Prices

Wage growth is only the fastest in a decade if you ignore inflation

Weekly wages in cash terms are rising at their fastest rate in a decade. But accounting for inflation it’s only the fastest for two years.

Water rip-off? Are water bills up 40% since privatisation?

Bills rose sharply after privatisation in 1989 but have been falling slightly in recent years.

How have wages changed over the past decade?

The UK average weekly wage has fallen from around £540 to £520 in real terms over the past 10 years. Wages have levelled off since 2016.

Are rail fares out of control?

The average rail fare in Britain has increased by 20% in real terms since 1995, though it dropped by 1% between 2017 and 2018.

Are we spending more than half our income on rent?

There are 12 local authorities where the person on the average salary would have to spend 60% or more of their income to pay the average private rent.

Economy introductions: the idea behind interest rate changes

An introduction to why the Bank of England changes its interest rates.

Will getting rid of EU tariffs help the worst off?

Higher tariffs make what we buy from other countries more expensive.

Are household savings at their lowest in 50 years?

The household saving ratio has hit an all-time low, but the figures don’t quite tell the full story

Energy bills under the Conservatives

Have they gone up by £900?

Conservative Manifesto: Pensions

We've factchecked claims from Theresa May's speech at the Conservative party manifesto launch.

Adjective inflation: are prices “soaring”?

Inflation is at a two year high, but saying that it’s “soaring” is a bit of a stretch.

Was the pound overvalued before the EU referendum?

Has the fall in the value of the pound been a good thing?

The oil price and Scotland’s independence

The falling price of oil hasn’t had much impact on the proportion of people saying they would vote for independence.

Brexit and price rises

Brexit has been blamed for a series of price rises, from holidays abroad to military equipment. All are down to a post-referendum fall in the value of the pound.

What have bacon butties got to do with Brexit?

Contrary to one report, the vote to leave the EU hasn't pushed up retail prices for bacon.

The EU referendum, the economy and you

A good starting point for our economy coverage before the EU referendum.

What could happen to VAT and energy prices if we leave the EU?

Would energy bills be lower if we left the EU? We could cut VAT but beyond that it’s uncertain.

Energy bills and Brexit

Would leaving the EU raise energy bills by £500 million a year, as claimed?