Britain's competition watchdog fines Wayfair, Appliances Direct and Gold's Gym 6m pounds for fake deadlines and hidden fees, and orders refunds from two of them

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26 more stories on this beat.

Each with its own sources. None of these is a link to the story above.

1. 02

   Water bills to move with missed targets

   Ofwat, the water regulator for England and Wales, said on 14 October that firms which missed performance targets in 2025-26 must hand money back through bills. [11] Yorkshire Water must return 75.1m pounds, about 27 pounds off an average bill, and Thames Water 45.8m pounds, about 7 pounds. [11] Severn Trent and Northumbrian Water met their targets and may collect 41.8m and 35.9m pounds more, so Northumbrian bills could rise about 21 pounds. [11] The figures are a draft; Ofwat decides by 15 December, for bills from April 2027. [11]

   1234

   −30 pounds0 pounds30 pounds

   1. 1Yorkshire Water−27 pounds
   2. 2Thames Water−7 pounds
   3. 3Severn Trent8 pounds
   4. 4Northumbrian Water21 pounds

   Why it matters — Customers cannot switch water company, so these automatic penalties and rewards stand in for the choice they lack. [11] Thames Water's boss said in July that some of its targets were 'not realistic'. [12]

2. 03

   Paying monthly for car insurance costs up to 16% more

   Which?, a UK consumer group, checked 36 online car insurance quotes in August for a 42-year-old driver in Yorkshire. [13] Paying monthly means borrowing the year's premium from the insurer and paying it back with interest. [13] Half the quotes charged more than 25% a year, and two more than 50%. [13] On 22 quotes, paying monthly cost 10% to 16% more than paying at once, up to 368 pounds extra. [13]

   Why it matters — The extra falls on drivers who cannot pay a whole year at once. [13] Which? wants the Budget to ban charging them more, and one firm, City Insurance, says it will cut its rate from 53% to about 36%. [13]

3. 04

   UK to review airport drop-off fees

   The UK Department for Transport will review the fees airports charge drivers to drop passengers at the terminal. [14] The RAC, a motoring group, found these fees up by a third on average since summer 2025. [14] Gatwick and Stansted went from 7 to 10 pounds. [14] London City Airport began charging in January 2026 and takes 8 pounds for five minutes. [14][15] None of the ten biggest airports in the European Union charges for drop-offs, the RAC says. [14]

   Why it matters — Airports UK, which speaks for the airports, says most UK airports are private and pay full business rates, unlike many abroad. [14] The UK government has asked airports to hold back rises where there is little public transport. [14]

4. 05

   Carers' wrongful debts are repaid slowly

   Only 2,400 of about 233,300 carer's allowance cases have been reviewed in the first five months of a scheme to cancel wrongful benefit debts. [16] Carer's allowance pays 83.30 pounds a week to people caring 35 hours or more, and earning 1p over the weekly limit meant repaying the whole week. [17][18] In 2020 UK welfare officials quietly stopped carers averaging out uneven pay, and many ran up debts. [16] So far 100 carers have been repaid 40,000 pounds, about 342 each. [16]

   1 of 100

   cases reviewed so far, out of every 100

   Why it matters — At this pace the work would take about 40 years, campaigners say. [16] The Department for Work and Pensions says it will finish by March 2029 and will double its staff on the scheme to 250. [16]

5. 06

   Think tank says a PIP ban would save little

   Banning claims for anxiety, ADHD or autism from personal independence payment (PIP) would not save much, said the Resolution Foundation, a think tank on living standards. [19] PIP is a UK benefit that helps with the extra costs of disability, and it will cost about 28bn pounds this year, rising to 34bn. [19] Most claimants have several conditions, so cutting by condition does not work, it says. [19] It suggests ending cash for about 670,000 claimants who report no extra costs, saving about 4.4bn pounds a year. [19]

   Why it matters — Ministers are said to be weighing ending PIP for under-25s while they wait for an official review of the benefit. [19] A push for 5bn pounds of PIP cuts collapsed last year after Labour MPs rebelled. [19]

6. 07

   UK may make marketplaces collect sales tax

   John Healey, the UK chancellor, is reported to be planning to make online marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay collect VAT, a sales tax. [20] It would cover every seller on them with sales over 90,000 pounds a year. [20] Some foreign sellers dodge today's rules by posing as British firms. [20] The change could raise up to 1bn pounds, which The Times says would pay for lower business rates for high street shops. [20] Amazon welcomed it. [20] The Budget is on 28 October. [20]

