Energy bills set to jump 13% in July as price cap climbs back above £1,860
Households face a £221 increase in typical annual energy costs from 1 July after the regulator confirmed a 13% rise in the price cap, driven by higher wholesale gas prices linked to renewed conflict in the Middle East.
Food inflation eases to 2.2% as grocery price pressure finally loosens its grip
Annual food and drink inflation slowed from 3.0% to 2.2% in the year to May, the latest tracking shows, offering tentative relief to households even as the weekly shop remains far dearer than it was three years ago.
Regulated rail fares frozen for first time in 30 years as ministers seek to ease cost of living
The Government has confirmed that regulated rail fares in England will be held flat in 2026, marking the first freeze in three decades, though London Underground and Elizabeth line passengers face rises.
UK inflation holds at 2.8% in May as cheaper food offsets soaring transport costs
The Office for National Statistics says the headline rate was unchanged from April, defying forecasts of a rise, as falling grocery prices balanced out the steepest jump in transport costs in more than three years.
Energy bills to jump 13% in July as price cap climbs back above £1,860
Ofgem's new cap adds around £221 to the typical annual bill from 1 July, but regulators and campaigners say many households can dodge much of the rise by fixing.
Energy bills to jump 13% from July as Ofgem blames Middle East gas prices
The regulator's latest price cap will add around £18 a month to a typical dual-fuel bill from 1 July, with gas costs rising by almost a quarter as conflict abroad drives up wholesale prices.
Broadband and mobile customers count the cost of April price hikes three times inflation
Millions of households have absorbed broadband and mobile price rises of up to £4 a month this year, with new fixed-pound increases outstripping inflation and many customers unaware they can often switch away penalty-free.
Aldi named the UK's cheapest supermarket for the fifth month running
A Which? basket of 95 everyday groceries cost almost 40% less at Aldi than at Waitrose in May, with Lidl close behind in the race for shoppers' pounds.
Renting? The headline figure hides where costs are really soaring – and where they're falling
The average new let now costs £1,321 a month, up 2.1% in a year, but Zoopla's data shows rents climbing fastest in the cheapest areas while pricier postcodes cool.
Oil shock returns: Middle East war pushes up petrol, energy bills and inflation
A conflict in the Middle East has sent crude prices soaring, lifting petrol prices, threatening higher household energy bills from July and reviving the cost-of-living squeeze just as Britain thought the worst was behind it.
Households face second year of rising water bills as infrastructure debate sharpens
The typical water and wastewater bill in England and Wales is climbing again in 2026-27, with regulators and companies clashing over whether the increases are fixing a fragile system or punishing customers.
Councils to distribute new crisis fund as Household Support Fund is replaced
From April 2026 a new crisis and resilience fund replaces the long-running Household Support Fund, offering essentials and cash payments of up to £300 to struggling households.
Water and council tax rises tighten the squeeze on UK household budgets
Average water bills have climbed above £600 and Band D council tax has passed £2,300, with families in some regions facing the steepest increases as infrastructure costs and council finances bite.