Personal Money · Thursday, 29 October 2026

01 Briefing what happened

UK Budget: Healey gives 20m English homes 100 pounds for energy bills, scraps gas standing charges and raises tax on savings interest and rent to 24%

John Healey's first Budget pays 100 pounds to most homes in England in January and moves the gas standing charge into the unit price, while income tax lines stay frozen and tax on savings interest and rent rises.

100 pounds

for each of about 20 million homes in England this winter

paid into bank accounts from January, at a cost of 2.6 billion pounds [4]

60%

of homes save when the gas standing charge goes

an average of 45 pounds a year, while the biggest users pay more [8]

24%

basic-rate tax on savings interest and rent from April 2027

up from 20%, with 44% and 49% on the higher rates [14]

158 vs 144 pounds

average gain for the poorer half and the richer half of homes

the Resolution Foundation's count of the whole package [12]

The lead story — what happened

John Healey, the UK minister in charge of public money, gave his first Budget on Wednesday. [1] About 20 million homes in England will get 100 pounds towards their energy bills. [2] They are homes in council tax bands A to D, about 80% of England's homes. [3] The money goes straight into bank accounts from January, with nothing to claim. [4] The payment costs 2.6 billion pounds, Healey told MPs. [5] A higher tax on big banks' profits, up from 3% to 6%, pays for it. [2]
A typical energy bill is about 1,700 pounds a year now. [6] Forecasts say it could pass 2,100 pounds a year from January. [6] Cornwall Insight, an energy consultancy, expects a rise of 276 pounds a year. [2]
Healey will also scrap the standing charge on gas bills for 23 million homes. [7] A standing charge is a fixed daily fee, paid however little gas a home uses. [7] It adds about 100 pounds a year to a typical gas bill. [6] That cost moves into the price of each unit of gas instead. [1] The UK Treasury says 60% of homes will save an average of 45 pounds a year. [8] Big users will pay more, such as the biggest houses and large low-income families. [8] A home using 7,000 units of gas a year saves about 40 pounds, Uswitch says. [6] A home using 14,000 units could pay about 25 pounds more. [6] Andy Burnham, the UK prime minister, said scrapping it was about basic fairness. [7] The change comes in 2027, or as soon as possible after that. [1]
The cut in VAT, a sales tax, on electricity bills now lasts until July. [8] It had been due to end in April. [8] The UK Treasury says the longer cut takes 50 pounds off a typical yearly bill. [5]
Tax on savings interest and on rent rises to 24% for basic-rate payers in April 2027. [1] Income tax thresholds, where each rate of tax starts, stay frozen until April 2031. [9] A planned cut to the cash Isa, a tax-free savings account, was dropped. [1]
The state pension rises 3.9% in April, to 13,036 pounds a year. [8] That is more than the tax-free allowance of 12,570 pounds, which stays frozen. [10] A new Pension Tax Allowance keeps pensioners on the full state pension out of income tax. [8]
The Resolution Foundation, a think tank on living standards, called the help poorly aimed. [11] It says the poorer half of homes gain 158 pounds on average from the package. [12] The richer half gain 144 pounds on average. [12] About 1.4 million of the poorest families live in band E or above, and get nothing. [13] Council tax bands rest on home values from 35 years ago, not on income. [11]

Who is involved

John Healey

the UK chancellor, the minister in charge of public money; gave his first Budget
Andy Burnham

the UK prime minister; pushed for the gas standing charge to go
Ofgem

Britain's energy regulator; must now remove the gas standing charge
The Resolution Foundation

a UK think tank on living standards; says the help is poorly aimed

How it unfolded

1 Oct 2026 VAT taken off electricity bills [4]
28 Oct Healey's first Budget [1]
Jan 2027 100 pounds paid; bills forecast to rise [2]
Apr 2027 savings and rent tax at 24%; pension tax allowance starts [1][14]
Jul 2027 VAT cut on electricity ends [8]
2027 or later gas standing charge goes [1]

Where this points

Homes that use a lot of gas are promised help, but no details yet. [4] Ofgem, Britain's energy regulator, now has to work out how the gas charge goes. [7] The next test comes in January, when the payment lands and bills are due to rise. [2]

Signals on this beat

The bar and the word are our reading of how hard each one is pushing, and the arrow is where it is heading.