   Why it matters — Healey has little room: the Institute for Fiscal Studies says he faces 35bn pounds of spending pressures. [20] The IMF has praised the UK for cutting its borrowing faster than the rest of the G7. [21]

7. 08

   Betfred's owners took 30m pounds before warning on jobs

   The Done family, which owns Betfred, a UK bookmaker, took a 30m-pound dividend before warning it would close shops if a tax on betting machines rises. [22] Healey is said to be weighing doubling machine games duty from 20% to 40%, which a think tank says could raise up to 460m pounds. [22] An industry letter warns of up to 1,470 betting shop closures and 15,900 lost jobs. [22] Betfred took a record 996m pounds from British gamblers in the year to March. [22]

   Why it matters — Since 2019 Betfred has threatened to close nearly 1,000 shops over taxes and rules, and its estate shrank by about 330. [22] Gambling arcades, often in poorer areas, could gain if rival bookmakers close. [22]

8. 09

   Pubs and restaurants offer 100,000 youth placements

   UK pub, restaurant and hotel chains will offer up to 100,000 placements over three years to people aged 18 to 24 who are not in work, education or training. [23] They include Wagamama, Nando's and Premier Inn, and each placement lasts up to four weeks. [23] Alan Milburn, a former health secretary writing a government review of youth jobs, warns the number of such young people could reach 1.25 million in five years. [23] His review is due soon after the Budget. [23]

   Why it matters — The work and pensions secretary calls them 100,000 jobs, but what the chains offer are placements of up to four weeks. [23] Ministers are also weighing replacing a disability benefit for under-25s with help into work, the Guardian reports. [23]

9. 10

   Driving test waits fall below 20 weeks

   The average wait for a driving test in Great Britain fell to 19.7 weeks in September, under 20 weeks for the first time since November 2024. [24] The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), which runs the tests, held 191,682 that month. [24] It had aimed for seven weeks by the end of 2025, and now expects that only next autumn. [24] Since this year only learners can book their own test, a change meant to stop bots grabbing slots to resell at up to eight times the 62-pound fee. [24][25][26]

   Why it matters — A long wait holds back learners who need to drive for work or study. [24] Instructors say there are still too few examiners, though the DVSA says it has the most since 2017. [24]

10. 11

    47,500 in Sheffield cannot cover essentials

    Citizens Advice, a UK advice charity, estimates 47,500 people in Sheffield have a 'negative budget'. [27] That means they cannot pay for essentials even after claiming every benefit and cutting to the bare minimum. [27] The figure is in a cost-of-living report to Sheffield City Council, which says about one child in three in the city lives in poverty. [27] A community grocery has opened in Woodseats, charging 1 pound a year to join and selling staples from 50p. [27]

    Why it matters — Years of rising costs have left some households with little savings and with debts, so they cannot absorb another shock, the report says. [27] A mother on maternity leave told the BBC that with little money coming in, budgeting before Christmas is hard. [27]

11. 12

    US home loan rates reach 7.5%

    Applications for US home loans fell 2.7% in the week to 9 October, and loans to buy a home were 16% lower than a year earlier, the Mortgage Bankers Association says. [29] The average 30-year fixed rate reached 7.5%, the highest since November 2023. [29] A rise from 6.66% to 7.4% since August means a buyer with 2,000 dollars a month for the loan can afford more than 22,000 dollars less house. [29] Bank of America's home lending fell 12% in three months. [32]

    6.66%Late August

    ↓→

    7.4%Last week

    Why it matters — Traders now put the chance of a US rate rise this month above 50%, NerdWallet reports, which would push loan rates up again. [30] More borrowers are choosing loans whose rate can change, now 10.5% of applications. [29]

12. 13

    US sellers outnumber buyers by 63%

    There were about 63% more US home sellers than buyers in September, the widest gap in Redfin records going back to 2013. [33] Redfin is a US property website. [33] Buyers fell to about 929,000, the fewest on record, while sellers rose to 1.51 million, the most since March 2020. [33] 41 of the 50 biggest metro areas are buyers' markets, led by Miami, Nashville and Houston. [33] New pending sales were 15.4% below a year earlier, HousingWire data show. [31]

    Why it matters — Redfin's economist calls it a buyer's market 'born out of caution, not strength', because many buyers are priced out. [33] In Dallas about half of homes for sale have had a price cut. [31]

