Cost living index

Hospitals across Britain face rises in power bills running into millions of pounds as the spiralling cost of living crisis hits NHS trusts. As household fuel bills climb to unprecedented levels, the health service also faces soaring charges as a result of the escalating cost pressures. A survey of NHS trusts across England and Scotland shows they are facing rises of up to £29 million in the three financial years to date. Sharp rises in energy costs caused by factors including the end of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine are also hitting the NHS, figures obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests by Metro.co.uk show. In Nottingham, costs for gas, electricity and oil combined rose from £8.8 million in 2020 and 2021 to £15.8 the following year. The budget, and therefore forecast, for the current financial year is £37.9 million. At St George’s Trust in London , which runs one of the largest hospitals in the UK, the bill for gas and electricity is due … [Read more...] about Soaring fuel bills add to ‘dire’ cost pressures facing NHS

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have told Brits the government is ‘on your side’ when it comes to the spiralling cost-of-living crisis. But with food and petrol prices reaching fresh highs, plunging millions into financial distress, some might find their assurances hard to stomach. In an op-ed for the Sun on Sunday , the prime minister and chancellor outlined what they are calling ‘the single biggest tax cut in a decade’, worth £6 billion. Their measures include ‘a council tax rebate, a cut in fuel duty, at least £400 for every household to help with energy bills and at least £1,200 for the eight million most vulnerable ­households’. Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak said that when the National Insurance (NI) threshold rises this Wednesday from £9,880 to £12,570, it will save up to £330 a year for 30 million people. They claim the change will lift 2.2 million ­people out of paying any NI or income tax on their earnings. ‘We know it’s tough but we want you to know that … [Read more...] about Boris and Rishi announce £6,000,000,000 cost-of-living tax cut

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday urged the public to face the country's economic problems together, as inflation in Europe's leading economy remained stubbornly high. Scholz published a new video in his weekly podcast, admitting that rising prices were troubling many citizens . He called for the population to "link arms and stick together." Just days after data showed prices rose 7.6% in June compared to a year earlier, Scholz said he would convene a meeting of experts to tackle the cost of living crisis. The chancellor said he has invited trade unions, employers, the central bank (Bundesbank) and academics for a summit that kicks off Monday at the chancellery in Berlin. The campaign, dubbed "Concerted Action," echoes similar efforts by former West German chancellors in the 1960s and 1970s. One-off payments proposed instead of wage hikes Economists and politicians have mooted several ideas in recent days to ease the burden on personal budgets. Labor Minister … [Read more...] about Scholz: Germans must ‘stick together’ over cost of living crisis

Meghan Markle interview: The View panelist shares thoughts Sign up for FREE royal alerts SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info The two-hour-long Oprah interview cost US network CBS a license fee ranging in between £5.06million to £6.50million ($7m to £9m), according to people familiar with the deal. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's first sit-down chat since Megxit will be first aired on Sunday at 8pm ET (Monday at 1am GMT), shortly after CBS's popular news magazine 60 Minutes. Related articles Queen urged to 'publicly apologise' to Meghan amid Royal backlash Queen blow as Royal Family set to lose fleet of aircraft As part of the deal between CBS and Oprah's production company, Harpo Productions, the … [Read more...] about Meghan Markle & Harry’s Oprah show to cost £5 MILLION – but Sussexes won’t get a penny

Published 28 February Share close Share page Copy link About sharing Organisers of St Pauls Carnival have announced plans to return to live carnival activities with a series of community events in the summer. The Bristol carnival, which has been digital since 2020 due to the pandemic, usually draws thousands to its celebrations of diversity and culture. Event director LaToyah McAllister-Jones said she was "thrilled" the programme will include features like the school's performance and Elders' Brunch. The full carnival will return in 2023. Ms McAllister-Jones said although the team had hoped to bring "the full, vibrant celebrations of St Pauls Carnival back to the streets this year", ongoing uncertainty around the pandemic had impacted carnival plans and fundraising events. However, she added the important thing was that "carnival season '22 will not go uncelebrated". St … [Read more...] about Bristol’s St Pauls Carnival set to partly return with live events

