House prices dip

House prices dip

House prices fell by 0.5% in July according to mortgage lender Nationwide. It’s the first monthly drop since March, as the stamp duty holiday was scaled back to offer buyers a less generous tax break. Despite the drop, house prices are still 10.5% higher now than they were in July 2020.

Homeowners cash in

Homeowners are taking advantage of higher house prices to release cash for a second home*, according to UK Finance. 57% of remortgage deals in March saw borrowers taking out extra money against the equity in their homes - and the amounts withdrawn have increased too. One of the most common reasons? To buy another home, including investing in buy-to-let or helping family members.

Travel corridors

England is set to open its borders and allow quarantine-free travel for double-jabbed arrivals from the US and EU. The plans are expected to be green-lit today and could come into force from next week.

Charging costs

Prices for charging an electric car in public must be fair to protect drivers from excessive costs when petrol and diesel car sales are banned in 2030, MPs have said. Public charge points are currently a lot more expensive than plugging in at home. They also say charging infrastructure must be reliable and accessible everywhere, including in rural areas.