Fuel and energy prices High↑

Diesel costs near 1.99 pounds a litre in Britain, and petrol near 1.73 pounds. [15] A Worcester haulier lost 400 litres of diesel to thieves at the weekend. [16] Moody's, a US research firm, puts the war's cost to the average US household at about 2,000 dollars so far. [17]

Home loans costing more Building→

A typical two-year fixed mortgage in Britain costs 5.54%, against 4.25% before the Iran war. [18] The average 30-year US home loan rate is 7.37%, more than a point above a year ago. [19] The US central bank held its rate and may raise it on 9 December. [20]

Limits frozen in pounds Building↑

Britain's income tax thresholds stay frozen until April 2031. [9] The Plan 2 student loan threshold stays at 29,385 pounds for three years. [21] Housing help for private renters stays frozen into 2027-28. [12]

Help that starts years from now Steady→

Carers lose the earnings cliff edge only in 2030-31. [22] The First-Time Buyer Isa arrives in April 2029. [23] Self-employed fathers get paternity pay from April 2029. [13]

The rest of the day

28 more stories on this beat.

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

02
Income tax lines stay frozen to 2031

Income tax thresholds stay frozen until April 2031, the Budget papers show. [10] A threshold is the income where a tax rate starts, such as 12,570 pounds. [10] Until 2021 they usually rose each year in line with prices. [10] Frozen, they pull more of each pay rise into higher tax bands. [10] The OBR, the UK's official budget forecaster, has counted the effect. [9] It says 6.8 million more people will pay income tax by 2031. [9] The share paying 40% or 45% rises from 15% to 24% by 2030-31. [24]

Why it matters — The freeze is due to raise 58 billion pounds a year by 2030-31. [9] Anyone who gets a pay rise keeps less of it while the freeze lasts. [9]
03
Savings tax rises, cash Isa limit kept

Tax on savings interest outside an Isa rises from 20% to 24% in April 2027. [25] An Isa is a UK savings account whose interest is free of tax. [25] Higher-rate payers will pay 44% on savings interest, and top-rate payers 49%. [13] Basic-rate payers can still earn 1,000 pounds of interest a year tax-free. [25] The cash Isa limit stays at 20,000 pounds a year. [25] Rachel Reeves, the last chancellor, had planned to cut it to 12,000 pounds for under-65s. [8]

Why it matters — Rules to stop savers moving money between Isas will likely be dropped too. [25] In Guardian sums, one pensioner couple with savings income lose 1,101 pounds a year. [21]
04
Cash in share Isas stays tax-free

A planned 22% tax on cash held in stocks and shares Isas will not go ahead. [26] A stocks and shares Isa holds investments, and often some cash not yet invested. [26] The cash inside it will stay free of tax, as it is now. [26] The UK government will consult on a reward for people investing for the first time. [26] The BBC describes it as a new Starter Isa. [8] No details of the reward have been given yet. [26]

Why it matters — Reeves's plan had aimed to push savers from cash into shares. [25] Critics said it added confusion without evidence it would make more people invest. [25]
05
Landlords pay more tax on rent

Tax on rent income rises two more points from April 2027, the Budget says. [23] Last year's Budget had already added two points from the same date. [23] Basic-rate landlords will pay 24%, higher-rate 44% and top-rate 49%. [18] Scotland sets its own rates for this tax. [13] The OBR says the extra cost may lead to a steady rise in rents. [13]

Why it matters — It says some landlords may leave, and new ones may stay out. [13] A yearly charge on homes worth over 2 million pounds still starts in April 2028. [23]
06
Lifetime Isa penalty cut, new Isa for buyers