13. 14

    Compass fights over hidden home listings

    Robert Reffkin, head of Compass, a large US estate agency, defended selling homes privately instead of on the shared listing databases agents use, called MLSs. [34] He says those sites make a home look 'damaged' by showing how long it has been for sale and every price cut. [34] California Regional MLS has asked a court to rule its rules lawful after Compass threatened to sue. [35] A Zillow survey found 74% of Hispanic and 73% of Black sellers were advised to list privately, against 24% of white sellers. [35]

    Why it matters — A home fewer buyers see may sell for less: Zillow estimated off-database homes in communities of colour sold for 3.2% less. [35] The essay's author notes Zillow has its own interest in public listings. [35]

14. 15

    Deed fraud reports climb in Philadelphia

    Philadelphia has had 152 reports of deed fraud so far this year, close to 2025's full-year total of 159. [36] Deed fraud is when a criminal forges papers to move a home into their own name, then sells it or borrows against it. [36] It often targets elderly owners. [36] Larry Krasner, the city's district attorney, says criminals find out when a long-time owner is ill or has died. [36] The city offers a free alert when a document with an owner's name is filed. [36]

    Why it matters — The city's records chief says the rise may come from easier reporting, not more crime. [36] One woman got her late brother's house back after his carer, added to the deed for 1 dollar, pleaded guilty to exploiting an older adult. [36]

15. 16

    Mall skincare shops charged shoppers thousands

    NPR, the US public radio network, found hundreds of complaints that mall skincare shops pressured shoppers, many old or disabled, into paying thousands of dollars. [37] A man with dementia in Michigan was charged 42,000 dollars. [37] The shops sell brands from Mazal Group, a California firm run by one family, which holds more than 50 trademarks. [37] Receipts said 'All sales final', and some shoppers got money back by disputing the charge with their card company. [37][38]

    Why it matters — New Mexico sued one shop, which agreed in 2025 to pay 350,000 dollars back to its customers. [37] Others remained out of pocket by thousands, and arrests were almost never made. [37]

16. 17

    US consumer agency targets nine big banks

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the US agency for consumer finance, says it will investigate nine big banks over 'debanking'. [39] Debanking means closing or refusing someone's account. [39] A report by the OCC, the US bank regulator, says the banks did it over political or religious views or lawful trades such as guns, oil and tobacco. [39] The banks include JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo. [39]

    Why it matters — The CFPB has not yet named any action against a bank, and is asking people to complain if they think they were debanked. [39] It calls the work part of President Trump's order on fair access to banking. [39]

17. 18

    Senators propose bigger college-to-retirement moves

    Two US senators, Ted Cruz and Lisa Blunt Rochester, want to remove the 35,000-dollar lifetime limit on moving unused 529 savings into a Roth IRA. [40] A 529 is a US account for education costs that is not taxed while it grows. [40] A Roth IRA is a retirement account with tax-free withdrawals. [40] Money taken from a 529 for anything else pays income tax plus a 10% penalty on its gains. [40] Yearly moves would still be capped at 7,500 dollars. [40]

    Why it matters — It helps families who saved large sums for a child who then did not need them. [40] Advisers are split on whether it passes, partly because it would cost tax revenue. [40]

18. 19

    Fake health endorsements run on Facebook

    Which? found Facebook and Instagram ads falsely claiming the backing of the British Dental Association, Boots and Asthma + Lung UK. [41] Meta's own ad library estimates more than a million profiles saw the dental ads between 14 and 29 September. [41] UK rules against scam adverts under the Online Safety Act are not yet in force. [41] Meta removed the ads Which? reported to it. [41]

    Why it matters — The British Dental Association says it has found no real way to get such ads taken down. [41] The Advertising Standards Authority, the UK ad watchdog, says criminal advertisers fall outside its usual investigations. [41]

19. 20

    UK holidaymakers trim costs, not trips

    70% of UK adults plan a holiday abroad in the next year, ABTA, the UK travel industry body, found in a poll of over 2,000 people. [42] Only 7% say the cost of living will stop them going. [42] But 21% will book cheaper places to stay and 19% will eat out less while away. [42] 48% of package-holiday buyers chose one as the best value, up from 43%. [42]

    Why it matters — Families are cutting what a holiday costs rather than dropping it, the poll suggests. [42] Spain stayed the top destination, visited by 36% in the past year. [42]

