https://www.theguardian.com/uk/money Latest personal finance and money news, comment and information on your property, mortgages, insurance, savings and investments from the Guardian, the world's leading liberal voice en-gb Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2026 Sun, 12 Jul 2026 21:47:57 GMT 2026-07-12T21:47:57Z en-gb Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2026 https://assets.guim.co.uk/images/guardian-logo-rss.c45beb1bafa34b347ac333af2e6fe23f.png https://www.theguardian.com https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/12/clone-news-sites-faked-scam-investment-sites-social-media <p>Fraudsters create false articles that appear to be from publishers such as the Guardian to share on social media</p><p>The Guardian article looks interesting. It says the billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has stormed out of a BBC interview after presenter Laura Kuenssberg revealed details of his personal financial affairs – and now the episode has been removed from iPlayer.</p><p>Among the detail in the piece is that Ratcliffe has been using an online investment platform to make money. The report says although the site has been kept secret, other people have used it too, and they have made a fortune. There is a link to the site where you can trade cryptocurrency, stocks and shares.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/12/clone-news-sites-faked-scam-investment-sites-social-media">Continue reading...</a> Scams Money Consumer affairs The Guardian Media Cybercrime Technology Sun, 12 Jul 2026 06:00:11 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/12/clone-news-sites-faked-scam-investment-sites-social-media Photograph: PeopleImages.com/Yuri A/Shutterstock/PeopleImages.com - Yuri A Photograph: PeopleImages.com/Yuri A/Shutterstock/PeopleImages.com - Yuri A Photograph: PeopleImages.com/Yuri A/Shutterstock/PeopleImages.com - Yuri A Shane Hickey 2026-07-12T06:00:11Z https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/11/ai-work-jobs-future-medicine-teaching-hotels-law <p>Experts say there will still be opportunities ahead in everything from teaching to hotels and the law</p><p>Entering the world of work often brings some uncertainty, but now there is another question: how can I AI-proof my career?</p><p>We asked people from across various industries what they think the impact of AI will be on careers, and which jobs may be less affected. While it is still early days for the tech, many had ideas about&nbsp;how you can best prepare yourself for a successful career in this new world.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/11/ai-work-jobs-future-medicine-teaching-hotels-law">Continue reading...</a> Work & careers AI (artificial intelligence) Job losses Business Money Guardian Careers Computing Technology Technology sector Banking Law Law Construction industry Hospitality industry Healthcare industry UK news Pharmaceuticals industry Childcare Early years education Education Children Financial sector Investments Sat, 11 Jul 2026 11:00:47 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/11/ai-work-jobs-future-medicine-teaching-hotels-law Illustration: Guardian Design/Getty Illustration: Guardian Design/Getty Illustration: Guardian Design/Getty Sarah Marsh 2026-07-11T11:00:47Z https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2026/jul/11/ryanair-family-seating-policy-kids-fees-airfare-flight-airline-charges <p>The airfare for a baby on your lap could cost more than your own ticket. Here’s how airline charges and travel taxes can hit you</p><p>Ryanair recently stopped making parents pay to sit next to their children but depending on the airline the hidden extra costs involved in flying with children can be substantial. In some cases, you can even end up spending more for the baby on your lap than you paid for your own flight.</p><p>Your baby might not need a seat, but you are still likely to pay fees for them to travel. Some airlines offer discounts for children over two, while others whack families with the cost of a full-grown adult.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2026/jul/11/ryanair-family-seating-policy-kids-fees-airfare-flight-airline-charges">Continue reading...</a> Family holidays Flights Airline industry Travel & leisure Business Ryanair British Airways easyJet Children Parents and parenting Air transport Consumer rights Consumer affairs UK news Society Money Life and style Family Travel Europe Sat, 11 Jul 2026 05:00:41 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2026/jul/11/ryanair-family-seating-policy-kids-fees-airfare-flight-airline-charges Photograph: Viacheslav Iakobchuk/Alamy Photograph: Viacheslav Iakobchuk/Alamy Photograph: Viacheslav Iakobchuk/Alamy Charlotte Lytton 2026-07-11T05:00:41Z https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/11/mounjaro-wegovy-uk-weightloss-drugs-spending-habits <p>As they slim down, UK and US users of GLP-1 jabs and pills are changing their spending habits – and their wardrobes</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/07/tell-us-are-you-spending-more-on-clothing-and-beauty-products-as-a-result-of-taking-weight-loss-medication"><strong>Tell us: what does the new weight-loss pill mean for you?