Buyers above the 450,000-pound cap now lose 20% of a Lifetime Isa, not 25%. [23] A Lifetime Isa is a UK account for saving towards a first home or retirement. [23] The lower charge started at midnight on 29 October. [23] The old charge meant savers lost some of their own money, not only the bonus. [27] A First-Time Buyer Isa will replace the Lifetime Isa from April 2029. [23] Savers can put in up to 4,000 pounds a year and get a 25% bonus. [23] The bonus is paid only when the money buys a first home. [23]

Why it matters — Buyers over the 450,000-pound limit will no longer pay a charge to take money out. [23] Savers caught by the old cap keep more of their own money. [27]
07
Dates set for the first-home loan

Your First Home, a UK government loan for first-time buyers in England, now has dates. [23] It is for new-build homes from builders taking part in the scheme. [18] Buyers put down 2.5% to 15% of the price, and the UK government lends 20%. [23] The loan is free of interest for five years. [23] Pre-registration opens by the end of December, and full applications in February. [23] Households earning over 110,000 pounds, or 140,000 pounds in London, cannot use it. [18]

Why it matters — Rightmove, a property website, says a typical two-year fixed mortgage costs 5.54% now. [18] It was 4.25% before the Iran war began. [18]
08
New allowance keeps pensioners out of tax

From April 2027, pensioners with income up to the full state pension pay no income tax. [14] A new Pension Tax Allowance does it, worked out by HMRC, the UK tax office. [14] In 2027-28 the allowance is worth 93 pounds, Which? says. [28] It shrinks by 1 pound for every 3 pounds of income above the full state pension. [28] Above 13,316 pounds a year, a pensioner gets none of it. [28] It lasts from April 2027 to April 2030. [28]

Why it matters — Pensioners who saved more in private pensions gain less, and many gain nothing. [28] For everyone else, the tax-free allowance stays at 12,570 pounds until 2031. [14]
09
Pension rule changes from 2030

The state pension rises 3.9% next April under the triple lock. [28] The lock raises it by prices, pay or 2.5% each year, whichever is highest. [28] This year pay grew fastest, so the pension follows pay. [28] The full new state pension rises by 488 pounds a year. [29] The IFS, a UK think tank, compared it with a pay-only pension since 2011. [28] It found today's pension about 14% higher, after allowing for prices. [28] From 2030 the direct link to pay growth goes, in a plan called the double lock. [28]

Why it matters — The savings are meant to pay for free personal care for older people in England. [22] They are forecast at 15 billion pounds a year by the end of the 2030s. [28]
10
Carers' earnings cliff edge to go

Carers will stop losing a whole week's allowance for earning a penny too much. [22] Carer's allowance pays 86.45 pounds a week to people caring 35 hours or more. [22] Now it stops completely if weekly earnings pass 204 pounds after tax. [22] Instead, it will shrink by 1 pound for each pound earned above the limit. [22] The change starts only in 2030-31, after a new computer system is built. [14] The UK government expects about 48,000 carers in England and Wales to gain. [22]

Why it matters — The cliff edge left tens of thousands of carers owing big sums by mistake. [22]
11
Fuel duty cut kept until July

The 5p cut in fuel duty, the tax on each litre, now lasts until July. [8] It began in 2022 and was due to be phased out from January. [8] Drivers keep paying 52.95p a litre in duty. [30] Diesel costs near 1.99 pounds a litre, and petrol near 1.73 pounds. [15] Dave Herbert, a driver on 30,000 pounds, spends about 350 pounds a month on petrol. [30] He wanted a cut, and called himself pretty angry. [30]

Why it matters — A Worcester haulier says thieves took 400 litres of diesel worth about 800 pounds. [16] He blames the price of fuel for the theft. [16]
12
Student loan threshold frozen

The Plan 2 student loan threshold stays at 29,385 pounds for three years from April. [21] Plan 2 covers students from England who borrowed between 2012 and 2023. [27] Graduates repay 9% of whatever they earn above the threshold. [21] For a graduate on 28,500 pounds, almost any pay rise now starts repayments. [21] A 21-year-old on the new minimum wage will reach the 25,000-pound threshold for newer loans. [27]

