Rupert Jones
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I'm a personal finance correspondent for the Guardian, and an obsessive gig, cinema and theatre goer
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Articles by Rupert Jones
‘The market is dead': Why aren't flats in England selling?
‘The market is dead for flats,” says Susan Young*, who has been trying for some time without success to sell her two-bed flat in a popular Devon seaside resort. The first-floor property is in “immaculate condition”, Young says, thanks to the £15,000-£20,000 spent on renovations. It has “superb views” across the beach. And, perhaps most crucially, it is a freehold flat, so is untainted by the controversies associated with the discredited leasehold system.
Crackdown on claims companies sending spam car finance texts
Laptops, mobile phones and documents have been seized after officials carried out search warrants in a crackdown on claims companies plaguing people with spam text messages about the car finance mis-selling scandal. On Wednesday the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) executed warrants at homes and businesses linked to five companies in London, Liverpool, Bolton, Burnley and Swansea.
UK savings deals: The heat is on as banks offer up to 8%
It is shaping up to be a decent summer for savers as fierce competition among providers pushes up interest rates and increases choice. You can currently get instant- and easy-access accounts that pay up to 5% interest, and fixed-rate savings bonds that pay almost that much. Meanwhile, those looking for a regular savings account can now get up to 8%.
No deposit, no problem: the new 100% mortgages for first-time buyers
For many first-time buyers, getting their foot on the property ladder can feel like an impossible dream. However, the good news is that there are a growing number of mortgage deals that require only a small deposit, or no deposit at all. Metro Bank is the latest high street lender to launch a deal that allows eligible first-timers to borrow up to 100% of the value of a property.
What do new ‘buy now, pay later' protections mean for you?
Rupert Jones Millions of shoppers will enjoy more rights and protections from Wednesday as new rules for “buy now, pay later” take effect in the UK. The government said it was delivering on its commitment to end the buy now, pay later “wild west”. This form of credit will now be regulated by the City watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). It is rare to go shopping online without being confronted with a flood of BNPL offers at the checkout.
Capital gains tax: more people have to pay, so here's what you need to know
Less generous rules have turned capital gains tax into a “cash machine” for the government, with income from the levy soaring by almost 80% to £24bn in the last tax year – equivalent to well over £800 a household. A series of changes to the way the charge works means more people are being pulled into the capital gains tax (CGT) net, and not only the wealthy. And, given the scale of the change, this week experts were reminding consumers of legitimate ways to reduce a CGT bill.
UK minister defends changes to student loans as pressure grows for reforms
Lucy Rigby told a committee of MPs that heavy subsidy means system is not like commercial loans.Photograph: WIktor Szymanowicz/NurPhoto/Shutterstock · Photograph: WIktor Szymanowicz/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Ministers have rejected accusations that recent changes to student loans are unfair, arguing that they are so heavily subsidised that the government has the right to alter their terms.
Salary sacrifice: max out this pension tax break while you can
This week a report warned that millions of people are not saving enough for retirement and that without action “too many risk facing a cliff-edge drop in income” when they stop work, so this is something many employees can do that will make a real difference. In the past few years there has been an explosion in the number of companies offering pension salary sacrifice as a benefit.
Salary sacrifice: max out this pension tax break while you can
You may not be thinking much about retirement savings but more companies are offering pension salary sacrifice as a benefit. Millions of workers are able to take advantage of a scheme that allows them to boost their pension and pay less tax, and experts are urging people to “max out” this valuable perk before the rules are tightened. Salary sacrifice lets you exchange some of your wages for a different benefit from your employer, such as a company car – or, in this case, pension contributions.
Salary sacrifice: max out this pension tax break while you can
You may not be thinking much about retirement savings but more companies are offering pension salary sacrifice as a benefit.Photograph: Sally Anscombe/Getty Images · Photograph: Sally Anscombe/Getty Images Millions of workers are able to take advantage of a scheme that allows them to boost their pension and pay less tax, and experts are urging people to “max out” this valuable perk before the rules are tightened.
