Author: INDEPENDENT

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsMany households’ energy bills will rise from today, just as a swathe of cold health alerts have been issued for large areas of the UK.The 0.2% increase to Ofgem’s energy price cap will equate to a rise of about 28p a month for the average household in England, Wales and Scotland remaining on a standard variable tariff.This amounts to an average overall bill of £1,758 a year, up…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsMany households’ energy bills are to rise on Thursday, just as a swathe of cold health alerts have been issued for large areas of the UK.The 0.2% increase to Ofgem’s energy price cap will equate to a rise of about 28p a month for the average household in England, Wales and Scotland remaining on a standard variable tariff.This amounts to an average overall bill of £1,758 a year,…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsThe chief executive of Sainsbury’s, Simon Roberts, is among a cohort of prominent business figures to be recognised in the King’s New Year Honours list. Mr Roberts has been appointed a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for his significant contributions to the retail industry.Having taken the helm of the UK’s second-largest supermarket chain in 2020, succeeding Mike Coupe, Mr Roberts navigated the company through…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsBritain’s high streets have endured a difficult year, as numerous major retail and hospitality brands closed stores, with some long-standing mainstays shutting down permanently. This trend emerged against a backdrop of strained consumer finances, persistent inflation throughout much of the year, and escalating operational costs for businesses. Consequently, many firms initiated restructuring efforts or entered administration.Here are some of the major brands with closed sites across this year:–…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsThis year has been a miserable one for households after across-the-board price hikes on everything from energy to council tax left many struggling to balance their budgets.The so-called “Awful April” price hikes combined with high energy costs saw the average household facing an annual increase of £1,254 from essential bill rises, according to figures from comparison site Uswitch.Most areas in England saw council tax bills rise by 5%…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsHouseholds have been urged to spend Boxing Day using up Christmas dinner leftovers amid figures suggesting food waste will cost a family of four an average of £1,000 this year.Households are set to throw away around 85,000 tonnes of edible Christmas food this festive season alone, according to estimates from the Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap) and the Office for National Statistics.Some 16 million tonnes of CO2…

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture emailGet the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter On any given evening, as the lights illuminate Act 2 of Bess Wohl’s intergenerational Broadway play, Liberation, a distinctive sound fills the theatre: supportive cheers and applause erupt from the audience, often before a single word has been spoken. This spontaneous burst of appreciation, or perhaps solidarity, is a direct response to one of Broadway’s bolder scenes this season. On stage, six characters, members of a makeshift…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsShoppers descended on UK high streets and retail parks to buy last-minute gifts on Christmas Eve, boosting retailers amid a challenging consumer backdrop.More shoppers visited shops and retail destinations compared with a year ago, according to early data.Figures from retail technology specialists MRI Software showed footfall up to 1pm on Christmas Eve was up 2.4% compared with the same day a year earlier.This also represented a 20.5% jump…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsThe FTSE 100 was in festive mood on Tuesday, closing higher after a report showed improved UK business confidence and the US economy grew more than forecast in the third quarter.The FTSE 100 index closed up 23.25 points, 0.2%, at 9,889.22. The FTSE 250 ended up just 6.83 points at 22,349.55, while the AIM All-Share closed down 1.67 points, 0.2%, at 758.81.UK business confidence increased to 47% in…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsThe FTSE 100 closed lower on Monday in lacklustre trading, amid a downbeat view of the UK’s economic prospects for 2026.The index closed down 31.45 points, 0.3%, at 9,865.97. The FTSE 250 ended up 30.01 points, 0.1%, at 22,342.21, and the AIM All-Share closed up 3.09 points, 0.4%, at 760.48.The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said firms across the private sector once again expect activity to fall in…