</strong></a></p></li></ul><p>“I’m now at a point where I’m going to buy even more clothes,” says Hayley Grice, 50, from Shropshire, who has dropped seven sizes after starting on the GLP-1 weight loss jab Mounjaro two years ago. “I’m very happy with my physique right now.”</p><p>Grice, the financial director of a business she set up with her husband, tried gastric bypass surgery in 2009, but put most of the weight back on, and had been between UK dress sizes 26 and 28 (US sizes 22 and 24) all her adult life.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/11/mounjaro-wegovy-uk-weightloss-drugs-spending-habits">Continue reading...</a> Retail industry Weight-loss drugs Pharmaceuticals industry Business UK news Health Life and style Society Consumer affairs Money Science Diets and dieting Sat, 11 Jul 2026 07:00:43 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/11/mounjaro-wegovy-uk-weightloss-drugs-spending-habits Photograph: David Parry/PA Photograph: David Parry/PA Photograph: David Parry/PA Julia Kollewe 2026-07-11T07:00:43Z https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jul/11/like-a-sauna-london-tube-travellers-swelter-in-temperatures-higher-than-legal-limit-for-cattle <p>The tube cannot easily be adapted to cope with heatwaves, making conditions almost unbearable</p><p>As the escalator descends below ground at King’s Cross St Pancras station in London, the shift from what was already a hot station entrance to the furnace-like subterranean depths is perceptible.</p><p>On the tube it’s worse: a man leans back in his seat, eyes closed, sweltering; people hold electric fans an inch away from their faces. London commuters are known for their stoicism and the heat appears to be another tribulation to accept. They will need to: heatwaves in the capital are becoming routine.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jul/11/like-a-sauna-london-tube-travellers-swelter-in-temperatures-higher-than-legal-limit-for-cattle">Continue reading...</a> London Underground Extreme heat UK news London Transport Climate crisis Environment Sat, 11 Jul 2026 08:45:06 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jul/11/like-a-sauna-london-tube-travellers-swelter-in-temperatures-higher-than-legal-limit-for-cattle Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian Rosie Peters-McDonald 2026-07-11T08:45:06Z https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jul/10/online-platforms-ban-scam-ads-uk-fraud-ofcom-online-safety-act <p>Range of potential measures announced by Ofcom include reducing risk of accounts being hijacked for scams</p><p>Big tech platforms will be required to ban scam advertisers in the UK under proposals to tackle online fraud.</p><p>Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X and YouTube will have to block bad actors who post fraudulent ads and prevent them from creating new accounts in measures targeted at the biggest services.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jul/10/online-platforms-ban-scam-ads-uk-fraud-ofcom-online-safety-act">Continue reading...</a> Ofcom Social media Digital media Internet safety Technology Media UK news Fri, 10 Jul 2026 16:45:39 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jul/10/online-platforms-ban-scam-ads-uk-fraud-ofcom-online-safety-act Photograph: Moon Safari/Alamy Photograph: Moon Safari/Alamy Photograph: Moon Safari/Alamy Dan Milmo Global technology editor 2026-07-10T16:45:39Z https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jul/10/vape-packaging-flavours-restrictions-government-plans-children <p>Ministers consider bringing e-cigarette laws in line with tobacco as data shows 20% of teenagers have tried vaping</p><p>Vapes could be sold in plain packaging as part of a range of proposals to stop them being marketed to children.</p><p>The UK-wide plans also include limiting device colours to white, black or grey, and keeping <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/e-cigarettes">vapes</a> out of sight in shops, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jul/10/vape-packaging-flavours-restrictions-government-plans-children">Continue reading...</a> Vaping Health James Murray Tobacco industry UK news Smoking Society Health policy Business Thu, 09 Jul 2026 23:01:04 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jul/10/vape-packaging-flavours-restrictions-government-plans-children Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images Sarah Marsh Consumer affairs correspondent 2026-07-09T23:01:04Z https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/09/uk-students-lose-thousands-of-pounds-gvi-eco-tour-operator-shuts-down <p>GVI shuts down without refunds for students booked on volunteer programmes with overseas conservation projects</p><p>UK students who paid thousands of pounds for summer and gap year placements on overseas conservation projects have lost everything after their eco tour operator shut down.