goods online on sites such as eBay, Etsy or Vinted, rent out your home on Airbnb, or earn extra income from providing services via platforms including Deliveroo or Uber, then these firms will soon start passing on information about you to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). This means it's vital to check if you need to declare your income through self-assessment and possibly pay tax on it.

A shake-up to the rate of income tax people in Scotland pay has been confirmed in the Scottish Budget. From 6 April 2024, the threshold at which earners start paying certain rates will rise for some tax bands, while a new "advanced" rate tax band will be introduced. The "top" tax rate will also increase.

New rules are urgently needed to stop lenders overwhelming people with letters, calls, texts and emails about missed payments. Charity the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) and its chair, founder and core funder Martin Lewis are calling for the Government to make changes to prevent firms causing unnecessary distress to those already under strain.

More than eight million households on certain benefits and Tax Credits have now received the second third of their £900 cost of living payment. Here's all you need to know on whether you're eligible and what to do if you're missing your payment.