Why it matters — Students had hoped for help with Plan 2, but there was no change. [13] The UK government says repayments are still under review. [27]
13
A promise to cut the benefits bill

Healey promised a smaller benefits bill before the next general election. [31] Welfare spending rises 19 billion pounds this year, to 353 billion pounds. [31] The OBR expects 431 billion pounds by 2031-32, mostly health and pensioner benefits. [31] Two reviews come out in November, on disability benefits and on young people out of work. [31] Almost one million young people are out of work, education or training. [31] Healey ruled out crude cuts but gave no details. [31]

Why it matters — Emily Nelson, 19, from Swindon, says waiting for the plan is frustrating. [30] People on disability benefits wait to learn what changes. [31]
14
Living standards barely move in a decade

The OBR says real income per person will be barely above its pre-Covid level. [3] By the end of the decade it will be just 1% higher, the OBR says. [3] David Miles, who runs the OBR, called the picture pretty grim. [1] The Resolution Foundation says typical incomes in homes without pensioners will fall 3% by 2028-29. [12] That is about 1,050 pounds less a year. [12] Housing help for private renters stays frozen, hitting over a million renting families. [12] The Foundation says 91% of those families are in the poorer half. [12]

Why it matters — The OBR expects prices to rise faster, peaking at 3.8% in 2027. [15] Child poverty is still set to fall by 2.6 points this parliament. [12]
15
Wales matches 100 pounds, Northern Ireland waits

Wales will match the 100-pound payment for about one million homes. [32] Scotland's government says it will seek to copy it. [2] Northern Ireland cannot pay it unless its ministers agree a budget. [2] Stormont, Northern Ireland's government, is 7 months into the year with no budget. [33] Its parties say they need about 1.5 billion pounds to make a workable plan. [33] The UK government offered 525 million pounds more this year. [33]

Why it matters — So homes there wait while England's homes are paid in January. [2]
16
Business sellers' tax relief halved

Business owners who sell up lose half of a tax relief from April 2027. [26] Business Asset Disposal Relief lowers the tax owners pay on the profit when they sell up. [21] It lowers the rate from 24% to 18%. [21] Its lifetime limit falls from 1 million pounds to 500,000 pounds. [26] A florist selling for a 1 million-pound gain pays about 30,000 pounds more, Guardian sums show. [21]

Why it matters — A new relief for company founders also starts in April 2027, with no details yet. [26] Owners who planned to retire on the sale carry the change. [21]
17
Small shops pay no business rates to 18,000 pounds

Shops, pubs and cafes in England get a bigger break from business rates, a property tax. [5] The point where they start paying rises from 12,000 to 18,000 pounds. [1] About 70,000 smaller firms gain, the Budget says. [5] Vape shops and adult gaming centres are left out. [5] Tax on high-stake gambling machines also rises, from 20% to 25%. [5]

Why it matters — Kevin Evans, a butcher in Bilston, says six sausages cost 2.50 pounds, up from 1.50 pounds. [29] He says rising wages and taxes stop him hiring another person. [29]
18
Poundland edges towards administration

Poundland, a UK discount chain, has filed notice that it plans to call in administrators. [34] Administrators are outside managers who take over a firm that cannot pay its debts. [34] If a court approves, Poundland gets 10 days' protection from creditors to find a rescue. [34] It has 600 shops in the UK and Ireland, and 12,000 staff. [34] Its US owner, Gordon Brothers, turned down a bid from Ireland's Martin Property Group. [34] The owner wants back a 30 million-pound loan, and the bid fell short. [34] 3 independent directors, appointed this month, resigned over the decision. [34]

Why it matters — The shops may be sold as a whole, or in groups to Iceland, Lidl or B&M. [34]
19
Watchdog wants a right to know colleagues' pay