20. 21

    Portugal moves towards six months' paid leave

    A working group of Portugal's parliament approved fully paid parental leave of 180 days when parents share it, or 150 days when one parent takes it all. [43] Today full pay covers 120 days, or 150 if the father takes 30 days alone. [43] Lone parents would get the full 180 days at full pay. [43] The joint plan from the PS and PSD parties still needs a committee and a final vote, and would apply to leave starting next year. [43]

    Why it matters — It falls short of a 2023 citizens' proposal for 180 days at full pay for everyone. [43] Spain already gives each parent 19 weeks on full pay. [43]

21. 22

    Dubai sets rules for shared rooms

    Dubai has set minimum standards for shared housing, the rooms and bed spaces many low-paid workers rent. [44] Each person needs at least 5 square metres, with one toilet for every four people. [44] Landlords have until 1 September 2027 to comply in 43 areas, or face fines up to 500,000 dirhams, about 136,000 dollars. [44] One operator says a room may need 2,000 to 3,000 dirhams a month to pay its way, where many workers can afford 700 to 900. [44]

    Why it matters — Tenants gain one- or two-month contracts with legal protection, the city says. [44] But six in ten Dubai workers earn under 5,000 dirhams a month, so safer rooms may cost more than the lowest-paid can pay. [44]

22. 23

    Florence widow, 94, faces a near-tripled rent

    A 94-year-old woman in Florence, Italy, may lose the flat she has lived in since the early 1960s. [45] Her landlord says the rent will rise from 450 to 1,200 euros a month. [45] Her contract ends in February, and she lives on a minimum pension and her late husband's pension. [45] Her case recalls Madrid's 'Maricarmen', an 87-year-old evicted after a rent rise who died days later. [45] Tuscany issued 2,427 eviction orders in 2025. [45]

    Why it matters — Her daughter says the landlord gave no chance to negotiate, and has asked the tenants' union Sunia for help. [45] Florence accounts for about 35% of eviction requests in Tuscany. [45]

23. 24

    Generators supply half of Lebanon's power

    Private diesel generators supplied half of Lebanon's electricity at the start of 2026, against 31% from the state power company, figures for a coming report show. [46] Among a dozen people The National, a UAE newspaper, spoke to, the typical generator bill in August was 310 dollars. [46] That is about a whole month's minimum wage. [46] Generator prices set by Lebanon's energy ministry rose almost 60% in six months, and many operators ignore them. [46]

    Why it matters — Solar has grown to 19% of the country's power, from 0.4% in 2018, but panels cost money up front that many families lack. [46] Paula Yacoubian, an opposition MP, says 1bn dollars would build a large power plant, and people already pay that in generator bills. [46]

24. 25

    South African pensioner builds her own house

    Nomonde Mboyi, 67, has spent three years building a mud-brick house in South Africa's Eastern Cape with her old-age grant. [47] A storm destroyed her home in 2019, and the province hired a builder in 2023 for 200 houses at about 170,000 rand each. [47] Not one is finished. [47] The province says it fired the builder for poor work; the builder says the province had not paid it for a year. [47]

    Why it matters — Most of the people still waiting live on social grants, and residents who offered to finish the houses themselves were told to wait. [47] The province says unstarted houses now depend on whether money is found. [47]

25. 26

    US mortgage giants trim closing costs

    Fannie Mae, a US government-backed company that buys home loans from lenders, says skipping full home valuations has saved borrowers about 3bn dollars by mid-2026. [48] Freddie Mac, its sister company, says its valuation waivers saved nearly 3bn dollars since 2017. [48] Both are also cutting title insurance, the policy that guards a buyer's legal ownership. [48] Fannie says this saved 500 to 1,500 dollars a loan. [48]

    Why it matters — Closing costs land on buyers already facing loan rates near 7.5%. [29] Freddie Mac says the quality of its loans has held up without the full valuations. [48]

26. 27

    Guernsey deputy wants fuel duty frozen

    Neil Inder, a member of Guernsey's parliament, will propose freezing fuel duty and cutting diesel at the pump by 5p. [49] Guernsey, a Channel island, sets its own budget and fuel duty. [49] Its duty is due to rise 4.3% with inflation on 1 January 2027, to 94.4p a litre. [49] Diesel reached 2 pounds a litre in the UK, and record highs on the island. [49]

    Why it matters — Inder says the island should pay for it by not replacing a few retiring civil servants. [49] Drivers, hauliers and buses all run on the diesel he wants to cut. [49]