Economic Climate

The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) measure of inflation fell to 2.4% in June, from 2.8% in May, official figures show.

Latest forecasts suggest the economy will return to growth over the next six months, boosted by falling inflation and a pick-up in consumer spending.

The Bank of England (BoE) has extended its quantitative easing programme by £50bn, in a bid to get the UK economy out of recession.

The UK economy shrank by 0.3% in the first quarter, the final official reading has confirmed.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted five to four to maintain quantitative easing (QE) at £325bn this month, overruling the governor and three colleagues who called for further expansion.

The UK narrowly escaped a double-dip recession by posting slight growth in the second quarter of the year, according to the latest monthly GDP estimate from NIESR.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee has resisted calls for further quantitative easing after leaving its programme of stimulus unchanged, with interest rates also kept on hold.

More UK households say they are struggling to pay bills, compared to last year.

Confidence in the financial services industry has dramatically improved in the last quarter, with life insurers and investment managers "particularly bullish", a poll shows.

The Government is set to curb welfare bills by £10bn over the next four years.