Push to regulate UK bailiffs too slow, warns supervisory body
The UK bailiff sector is big business: more than 7m cases are sent to enforcement each year. Photograph: Alex Segre/Alamy The UK government has been accused of dragging its feet over plans for the mandatory regulation of bailiffs amid concerns about harmful practices in an industry that collects more than £1bn a year from indebted Britons.
Push to regulate UK bailiffs too slow, warns supervisory body
The UK government has been accused of dragging its feet over plans for the mandatory regulation of bailiffs amid concerns about harmful practices in an industry that collects more than £1bn a year from indebted Britons. A year on from an announcement by the Ministry of Justice that it would legislate to make independent regulation of bailiffs mandatory, the body that now oversees the industry, the Enforcement Conduct Board (ECB), criticised the lack of "visible progress".
Push to regulate bailiffs in England and Wales too slow, warns supervisory body
The UK government has been accused of dragging its feet over plans for the mandatory regulation of bailiffs amid concerns about harmful practices in an industry that collects more than £1bn a year from indebted Britons. A year on from an announcement by the Ministry of Justice that it would legislate to make independent regulation of bailiffs mandatory, the body that now oversees the industry in England and Wales, the Enforcement Conduct Board (ECB), criticised the lack of "visible progress".
Lloyds customers unable to make payments due to IT glitch
Some customers were still experiencing problems three hours after the outage started. Photograph: David Burton/Alamy Lloyds Banking Group has apologised after thousands of its customers were unable to make payments or send money due to another IT glitch.
Debt-ridden graduates seen as ‘cash cows’ to fund older people’s lifestyles, MPs told
Many students now pay back loans often two to two-and-a-half time bigger than the original sum borrowed.Photograph: Chris Ison/PA · Photograph: Chris Ison/PA Graduates saddled with ballooning student loan debts feel they are being unfairly used as “cash cows” to finance measures benefiting older people such as the state pension triple lock, MPs have been told.
Student loans inquiry responses show ‘massive scale of frustration and upset’
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‘A tax on ambition’: graduates tell all to student loans inquiry
Students outside the Houses of Parliament campaign for student loan reform in February.Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian · Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian Thousands of graduates have told an official inquiry their horror stories and bad experiences relating to student loans, underlining what the chair of an MPs’ committee called massive levels of “frustration and upset”.
‘Tracker mortgages are back' – but is one the right choice for you?
Rupert Jones With some experts warning that we may have to brace ourselves for interest rate rises later this year, it might seem odd to suggest considering a tracker mortgage. But, amid the economic chaos caused by the Iran war, for some people looking for a home loan or to remortgage, a tracker – where the rate you pay moves up or down in line with the Bank of England base rate – could be a good bet.
‘Tracker mortgages are back’ – but is one the right choice for you?
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Worried Britons 'prepping' for major disruption with stash of tins and cash, survey shows
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Worried Britons ‘prepping’ for major disruption with stash of tins and cash, survey shows
Rupert Jones Sat, May 9, 2026 at 5:00 a.m. UTC 3 min read Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.
UK homebuyers face worst mortgage affordability since 2008, data shows
UK homebuyers are facing the worst mortgage affordability pressures for almost two decades, although the “pain” is not being felt equally across the country, according to industry data. The banking body UK Finance said that at a nationwide level, initial mortgage repayments were typically swallowing up more than a fifth (21.3%) of a homebuyer’s gross income – the highest level since 2008.
New free financial advice plan aims to help Britons build savings
The UK government has launched a Savvy Squirrel advertising campaign to encourage more people to start investing.Photograph: James Speakman/PA · Photograph: James Speakman/PA Many Britons are daunted by the world of investing, but new City rules mean certain banks and financial institutions can offer free extra help with investments and pensions.
time to plan ahead, from Isas to self-assessment
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Rachel Reeves's tax shake-up: time to plan ahead, from Isas to self-assessment
Rupert Jones Millions of people will be affected by a range of savings, investment and tax changes that take effect in just under a year's time. “April 2027 may feel some way off, but when it comes to financial planning, a year is not a long time,” says Jason Hollands at the wealth management firm Evelyn Partners. “The changes on the horizon are significant and, for many people, will require a rethink of strategies that may have been in place for many years,” he adds.
what should you do?
