Financial news

• How to solve the house price conundrum? Look no further than Gwynedd in Wales

  22-02-2025 17:00 via theguardian.com
  
  As the UK government puts faith in construction, one council has lowered costs by cracking down on second homes and holiday letsCongratulations to Gwynedd, Wales, where the local council’s policies have lowered house prices. This should be the ultimate aim of all the housing and planning initiatives of this government – whether through “cutting red tape”, “kickstarting” the construction industry with publicly funded incentives, talking about far in the future
  
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• ‘Exploited’ migrant farm workers in UK paid for picks, not hours

  22-02-2025 17:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Call for investigation into unfair payment for labourers on seasonal visa scheme When 26-year-old Ben* boarded a flight in Uzbekistan in June, he was looking forward to more than just a summer job picking fruit and vegetables on a British farm.“I wanted to see new places, cities I’ve never seen before,” he said. “I wanted to make friends, exchange ideas and make new memories.” Continue reading...
  
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• Do you want to buy a British kettle? Go whistle | Phillip Inman

  22-02-2025 17:00 via theguardian.com
  
  As China’s cheap prices continue to dominate western markets, attempts to revive or invent UK brands has never been tougherBritons might never again get the chance to buy an electric kettle made in the UK. Even a £150 kettle from Dualit, the company most famous for making its celebrated toaster in Crawley, West Sussex, is produced by Chinese workers 5,000 miles away.Most consumers think the whereabouts of the factory or assembly plant riveting their latest purchase together is irrele
  
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• BMW pauses £600m upgrade to Oxford Mini plant as electric car demand falls

  22-02-2025 14:47 via theguardian.com
  German carmaker will review plans for site which had been forecast to secure 4,000 jobs in EV productionBMW Group has paused a £600m investment into a Mini car assembly plant on the outskirts of Oxford, amid a declining demand for electric vehicles.In 2023, the German carmaker, which has owned Mini since 2000, announced the investment to upgrade its Cowley plant for electric production of the Mini. It was supported by government-backed investment, and was forecast to secure 4,000 jobs in e
  
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• What have three years of Putin’s war done to both nations’ economies?

  22-02-2025 14:00 via theguardian.com
  As the invasion enters its fourth year, analysts are examining the health of Ukraine and Russia, and who will be the better prospect for investors once the conflict ends. The answers are not as predictable as one might thinkAs Ukrainians prepare to enter their fourth year dealing with the harsh daily realities of life during conflict with Russia, few will be musing on the comparative economic health of the warring nations. However, inflation figures released either side of the border showed the
  
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• UK-wide parking app may be out of road after government funding withdrawn

  22-02-2025 11:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Five-year-old platform intended to make drivers’ lives easier will be supported only until the end of March‘Those without smartphones unfairly penalised, say campaignersHow to navigate apps: from checking safety to recalling passwordsIt was hailed as “the future of UK parking”, intended to remove one of the bugbears of modern life: the need to sign up to a plethora of different apps in order to park your car.But a big question mark now hangs over the future of the Nationa
  
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• ‘The tyranny of apps’: those without smartphones are unfairly penalised, say campaigners

  22-02-2025 10:00 via theguardian.com
  
  From loyalty cards, to restaurant meal deals or simply parking your car – it is harder and harder to get by without signing up to a multitude of appsHow to navigate apps: from checking safety to recalling passwordsUK-wide parking app may be out of road after funding withdrawnMichael is in his late 50s and is among the millions of people in the UK who cannot or do not want to use mobile apps, and feels he is being penalised for his choice.He does own a smartphone – an Apple iPhone he
  
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• How to navigate apps, from checking safety to remembering passwords

  22-02-2025 10:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Our consumer technology editor offers tips to help you find your way through the technical maze‘Those without smartphones unfairly penalised, say campaignersUK-wide parking app may be out of road after funding withdrawnWith more and more organisations asking you to download an app to access the best deals, or even use their services at all, you may be wondering how to deal with the technical side of all of this technology. Fear not, our consumer technology editor, Samuel Gibbs, has some ti
  
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• Using an e-scooter can add £1,000 to your car insurance quote

  22-02-2025 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Under-30s risk a huge hike in huge car insurance premiums later in life if handed the IN10 endorsementYoung people using private electric scooters on roads and pavements risk facing huge insurance premiums when they want to drive a car, says the comparison website MoneySuperMarket.It emerged this week that almost 800 children aged 13 to 16 had been issued an IN10 endorsement – the code used by the police for “using a vehicle uninsured against third-party risks” since the start
  
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