Money news
Changes to tax, benefits, pensions and the rules that protect your money, and what the firms you deal with are doing, reported from official and independent sources. Every story is dated and cites its sources. We report what changed and who it affects; we do not give advice or recommend a provider.
- October 2026
New Housing Benefit earned income disregards due to come into force
The Department for Work and Pensions has laid corrective regulations so that new Housing Benefit earned income disregards for claimants in specified or temporary accommodation take effect as planned on 5 October 2026.
0% VAT rate on domestic electricity bills begins for 6 months
VAT on domestic electricity bills falls from 5% to 0% for six months from 1 October 2026, a cut worth around £45 a year to a typical household, announced the day after Andy Burnham became Prime Minister.
Scottish application window opens for broader group
Scottish households receiving means-tested benefits that do not qualify them automatically for the Warm Home Discount can apply through their energy supplier from October 2026.
Warm Home Discount scheme to reopen in Autumn 2026
Ofgem says the Warm Home Discount will reopen in Autumn 2026, with £150 rebates paid to eligible households in England, Scotland and Wales during the 2026 to 2027 scheme year.
- September 2026
Government announces Your First Home equity loan scheme for first-time buyers in England
The government has announced Your First Home, an equity loan scheme for first-time buyers in England, with 2.5% deposits and 20% government-backed loans, to be confirmed at the Budget.
Santander banking app outage leaves customers unable to access online banking
Santander customers were unable to reach online banking through their phones around midday on 25 September 2026, with reported problems falling from 3,620 to about 700.
Healthy Start weekly payments rise to £4.65 and £9.30 and application rules updated
Government guidance updated on 24 September 2026 confirms Healthy Start weekly payments of £4.65 per child under four and £9.30 per child under one, with new application and evidence rules.
Resolution Foundation publishes roadmap for replacing Council Tax and Stamp Duty in England
The Resolution Foundation has set out a roadmap for replacing Council Tax and Stamp Duty in England with a single proportional property tax charged at 0.7 per cent of value.
Leasehold reform consultation closes
The government consultation on the charges used to calculate lease extension costs closes on 23 September 2026, with further legislation needed before new calculations take effect.
Funded employment scheme extension added to universal credit reclaims rule
Regulations laid before Parliament insert new paragraphs into the universal credit claims and payments rules from 22 September 2026, extending a funded employment scheme to reclaims.
UK mortgage sales rose to 717,519 in 2025, the highest annual total since 2021
Office for National Statistics figures show 717,519 UK mortgage sales in 2025, the highest annual total since 2021 but still around 34.5% below 2006 levels.
Winter Fuel Payment 2026 opt-out deadline
The deadline to opt out of the Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2026/27 falls on 20 September 2026, with claims for the payment opening the following day and qualifying week running from 21 to 27 September.
Tax information and impact note published on cash ISA limit reduction
HMRC has published a tax information and impact note on reducing the annual cash ISA subscription limit to £12,000 for under-65s from 6 April 2027, with the limit for those aged 65 and over unchanged.
1,500 people quit work to care every day, a 150% increase in seven years
Carers UK says 1,500 people a day are leaving work to care for older and disabled relatives, a 150% rise in seven years, with separate Scottish polling putting the figure at 362,182.
UK CPI inflation rises to 3.1% in the 12 months to August
UK consumer price inflation rose to 3.1% in the 12 months to August 2026, up from 2.9% in July, as motor fuel and air fares pushed the headline rate higher.
CPIH and CPI annual inflation rose for a second consecutive month in August 2026
UK consumer price inflation rose for a second month in August 2026, with CPIH at 3.3% and CPI at 3.1% as motor fuel prices pushed the transport division higher.
MPs launch inquiry into auto-enrolment contributions for low earners
The Work and Pensions Committee has opened an inquiry into whether minimum auto-enrolment contributions should rise and how any increase in cost should be divided between employers and employees.
Consumer Scotland responds to UK Government consultation on home upgrade scheme consumer protection
Consumer Scotland has published its response to a UK Government consultation on reforming consumer protection for home upgrade schemes, part of work to support delivery of the Warm Homes Plan.
Which? warns of WhatsApp screen-sharing scams
Which? has warned of screen-sharing scams on WhatsApp in which fraudsters pose as banks, the police and the FCA, with one victim losing more than £27,000 over three days.
Annual eligibility checks for free school meals begin from the 2026/27 school year
Free school meals eligibility in England will be checked every year from the 2026/27 school year, ahead of the October census, alongside an expansion of eligibility from September 2026.
Crisis and Resilience Fund rolled out across local authorities
The Crisis and Resilience Fund, which replaced the Household Support Fund in April 2026, has now been rolled out across local authorities in England, according to Turn2us.
Free school meal eligibility expanded in England
Free school meals in England are extended from September 2026 to all pupils in households receiving Universal Credit, removing the £7,400 net earnings cap and adding an estimated 500,000 children.
HMRC to begin signing up remaining MTD for Income Tax customers from September 2026
HMRC will begin signing up sole traders and landlords who should already be using Making Tax Digital for Income Tax but have not registered, in stages from September 2026.
Inflation rises to 3.1 per cent in August
UK inflation climbed to 3.1 per cent in August after a 12p-a-litre jump at the pumps, with the Bank of England forecasting 4 per cent inflation this winter.
Winter Fuel Payment replaced in Scotland by Pension Age Winter Heating Payment
The Winter Fuel Payment no longer applies in Scotland, where it has been replaced by the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, with rates of up to £316.70 for winter 2026/27.
- August 2026
Deadline to extend Child Benefit for 16 to 19-year-olds in education or training
Parents of 16 to 19-year-olds continuing in approved education or training must extend their Child Benefit claim by 31 August or payments stop automatically, HMRC has said.
Fuel Duty cut to continue to 31 August 2026 with rates rising thereafter
The temporary 5p cut to fuel duty runs to 31 August 2026, after which duty rises in stages in September and December 2026 and March 2027, returning rates to March 2022 levels.
ONS published Household Costs Indices for UK household groups, April to June 2026
The Office for National Statistics said the Household Costs Index rose 2.8% in the year to June 2026, down from 3.6% in March, with low-income households recording a lower rate than high-income households.
Almost half of councils increase bailiff use as council tax arrears hit £7.4bn
The Money Advice Trust says almost half of councils increased their use of bailiffs while council tax arrears reached £7.4bn, and it is calling for a new approach in England.
Citizens Advice warns over a third of Brits worried about affording energy bills this winter
Citizens Advice research published on 26 August 2026 finds 37% of Britons, over 10 million households, worried about affording energy bills this winter, with 3.5 million households in energy debt.