The Guardian view on the cost of living: money’s too tight to mention
The economic news this week is stark. Inflation has hit a 30-year high and the average British worker is entering their third drop in real wages in a decade. But Read More
Memories of office life: as a temp, I was self-conscious and disillusioned – until John arrived
The office was a strange and alienating terrain for me when I arrived in it at 23. I had dropped out of university years before, expecting something to happen to Read More
Inflation is back, and there’s plenty more in the pipeline
Inflation was supposed to be yesterday’s problem. This time last year, the government’s preferred measure of the annual increase in the cost of living was running at less than 1%. Read More
‘I’m not getting through the month’: five Britons on the cost of living crisis
‘We use hot-water bottles in the evening’ Most of primary school teacher Kate Locke’s salary goes on her rent – and in the last month, that’s gone up by 10%. Read More
Three kept my mum’s PAYG mobile credit after she died
My mother recently died of cancer, just three weeks after her diagnosis. While she was in hospital and the local hospice, visitors were restricted due to Covid. Many of her Read More
‘Learn lessons from Australia’: consumer groups warn UK against buy now, pay later self regulation
Consumer groups have warned the UK government against following Australia’s lead in allowing the booming buy now, pay later (BNPL) industry to regulate itself, arguing that approach has been “woefully Read More
Easy wins: monthly donations – they feel good and give excellent philanthropic bang for your buck
Just before I opened up a new document to write this, I set up a monthly donation to a charity. It took about 50 seconds. I opened up the webpage Read More
UK workers’ pay rises fall behind inflation amid cost-of-living crisis
Pay for workers in Britain has fallen in real terms for the first time in more than a year, despite signs that employers shrugged off concerns over the Omicron coronavirus Read More