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Your UK pension is no longer safe from inheritance tax: what should you do?
Rupert Jones Many of us are still getting our heads around the price increases and tax tweaks thattook effect this month, but you might want to give some thought to next April. Some big changes to pensions, savings and investments are coming down the track, and there are things you can do now and in the coming months to get ready for them.
Your UK pension is no longer safe from inheritance tax: what should you do?
Rupert Jones Many of us are still getting our heads around the price increases and tax tweaks that took effect this month , but you might want to give some thought to next April. Some big changes to pensions, savings and investments are coming down the track, and there are things you can do now and in the coming months to get ready for them.
Private rents in Great Britain stop rising for first time since 2017
Rupert Jones Average private rents have stopped rising in Great Britain after almost a decade of increases, as more landlords cut their prices to secure a tenant, data shows. The typical advertised private rent outside London for properties coming on to the market remained flat at £1,370 a calendar month in the first three months of 2026, according to the property website Rightmove.
‘Your photos will be deleted’: Apple users warned over ‘nasty’ iCloud storage scam
For a while you’ve been getting messages from Apple saying “your iCloud storage is full”. They say you have exceeded your storage plan, so documents are no longer being backed up, and photos you take aren’t being uploaded. You have been resisting Apple’s efforts to get you to pay a minimum of 99p a month for more storage.
Student loan interest could rise despite cap on rates Original
The RPI figure will be published on 22 April, and most experts believe it will be higher than last year’s 3.2%.Photograph: Connect Images/Getty Images · Photograph: Connect Images/Getty Images Some students and graduates are likely to pay slightly less interest on their student loans than expected as a result of action taken by the government this week.
Why is the UK capping student loan interest and will graduates now pay less?
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Why is the UK capping some student loans and will graduates now pay less?
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What the interest rate cap on student loans means for graduates
Rupert Jones The government has announced a small concession for millions of university graduates with “plan 2” student loans. However, the decision tocap the interest rate charged at 6% from Septemberis unlikely to defuse the row over the crippling cost of degree course debts. IS THIS A GOVERNMENT U-TURN AFTER ALL THE CONTROVERSY?
Iran war driving up funeral costs in United Kingdom
The war in Iran is pushing up the cost of living in the United Kingdom, but it is also driving up the ‘cost of dying’ as higher gas prices feed through to funerals. A report has found the average cost of a funeral in Britain is running ahead of inflation, with the war seemingly partly to blame as it has pushed up the price of gas used in crematoriums.
New UK farm inheritance tax rule will cause ‘significant challenges’, say accountants
A new inheritance tax regime for UK farms and family businesses comes into force on Monday and will present “significant challenges” for those affected, according to accountants. In October 2024 the government announced plans to levy inheritance tax on farms – prompting an outcry in many quarters.
Iran war driving up funeral costs in the UK
The war in Iran is pushing up the cost of living in the UK but it is also driving up the “cost of dying” as higher gas prices feed through to funerals. A report has found the average cost of a funeral in Britain is running ahead of inflation, with the war seemingly partly to blame as it has pushed up the price of gas used in crematoriums.
Claim sooner rather than later, experts urge, after £7.5bn car loan compensation scheme launched
Complain now to be at the front of the queue. That is the message from the City regulator and the consumer champion Martin Lewis as a scheme gets under way to pay out about £7.5bn in total to millions of motorists mis-sold car loans. More information emerged this week about how much money the different categories of people might get and how it will all work after Monday’s announcement that an industry-wide compensation scheme for victims of the UK’s car finance scandal is definitely going ahead.
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