More than a quarter of UK SMEs say they have had difficulties accessing finance from their main banks, according to new research.

Leading economic experts have warned that a slight fall in overall inflation does not provide relief for the cost of living crisis as reduced fuel costs mask the fact that prices for household goods are still rising.

Energy bills will be frozen at an average of £2,500 for two years in the run-up to the next general election as families battle the cost-of-living crisis. The energy price cap will be scrapped and replaced with a new “energy price guarantee”,...

Lloyds Banking Group has been hit by more than 300 million pounds of suspected fraud linked to Covid-19 pandemic-era recovery loans for small businesses, the highest among big bank peers, according to government data.

Experts have warned that the bank holiday for the Queen’s funeral raises the risk of Britain’s already faltering economy falling into a recession sooner than expected.

The UK economy grew more slowly than expected in July as worker shortages and soaring costs weighed on activity amid the heightened risk of recession. The Office for National Statistics said gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.2% in July,...

Britain's new finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng told bankers and investors that the government would need to borrow more than planned to support households and businesses through the energy crisis. In his first public move since being appointed...

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth, the Bank of England has postponed a key decision on interest rates. It said that "in light of the period of national mourning", the Monetary Policy Committee's decision would now be announced on 22 September.

Inflation is set to leave average real pay 9 per cent lower than two years previously by next spring, the Resolution Foundation said, wiping out all pay growth since 2003. Without government support, another 3mn people will be pushed into absolute...