Helen Dickinson

The placements will be offered directly to young universal credit claimants in a programme dubbed ‘Opening Shift’

Shop prices rise at fastest pace in over two years

Higher energy prices drove Irish inflation to 3.4 per cent in August, the highest level in three months

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) works with data analytics partner NielsenIQ to track price changes for a range of products sold by UK retailers

Nigel Farage demanded “an immediate general election” as Andy Burnham marches into Number 10

Official figures on June’s Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation will be published on Wednesday, during the week that Mr Burnham takes over as prime minister

Andy Burnham is expected to scrap Keir Starmer’s plans for digital ID cards in a “reset of priorities” when he enters Downing Street on Monday

Andy Burnham was officially declared leader of Britain’s governing Labour Party on Friday, July 17, clearing his final hurdle to taking office as prime minister next week

Spending increased by 1.9% year on year in June, still below the 3% rate of consumer inflation but a marked pickup from the more lacklustre 0.8% recorded in May

Food sales were up 3.9% on last May as households made the most of the bank holiday weather by lighting barbecues

Greater numbers of consumers went shopping last month as spring sunshine brought welcome relief to retailers, which have faced a squeeze on spending since the US-Israel war on Iran

Lidl overtakes Morrisons to become UK's fifth largest grocer

British households face persistently high prices for essential food items such as bread and pasta, with a new report attributing the long-term trend to ongoing global events like the Middle East crisis and the El Nino weather pattern

While a government minister denied any concrete plans for price caps, they confirmed ongoing discussions with supermarkets amidst growing concerns over rising inflation

The Labour party leader had seen off an immediate threat on Tuesday despite four junior ministers resigning and more than 80 MPs urging him to quit, when no one broke ranks to formally challenge him

The FTSE 100 rallied on Wednesday, led by mining stocks, while gilts steadied as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer kept a precarious grip on power

Its survey showed heavy declines ​in spending on hotels and travel

The effective closure of the strait of Hormuz — which Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Wednesday could soon reopen — has throttled global supplies of fertiliser, crucial to growing food crops

Brand increased its estimated cost of Middle East conflict to £47 million — up from predicted £15 million

Supermarkets are calling on the government to delay or scrap new taxes and regulations as they fight to keep costs under control during the Iran war

Staff have reacted with "shock and disappointment" to the proposed closure of a packaging site which has been a major employer in a Cornish town for nearly 60 years

Inflation for non-food items decreased to -0.1% year-on-year in April, against growth of 0.1% in March

Spending on hotels, resorts and other accommodation went up by 1.2% amid a preference for UK-based outings and a rise in domestic bookings during the Easter break

This poses a major problem for central banks pondering how to react to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz

Farmers across the world are facing rising costs, as the closure of the strait of Hormuz affects about a third of the global seaborne trade in fertilisers

UK grocery sales up 4.4% in 4 weeks to March 22

Inflation on non-food items rose to 0.1% against a drop of 0.1% in February

A British Retail Consortium (BRC) survey by Opinium, conducted between 10 and 13 March, shows consumer expectations for the economy over the next three months fell to a record low of minus 53, from minus 30 in February

They're fighting a losing battle against rampant shoplifting, hindered by weak laws

They're fighting a losing battle against rampant shoplifting, hindered by weak laws

UK gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by 1.1% in 2026, as the OBR cut its previous prediction of 1.4% from last November

Data from market research firm Worldpannel by Numerator shows grocery inflation rose by 4.3 per cent in the four weeks to 22 February on a like-for-like basis

The real sector confidence index rose by 1.1 percent in February, contrasting with the 0.7 percent decline recorded in January

And the report by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) found there were 118 incidents of physical violence a day with 36 involving a weapon — more than one an hour

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government secured parliamentary approval for its Employment Rights Act in December

Labour committed in their election manifesto to remove "discretionary age bands" and increase the wages of 18-20 year olds so they are paid the same as those over 21

Banks and department stores have been replaced by vape shops, barbers and bookmakers

Against the euro, the pound was last 0.12% lower to 86.72 pence to the euro

Against the euro, the pound was last 0.12% lower to 86.72 pence to the euro

Retailers have blamed rising energy bills and the chancellor Rachel Reeves’s hike in employers’ national insurance contributions for a jump in food prices, as suppliers and supermarkets struggle to absorb higher costs

UK Retail Sales Growth Slowed as Shoppers Waited for Sales

Household spending on Christmas alcohol has fallen at its sharpest pace since lockdown, as squeezed shoppers scrambled to make savings

Food inflation of 3.3% in annual terms last month was up from 3.0% in November but prices for non-food items fell by 0.6%, the same pace of decline as in the previous month

Senior Labour figured have reacted with joy after Sir Keir Starmer signalled his biggest Brexit reversal to date