Wildy unaffordable shared ownership scheme leaves buyers exposed to costs

The war in the Middle East is less than a month old, but its impact is already being felt widely. In the UK on Thursday, the Bank of England held interest rates at 3.75% on Thursday – after an earlier expectation they could be cut – with a warning that inflation could tick up. Ahead…

Trading Standards officers in Scotland say they need extra powers to help tackle what they describe as an “explosion” of illegal tobacco sales in high street shops. The products include counterfeit cigarettes or those smuggled into the country to avoid tax. Trading Standards link the UK-wide problem to organised crime. The Scottish government said illicit…

Image-hosting platform Imgur has blocked people in the UK from accessing its content. Imgur is used by millions to make and share images such as memes across the web, particularly on Reddit and in online forums. But UK users trying to access Imgur on Tuesday were met with an error message saying “content not available…

Many in the UK who unwrapped a new drone this Christmas may face a rude awakening next week, when they will have to take a theory test before being allowed to fly outdoors. From 1 January, those intending to fly drones or model aircraft weighing 100g or more outside must complete a Civil Aviation Authority…

In January 2026, revenue from capital gains tax was nearly £17bn – 69% higher than in January 2025, he said, adding it was likely a reflection of investors disposing of assets since April 2024, ahead of an expected tax rise that came in the October 2024 Budget.

In May, the first part of Milburn’s report, which was commissioned by the government, said the reasons for the rise in rates among men were “complex”, but could be down to more health issues, the “erosion of traditional employment routes” and “a growing gap in educational outcomes”. He also said the “Neet problem is grounded…