- Due to system errors, thousands of UK households have been charged council tax twice.
- HMRC warns over 700,000 people to update tax credits as soon as possible.
- Four mortgage lenders announce interest rate increases.
- Brexit border tax adds £8 to average monthly food prices.
Due to system errors, thousands of UK households have been charged council tax twice
In April, a system error in the parliamentary system led to thousands of households in Northamptonshire being charged council tax twice.
A total of 15,558 accounts were affected, with payments incorrectly duplicated.
The council apologizes for the error and assures affected accounts will be refunded promptly.
If you are a resident in the area, we recommend checking your account deductions and staying updated on further developments.
HMRC warns over 700,000 people to update tax credits as soon as possible
Recently, HMRC sent annual renewal notices to over 700,000 tax credits customers.
Upon receiving the notice, please carefully review the information provided and update it as soon as possible.
Notices marked in black will be updated automatically, while those marked with red require manual updating or payments will be stopped.
Four mortgage lenders announce interest rate increases
This week, Halifax, BM Solutions, and Virgin announced a second round of mortgage rate hikes, with Nottingham Building Society joining in.
Halifax will increase rates by up to 0.2%; BM Solutions by as much as 0.24%.
Virgin’s rate increase ranges from 0.08% to 0.2%, and Nottingham’s by 0.25%.
Frequent rate hikes in recent times cast a shadow over the property market, putting more pressure on buyers.
Brexit border tax adds £8 to average monthly food prices
As mentioned previously, new border checks have officially come into effect, requiring importers to pay £145 to bring goods into the UK.
Parliament states that the new Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) will increase food prices by 0.2% over the next three years.
This policy implementation will add an average of £8 to monthly food costs and reduce consumer choices.
Ministers in the House of Commons argue that these checks can protect the UK from disease spread.
