The days of 4% pay rises are behind us – wages are now barely growing faster than inflation | Greg Jericho

Experts are urging Chancellor Rachel Reeves to initiate a comprehensive revaluation of council tax properties in the upcoming budget. This call comes as the Treasury is reportedly planning to update the valuations of homes in the top three council tax bands, which have not been revised since 1991. The proposed changes aim to address disparities in council tax bills across different regions.

Critics have described the current council tax system as chaotic, with some households in Blackpool facing higher bills than those in affluent areas of London. The potential changes to council tax are raising concerns as they could significantly increase annual costs for many families. Following the abandonment of a plan to raise income tax, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to implement smaller tax measures to address public finance issues.

The price difference between flights and train travel in the UK has raised questions, especially as flying is often cheaper despite its higher environmental costs. A study by Finder revealed that flying within the UK is frequently less expensive than taking the train, leading to public outcry. Many respondents expressed that train travel should be cheaper as it is public transport, highlighting a disconnect between pricing and accessibility.

A study has found that new all-electric homes in Handsworth, Birmingham, designed to meet updated building standards, exert less pressure on the electricity grid than anticipated. These homes utilize heat pumps for heating, which consume less energy and show variability in peak usage.

The Neoliner Origin has embarked on its inaugural two-week voyage from France to the US, aiming to transform the shipping industry, which is known for its significant environmental impact. The journey faced challenging weather conditions, with winds reaching 74 mph, officially classified as a hurricane. Despite the difficulties, the ship represents a potential shift towards more sustainable transport methods in maritime logistics.

Cloudflare, a US company that protects millions of websites from malicious attacks, experienced a global outage on November 18, 2025. This incident caused error messages to appear across various websites, preventing users from accessing certain online services. The company has stated that it believes the issue is now resolved, although the exact cause of the outage remains unidentified.

The energy price cap for dual-fuel bills in Great Britain is projected to decrease by £22 to £1,733 annually for a typical household starting in January. This reduction is attributed to lower wholesale gas prices, according to Cornwall Insight. However, households may face an increase of £75 in their bills by spring due to the government's energy policies, indicating a temporary relief followed by potential financial strain.

Crest Nicholson, a housebuilder based in Surrey, has announced plans for job cuts and a warning of lower-than-expected profits due to a summer marked by subdued sales. The company attributed this downturn to uncertainty surrounding potential new property taxes in the upcoming budget. Crest Nicholson plans to close one divisional office and eliminate 50 positions, including roles at that location and other selective roles across the business.