Workers should have a legal right to know colleagues' pay, the UK's equality watchdog says. [35] The watchdog, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, wants bosses to answer within a set time. [35] It also wants bosses banned from asking job applicants what they earn now. [35] Ministers are thinking of bringing back a right to ask, scrapped in 2014. [35] Women in full-time work earn 6.8% less than men, the ONS, the UK statistics office, says. [35] In finance the median gap is 22%. [35]

Why it matters — Women who suspect unequal pay could settle it early, without a tribunal, the watchdog says. [35]
20
Crypto exchange HTX leaves the UK

HTX, a global crypto exchange once called Huobi, has agreed to stop targeting UK users. [36] The FCA, the UK's financial regulator, took it to the High Court in October 2025. [36] It had broken UK rules on how crypto may be advertised. [36] UK users can no longer deposit money, and new users cannot sign up. [36] Existing users must follow HTX's notes to take out what is left. [36]

Why it matters — The FCA says being overseas does not put a firm beyond the reach of UK law. [36] It tells people to check a firm's permission on its register first. [36]
21
US home loan rates hit a three-week low

The average 30-year US home loan rate fell to 7.37%, the lowest in three weeks. [19] Home loan applications rose about 3% in a week, the first rise in seven weeks. [19] Rates are still more than a point higher than a year ago. [19] Adjustable-rate loans made up 11.3% of applications, the most in over a year. [19] Their rates start nearly a point below a fixed loan, but they carry more risk. [19]

Why it matters — The US central bank held its rate this week and may raise it on 9 December. [20] US card rates follow the central bank's rate, so card borrowers see little relief soon. [17]
22
US home prices fall, insurance rises

US asking prices fell 1.4% in a year in September, to 419,250 dollars. [37] It was the 11th month in a row of yearly falls. [37] Austin, Texas fell most, down 9.8%. [37] Memphis fell 8.7% and Tampa 6.6%. [37] But the average US home loan holder pays a record 209 dollars a month for insurance. [38] That is 8.7% more than a year ago, ICE Mortgage Technology, a data firm, says. [38]

Why it matters — Insurance is now 9.6% of a typical monthly payment, up from 7.2% in 2018. [38] So a buyer can save on the price and pay part of it back in insurance. [38]
23
US incomes rise, homes still out of reach

Typical US household income rose 3.8% in 2025, to 84,780 dollars, Census data show. [39] Incomes rose in every state except Alaska. [39] After prices, only 37 states saw a real gain. [39] A typical household earns 31,136 dollars less than it needs for a typical home. [39] That gap is 27%, up from 24% the year before. [39]

Why it matters — Realtor.com, a home listing site, says higher loan rates explain most of it. [39] Iowa is 2.9% short, the most affordable; Montana is about 56% short, the least. [39]
24
Los Angeles rents fall

Typical asking rent in Los Angeles County fell 3.6% in a year, to 2,554 dollars. [40] In the city of Los Angeles it fell 3.3%, to 2,708 dollars a month. [40] Small flats are now 14.7% below their peak rent. [40] A city renter still needs 108,320 dollars a year to spend 30% on housing. [40] That is 22.1% more than the city's typical household earns. [40] The city's typical household earns 88,730 dollars. [40]

Why it matters — Mayor Karen Bass's fast-track order has 47,000 homes in the works. [40]
25
US parents save for toddlers' first homes

82% of US parents of under-sixes save, or think of saving, for a child's home. [41] Only 14% have actually started, a Coldwell Banker survey found. [41] Coldwell Banker is a US estate agency, and released the survey on Wednesday. [41] 56% of all parents have thought about it, more than for college, at 51%. [41] The Harris Poll asked more than 2,000 US adults in September. [41]

Why it matters — The typical first-time US buyer was 40 years old in 2025. [42] Coldwell Banker's boss says families pool money so children can own a home one day. [41]
26
Billionaires pour 333 million dollars into fight on tax

