Cost of living - UPDATED: Bureau tells shops to 'immediately stop' one-shoe rules (2023)

House sales in April 2023 fell by 25% compared to April 2022, with an estimated 82,120 transactions in the UK, according to HMRC.

Also, house sales fell by 8% compared to the previous month.

According to the HMRC report, the fall in sales between March and April appears to be "particularly large".

It said: "The high number of transactions in March was the result of a combination of factors, including an increase in the number of business days compared to April and the last month in which purchases were completed under the Government's Help to Buy Shares loan scheme."

Mike Scott, chief analyst at real estate firm Yopa, said: "This disappointing figure, combined with recent equally disappointing inflation data and the resulting higher market expectations for interest rates, means the property market is slowing down. The slowdown could be longer and deeper. We expected.

The question is because today is National Barbecue Week, the answer is £7 or 22.5%.

We arrived at this number by entering a few essentials using our cost calculator.

Our burgers, chicken, sausages, some drinks and a few other things have risen to £37.08 from £30.28 a year ago.

The amount in the calculator is fixed, so it's worth pointing out that you or one of your three guests can head to your local Spar/Nisa/McColl's for more beer, and if you have a dog, you'll have plenty of cheddar cheese aroundtax on cheesefew weeks...

Want to see how much your purchases have increased over the past year? Use our fee calculator here...

Aid workers in Wales have won a 15% pay rise and the Basic Living Wage (FWL) following months of Unison campaigning.

The union launched the campaign after members working for Integra Community Living Options did not receive the increased FWL promised by registered carers in Wales last year.

Four months of industrial action saw support workers receive £780 in back wages in April, and a pay rise for 2023-24. it was also paid on May 21.

"These two payments have resulted in a total increase of 15 percent," Unison said in a statement.

As regular readers of this live site know, we partner with social media influencers@budgetmamaPractical savings tips for families.

In his latest video, he explores whether we should invest in solar panels to save money on our energy bills.

Some of her key considerations include whether you have enough space on your roof, as a typical system requires up to 20 square feet – and why a south-facing roof is advantageous.

There are hours...

Some Waitrose customers were without access to fresh produce for days after a slow system update disrupted deliveries.

The luxury retailer apologized after some branches across the country sold out of baked goods, fruit and other fresh produce.

Some customers complained about the problem online and posted photos of rows of empty shelves in their local stores.

Waitrose gives vouchers to customers as compensation.

Shoppers in Maidenhead, Cheltenham, Cambridge and the Channel Islands said they were unable to get the products they wanted over the bank holiday weekend, even last night.

A Waitrose spokesman said the grocer "deeply regrets that some stores are out of stock".

"We have corrected the cause of the problem and there have been additional deliveries to stores."

Away from the cost of living, we have an overview from Sky Newsbusiness pagetoday.

Firstnew standards in the workplaceDesigned to help companies support women workers going through menopause or menstruating...

At the same time,Longer trucks can now be driven on UK roadsThe ability to move more cargo in fewer trips...

existCBI members begin voting todayOn the future of the corporate lobby, after a series of scandals...

Now more on mortgage interest, following a warning to home buyers/owners this morning (after 07.15) that they need to act quickly to secure a deal or renewal.

Lenders closed about 400 homes after last week's higher-than-expected inflation data, according to the bankmoney.

R3 Mortgages director Riz Malik told Sky News that some lenders gave brokers just hours notice before pulling deals from the market.

"We could get an email at 2 or 3pm saying we have until 5 hours to apply for a mortgage at the current rate or we'll be hit with the new rate and the trend seems to be going up. At the moment," he said.

Moneyfacts financial expert Rachel Springall told Sky News that "market volatility" had returned, with interest rates now climbing to 6% - up from an average of 3% a year ago.

She explained that lenders are closing deals while reassessing their proposals and "obviously trying not to go too low or too high."

Families receiving benefits can claim hundreds of euros in additional childcare benefits from the end of June, the government has announced.

The maximum childcare subsidy for those on Universal Credit will increase by almost 50 per cent from June 28 as the government tries to get more people back into work.

Parents eligible for help through Universal Credit can claim up to £951 for one child and £1,630 for two or more children - a 47% increase from the previous limit of £646 for one child or £1,108 for two or more children.

Parents eligible for the grant will also receive part of their first month's childcare costs upfront if they join or increase their working hours, a move aimed at helping those struggling to find work. Find a job or get into debt in the current system due to high initial costs.

According to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), these parents will be reimbursed up to 85 per cent of childcare costs until the following month's bill is paid.

Most Now Broadband customers face an annual increase of £42, according to the provider's announcement.

There will be an increase of £3.50 per month from July 5, regardless of which plan customers subscribe to.

Those who subscribe to social pricing will not experience price increases, and affected customers can cancel their service without paying any penalty.

Most major providers, including BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media, have increased prices for broadband customers.

Do you want to cancel your subscription without being charged?

The provider has confirmed that customers affected by the price increase will be able to cancel their contracts without paying early termination fees. If you wish to cancel, you must do so within 31 days of receiving notice of the Now price increase to avoid being charged.