Basic Points
- Borrowers are being urged to act quickly before mortgage deals are replaced by higher interest rates.
- Mortgage agreements were made with a few hours notice
- The expert advises interested parties who want to pay off their home loan
- The office is asking stores to stop enforcing the one-shoe policy
- How else could the UK lower food prices as a price cap? | Gurpreet Narwan
- Families with Universal Credit will get hundreds of extra pounds from the end of June
- Your dilemmas:I'm paying off my dad's mortgage. How do I get officially admitted?
- Mom-Budget:Save for your kids|Are you saving money on meal subscriptions?|spend money on vacation|The best broadband deals
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Your Dilemma: Are You Struggling With Your Cost of Living Crisis?
Is your energy supplier charging you too much? Have you been denied your benefits or not sure what you owe?
Submit your financial problems toMegan Baines, cost of living expertthrough the form above.
Please provide as much detail as possible about your specific issue, as well as your name and contact information if you would like to be contacted to resolve the issue.
That's all for today's coverage.
We will contact you tomorrow and let you know about the cost of living crisis.
'Reality check' on housing market as sales fell 8% in April compared to last April
According to data from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), home sales in April 2023 are down 25% compared to April 2022, with an estimated 82,120 transactions taking place across the UK.
In addition, home sales were also down 8% from the previous month.
The HMRC report said the drop in sales between March and April "looks particularly large".
He said: "The number of transactions in March was high due to a combination of factors, including a greater number of business days than in April and the last month for purchases in the government's Ajudar a Compra program to be completed."
Mike Scott, chief analyst at real estate agency Yopa, said: "This disappointing figure, combined with recent and equally disappointing inflation data and rising market expectations for the resulting interest rates, means that the housing market downturn is likely to be forever. larger than we originally thought expected.
How much is an extra barbecue for four this summer?
The question arises because this is National Barbecue Week and the answer is £7 or 22.5%.
We determine this number using our cost calculator by entering some basic information.
Our hamper of burgers, chicken, sausages, some drinks and a few other goodies will cost £37.08 - down from £30.28 a year ago.
The values on the calculator are set so that you or one of your three guests are likely to go to your local Spar/Nisa/McColl's to buy more beer, and if you have a dog they will have enough cheddar to paycheese taxFor a few weeks...
Would you like to see how much the products you've purchased have grown over the last year? Use our cost calculator here...
Workers in Wales are guaranteed a 15% pay rise.
Caregivers in Wales won a 15% pay rise and Unison's Foundation Living Wage (FWL) after months of campaigning.
The union launched a campaign after members of Integra Community Living Options failed to receive the FWL's promised support for registered carers in Wales last year.
After four months of collective action, aid workers received £780 in back payments in April, with the increase for 2023-2024 also due on 21 May.
"These two payments combined resulted in a 15% increase," Unison said in a statement.
Should you invest in solar panels to save on bills?
As regular readers of this live page know, we partnered with a social media influencer@BudgetingMumto give families practical advice on how to save money.
In her latest video, she examines whether we should invest in solar panels to save on energy bills.
One of your main considerations is whether you have enough space on your roof, as a typical floor plan takes up to 20 square meters - and why south-facing roofs are an advantage.
You have a watch...
Waitrose apologizes after shelves were left empty due to system glitch
Some Waitrose shoppers were left without access to fresh produce for several days after a slow system update halted deliveries.
The luxury retailer issued an apology after some stores across the country ran out of baked goods, fruit and other fresh items.
Some shoppers complained about the problem online, posting photos of rows of empty shelves in their local stores.
As compensation, Waitrose offered vouchers to its customers.
Shoppers in Maidenhead, Cheltenham, Cambridge and the Channel Islands said they were unable to get the goods they wanted over the bank holiday weekend, including last night.
A Waitrose spokesman said the grocer was "very sorry that some stores were low on stock".
"We have resolved the source of the problem, additional deliveries are now in stores."
Business Circle: Menopause and Periods, Bigger Trucks, CBI Trust
Moving away from the cost of living a bit, we have a Sky News analysiscompany pageToday.
Firstnew standard in the workplacewas designed to help companies support employees going through menopause or menstruation...
About that,Larger trucks are now allowed on Britain's roadsto allow the transport of more goods in fewer trips...
ECBI Members Start Voting Todayon the future of business lobbying after a series of scandals...
Mortgage rates cut 'with just hours notice' - offers rise to 6%
Now more on mortgage rates after homebuyers/homeowners were advised this morning (as of 7:15 am) that they must act quickly to secure a deal or extension.
Lenders have made about 400 property deals since last week's inflation data came in above expectations.financial events.
Riz Malik, director of R3 Mortgages, told Sky News that some lenders gave brokers only a few hours' notice before withdrawing deals.
“We may get an email at 2pm or 3pm saying we have until 5pm to submit our mortgage applications at the current rate or we are subject to the new prices and the trend looks bullish at the moment,” he said.
Moneyfacts finance expert Rachel Springall told Sky News that "market volatility" has returned and fixed rates are now at 6% - up from the average of 3% a year ago.
He explained that when lenders reassessed their bids, they compromised and were "obviously trying not to be too low and not too high."
Families with Universal Credit will get hundreds of extra pounds from the end of June
Families receiving welfare benefits will be able to claim hundreds of pounds more in childcare benefits from the end of June, the government has announced.
People with universal credit will see their maximum childcare payments rise by nearly 50% from June 28 as the government tries to get more people back to work.
Parents eligible for Universal Credit help can claim up to £951 for one child and £1,630 for two or more children - a 47% increase on previous limits of £646 for one child or £1,108 for two or more children.
And parents who qualify for support also get part of the childcare costs paid upfront in the first month if they start working or work longer hours. The aim is to help those who are struggling to find work or are being paid under the current system due to the high upfront cost.
Those parents will receive up to 85% of their childcare costs before next month's bills are paid, the Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) said.
Broadband prices are now rising by £42 a year - find out how to cancel
According to a statement from the provider, most Now Broadband customers can expect an annual price increase of £42.
Regardless of which plan the customer subscribes to, an increase of £3.50 per month will apply from 5th July.
Those subscribing to the social tariff do not have to wait for price increases and affected customers can cancel the service free of charge.
Most major providers, including BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media, have already raised prices for their broadband customers.
Would you like to unsubscribe for free?
The provider confirmed that customers affected by the price increase can cancel their contracts without incurring early termination fees. If you wish to cancel, you must do so within 31 days of receiving Now's notification of the price increase to avoid being charged.