Californians vote on 3 November on Proposition 40, a one-time tax on billionaires. [43] It would take up to 5% of the wealth of about 200 billionaires. [43] The money would help pay for healthcare for low-income families hit by Medicaid cuts. [43] Medicaid is US government health cover for people on low incomes. [43] A political group opposing it has raised more than 333 million dollars, filings show. [43] Google co-founder Sergey Brin alone gave 102 million dollars. [43]

Why it matters — The opponents' group also backs two rival measures on the same ballot. [43]
27
Food-aid limits push out corner shops

In 10 US states that banned some foods from food aid, fewer corner shops accept it. [44] The aid, SNAP, helps about 36 million people on low incomes buy groceries. [44] Convenience stores taking SNAP were 1.4% fewer than expected, researchers found. [44] In states banning both sugary drinks and sweets, the fall was 2.2%. [44] A federal court struck down the limits in five states on 22 June. [44]

Why it matters — From November, most stores must stock a wider range of basic foods to take SNAP. [44] The fall was sharpest in poorer areas, where many people use SNAP. [44]
28
US carriers add holiday shipping fees

USPS, UPS and FedEx, the big US parcel carriers, have added holiday price rises. [45] UPS adds 50 to 75 cents a home parcel from 25 October. [45] FedEx adds 50 to 80 cents a home parcel from 26 October. [45] USPS adds 50 cents to 1.25 dollars on parcels up to 25 pounds in weight. [45] Big parcels at UPS can face seasonal fees of up to 117.50 dollars. [45] The higher prices last until mid-January. [45]

Why it matters — Families posting heavy gifts pay the most. [45]
29
Fewer US homes left empty or abandoned

Empty homes fell to 1.2% of all US homes, from 1.3%. [42] That count comes from ATTOM, a property data firm. [42] About 269,195 homes were going through foreclosure, the legal process to repossess them. [42] Of those, 8,040, or 3%, were zombies, left by owners before it ended. [42] That is down from 3.3% a year earlier. [42] Zombie homes still rose in 29 states over three months. [42] Florida's count fell 19.6%, to 2,220. [42]

Why it matters — Realtor.com estimates the US is short of more than 4 million homes. [42]

02 Lesson why it matters

Why a pension that rises by the best of three numbers pulls ahead

The UK state pension rises each year by prices, pay or 2.5%, whichever is highest, so it keeps every good year and never takes a bad one.

The twist

A rise that takes the best of three numbers each year keeps every good year and skips every bad one. After many years it sits above all three.

The picture

13,036 poundsFull state pension

12,570 poundsTax-free allowance

From April the full state pension sits above the frozen line where income tax starts.

How it works

Each April the state pension rises by prices, pay or 2.5%, whichever is highest
In a year when prices jump fastest, it follows prices
In a year when pay jumps fastest, it follows pay, and in a quiet year it still gets 2.5%
So it never falls behind prices or pay, and keeps each good year
Over 15 years the good years stack up, and it ends above all three

The same force, elsewhere today

Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.

New allowance keeps pensioners out of tax

The lock lifted the pension to 13,036 pounds while the tax-free line stayed at 12,570 pounds, so a new allowance was needed to keep pensioners out of tax.
Pension rule changes from 2030

Each year the best of the three measures won, so the IFS finds the pension about 14% above a pay-only path, and the UK government now removes the pay link.
Living standards barely move in a decade

Typical incomes in homes without pensioners are set to fall 3%, while the pension still rises, because the lock never gives less than 2.5%.

Where you've seen this

Shop leases

many UK shop leases let rent rise at each review but never fall, so a quiet year never brings it back down

Pay deals

a rise of prices or 3%, whichever is higher, never loses to prices and beats them in calm years

Sports trials

when a jumper's best of three jumps counts, an extra jump can only raise the score

The catch

The lead builds only when the three measures take turns at the top. If pay rose fastest every single year, the lock would just follow pay.

And the whole of it

Pensioners see the rise each April. Workers pay the taxes that fund it, and in many years their own pay rises more slowly. Both live inside the same rule, each looking at it from one side.