Rail strike: Raab warns pay rise to 'fuel vicious cycle of inflation' Get pensions news and advice plus latest money alerts for FREE now SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info According to a survey conducted by The Telegraph, parents are taking approximately £8.5million per day out of children’s savings for household bills. The ever-increasing rate of inflation means that more and more Brits are struggling to cover the costs of basic needs. Related articles Man dies in M4 police incident Thick black smoke billows into sky as huge fire breaks out in London Inflation currently stands at 9.1 percent with further increases expected as it reaches its fastest increase rate in four decades. Rebecca … [Read more...] about ‘Alarming!’ Desperate parents dip into children’s savings to pay for skyrocketing bills

Beyond the photoshoots and the media fanfare of the Chancellor’s set-piece economic statements, the big question most of us want to know is: what does it all mean for me and my money? That question is particularly acute at a time when the cost of living is soaring for millions of households around the country. Inflation is currently at 6.2%, and that figure is forecast to peak at 8.7% by the end of the year. Against that intimidating backdrop, Rishi Sunak announced a reduction in fuel duty by 5p per litre to try to tackle the eye-wateringly high prices hitting motorists at the pumps, alongside plans to give the Household Support Fund (money distributed by local councils to help the most vulnerable) a £500million boost from April. But probably the biggest announcement made by the Chancellor last Wednesday was the increase to the threshold at which workers start paying National Insurance contributions (NIC), which will kick in from July 6. NI is a tax on earnings if … [Read more...] about What the increase in National Insurance threshold really means for you

A disabled man is having to sell his late wife’s possession in order to keep his head above water as inflation bites. Jason Alcock said he is struggling to make ends meet amid the cost of living crisis hitting people up and down the country. The 51-year-old from Stoke-on-Trent lives with autism, ADHD and bipolar disorder, conditions which make finding work extremely difficult. With the price of everyday goods  rising at levels unmatched in 40 years, he is faced with making heartbreaking decisions to pay the bills. His wife Paola died in 2018 after being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Jason has resorted to raising funds from treasured items she left behind to stay afloat. He said: ‘I worked out I’ve sold £8,000 worth of stuff in the last three years to survive. ‘Paola had a Star Wars collection, she used to do a lot of crafts. All those kinds of things, her old phones and tablets and everything like that, that’s all been sold. ‘A lot of the … [Read more...] about Disabled man had to sell late wife’s Star Wars collection to pay the bills

SIR – Your Leading Article ( June 28 ) is a salutary reminder of the need to revisit the call in last year’s defence review for “a modern army that is more agile, more integrated and more expeditionary”, achieved through digitisation rather than numbers. While digital transformation remains relevant, the need to refocus on our European backyard puts the spotlight firmly on numbers – particularly the plan to limit the Army to 73,000 regulars and 30,000 reserves, with a commensurate reduction in heavy armour. Four months on from Russia’s invasion of a sovereign nation – and given Boris Johnson’s cheerleading for Ukraine at the G7 meeting, as well as Nato’s decision to increase high-readiness forces to 300,000 – the credibility of Britain’s contribution to thwarting Vladimir Putin’s ambitions is at stake. However dire the economic outlook, the Government must reorder its defence priorities. This will include: reversing Army personnel cuts so that at least one full-sized armoured … [Read more...] about Letters: Russian aggression highlights the need to restore Army manpower

Type 2 diabetes can be a 'devastating diagnosis' says expert Sign up for FREE health tips to live a long and happy life SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Doctor Sundhya Raman revealed the "most effective" diet to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and thereby the dire complications of the condition. "Studies suggest that poor diets have overtaken tobacco as the number one driver of chronic diseases," Doctor Raman pointed out. "So, while diet isn’t the only factor affecting our disease risk, it seems that our kitchens are the best place to start if we want to improve our health." Related articles How to live longer: The diet linked to ‘20-year’ changes in lifespan Bowel cancer signs: Three feelings … [Read more...] about Diabetes type 2 symptoms: The ‘most effective’ diet to reduce high blood sugar risk