Labour’s spending review must apply this test to every departmental proposal
Surge in mortgage costs and higher rents have combined with chronic shortage of building to stoke crisis
Figures from British Retail Consortium and Barclays point to more purchases of summer clothing and barbecues
ONS data underscores uneven social impact of surge in living costs
Retail deflation returns after stores discount summer stock following weak sales
Decision by regulator Ofgem means average yearly bill will be £1,717
Move aims to give councils and housing associations more certainty over cash flows
Health, transport and local government groups ballot for further action
Tenants spend almost 30% of their incomes on housing, ONS data shows
Sharp fall in underlying price pressures will be welcomed by Bank of England rate-setters
World’s big sweet and candy makers pass on soaring cost of cocoa to consumers
More than a dozen killed as security forces fire on demonstrators inspired by youth-led Kenyan revolt
Premiums have soared, prompting calls to investigate a market reeling from inflation and theft
Study finds more than 20mn people in Britain are now living in vulnerable circumstances
From housing to pensions, those living on their own face an uphill struggle to get ahead
Leeds-based group pledges to keep prices ‘attractive’ as it posts record profit, revenue and passenger numbers
British Retail Consortium says next prime minister will benefit from supermarkets’ effort to keep costs down
Poor harvests hitting production have forced up the cost of key ingredient
Retailers including Halfords flag sinking demand as customers avoid big purchases
Price rises for services remain stubbornly high despite the headline rate dropping
Promotions are up but sales remain muted in sign that demand is not recovering
Bank of England data points to continuing impact of high borrowing costs on households
The gap between budgets planned and money spent is at a decade high
Household cost inflation for those with home loans hits 5.5% in March
Regulator Ofgem to lower cap for July to September after falling wholesale energy prices