03 Truth what's really going on

What is really going on

John Healey's Budget gives most homes in England 100 pounds in January and moves the gas standing charge into the price of each unit, while typical energy bills are forecast to rise by 276 pounds or more. [2][7] Income tax rates do not move. The extra tax comes from lines frozen to 2031, and from higher tax on savings interest, rent and bank profits. [9][1]

Why it works on us — A round 100 pounds paid straight into a bank account is easy to picture, while a tax line that stays still as pay rises shows up on no payslip as a single number.

Who gains

Homes that use little gas — The fixed daily fee moves into the unit price, so small users pay less; the UK Treasury says 60% of homes save 45 pounds a year on average. [8]
Cash Isa savers — The 20,000-pound tax-free limit stays, while interest outside an Isa is taxed more from April 2027. [25]
Pensioners on the full state pension — A 3.9% rise, and a new allowance that keeps them out of income tax until 2030. [8][28]
Small shops, pubs and cafes in England — About 70,000 firms gain as the point where business rates start rises to 18,000 pounds. [5]
US home buyers this week — The average 30-year loan rate fell to 7.37%, the lowest in three weeks. [19]

Who pays

Big gas users on low incomes — Large families and poorly insulated homes may pay more a year once the fixed charge moves into each unit. [6]
Savers with interest outside an Isa, and landlords — Tax on interest and rent rises to 24%, 44% or 49% from April 2027. [14]
Workers who get pay rises — Frozen thresholds pull more of each rise into tax until April 2031. [10]
About 1.4 million poorer families in band E or above — They get no 100-pound payment, the Resolution Foundation says. [13]
Graduates on Plan 2 loans — The repayment threshold is frozen at 29,385 pounds for three years. [21]
Private renters on housing help — The housing allowance stays frozen into 2027-28, hitting over a million families. [12]

What nobody knows yet

Open questions from across today’s stories — ours included.

01

How much January's energy bills will actually rise.

Cornwall Insight forecasts a 276-pound rise for a typical home, while other forecasts put a yearly bill near 2,100 pounds. The January price cap has not been set. [2][6]
02

Exactly which homes pay more when the gas standing charge goes.

The UK Treasury says 60% of homes save. Which? puts the losers above roughly 12,000 units a year, and Uswitch puts the break-even near 11,500 units. The promised help for big users has no details yet. [8][4][6]
03

When the gas standing charge actually ends.

The Budget says 2027 or as soon as possible after, and Ofgem has not yet said how it will do it. [1][7]
04

How many extra people the frozen thresholds pull into income tax.

The BBC cites the OBR at 6.8 million more by 2031. Which? cites 5.2 million by 2030-31 from the OBR and the House of Commons Library. The two counts use different years. [9][24]
05

Whether rents rise because landlords pay more tax.

The OBR says rents could rise steadily, but the reports we read give no figure. [13]
06

What Healey's smaller benefits bill will cut.

He gave no details, and two reviews on disability benefits and young people out of work come out in November. [31]
07

Whether homes in Northern Ireland get the 100 pounds.

Its government cannot pay without a budget, and it has had none for seven months. [2][33]
08

Whether Poundland survives as one chain.

Its owner could sell it whole, or in groups of shops to Iceland, Lidl or B&M. [34]
09

Whether the US central bank raises rates in December.

Redfin says a rise at the 9 December meeting depends on the data before then. [20]
10

Whether California's billionaire tax passes.

Californians vote on Proposition 40 on 3 November, after opponents spent more than 333 million dollars. [43]

04 Hope carry this

Carers in England and Wales will no longer lose a whole week's allowance for earning a penny over the limit. About 48,000 carers are expected to gain when the change starts in 2030-31.

Also true today

Since 29 October, first-time buyers using a Lifetime Isa above the 450,000-pound cap lose 20% of the balance, not 25%.
Pensioners whose income is no more than the full state pension will pay no income tax from April 2027.
Child poverty in the UK is still set to fall by 2.6 percentage points across this parliament, the Resolution Foundation says.
Typical asking rents in Los Angeles County fell 3.6% in a year, to 2,554 dollars a month.