</p><p>GVI, which offered volunteer and internship placements on wildlife and marine projects across the world, was continuing to advertise trips until it went into liquidation and removed its website on 1 July.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/09/uk-students-lose-thousands-of-pounds-gvi-eco-tour-operator-shuts-down">Continue reading...</a> Business Students Conservation Travel Consumer affairs Thu, 09 Jul 2026 05:00:51 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/09/uk-students-lose-thousands-of-pounds-gvi-eco-tour-operator-shuts-down Photograph: Kawsay Center Photograph: Kawsay Center Photograph: Kawsay Center Anna Tims 2026-07-09T05:00:51Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/09/pet-prescriptions-cap-proposed-vet-sector-reforms-uk <p>Ministers also considering licence requirement and regulator to try to cut bills and increase choice </p><p>UK vets may have to have a licence and cap prescriptions for pet medicine at £21 under plans being considered by the government.</p><p>Ministers are also considering establishing a regulator for the veterinary sector, including inspections, a mandatory licensing system and published compliance reports to improve accountability and choice. Every vet practice could need an official operating licence – similar to GP surgeries and care homes – under proposals in a white paper.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/09/pet-prescriptions-cap-proposed-vet-sector-reforms-uk">Continue reading...</a> Veterinary medicine Pets Animals UK news Politics Wed, 08 Jul 2026 23:01:45 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/09/pet-prescriptions-cap-proposed-vet-sector-reforms-uk Photograph: XiXinXing/Getty Images Photograph: XiXinXing/Getty Images Photograph: XiXinXing/Getty Images Helena Horton 2026-07-08T23:01:45Z https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/06/john-lewis-dishwasher-leak-repairs-insurance <p>My elderly parents’ home was left uninhabitable, and they are owed £3,300 for repairs they had to fund themselves</p><p><strong>My elderly parents spent much of last year dealing with what should have been a straightforward insurance claim after a dishwasher installation by John Lewis caused a leak. </strong></p><p><strong>Instead, it became a</strong><strong> year-long ordeal, marked by repeated failures and an almost total absence of accountability. </strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/06/john-lewis-dishwasher-leak-repairs-insurance">Continue reading...</a> Consumer affairs Consumer rights Money John Lewis Business Retail industry UK news Mon, 06 Jul 2026 06:00:03 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/06/john-lewis-dishwasher-leak-repairs-insurance Photograph: ronstik/Getty Images/iStockphoto Photograph: ronstik/Getty Images/iStockphoto Photograph: ronstik/Getty Images/iStockphoto Anna Tims 2026-07-06T06:00:03Z https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/01/scottishpower-solar-panel-payments <p>For months I’ve been trying to receive my FIT payment, which should be more than £1,000</p><p><strong>I moved into my new house 14 months ago, and soon afterwards applied to </strong><strong>ScottishPower, with whom the solar panels are registered for a feed-in tariff (</strong><strong>Fit), for transfer of ownership of the panels and the tariff.</strong></p><p><strong>After many emails back and forth, I got a response saying they had all the information required.</strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/01/scottishpower-solar-panel-payments">Continue reading...</a> ScottishPower Money Consumer affairs Consumer rights Energy bills Solar power Energy Household bills Renewable energy Feed-in tariffs UK news Business Energy industry Utilities Environment Wed, 01 Jul 2026 06:00:28 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/01/scottishpower-solar-panel-payments Photograph: Timon Schneider/Alamy Photograph: Timon Schneider/Alamy Photograph: Timon Schneider/Alamy Anna Tims 2026-07-01T06:00:28Z https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jun/30/im-paying-450-a-month-for-a-peugeot-ev-i-cant-drive <p>The car lease company won’t rescind my contract because it says the vehicle is driveable. The only problem is, it won’t even charge</p><p><strong>My brand new Peugeot EV stopped working within a fortnight of delivery.</strong></p><p><strong>The dealer postponed the repair appointment by a month because it was too busy. Peugeot Assist, operated by the RAC, eventually collected it for repair under warranty two weeks ago, but it never</strong><strong> reached the dealer.</strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jun/30/im-paying-450-a-month-for-a-peugeot-ev-i-cant-drive">Continue reading...</a> Consumer affairs Money Consumer rights Peugeot Motoring UK news Supply chain crisis Business Insurance industry Insurance Car insurance Tue, 30 Jun 2026 06:00:41 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jun/30/im-paying-450-a-month-for-a-peugeot-ev-i-cant-drive Photograph: Holger Burmeister/Alamy Photograph: Holger Burmeister/Alamy Photograph: Holger Burmeister/Alamy Anna Tims 2026-06-30T06:00:41Z https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jun/23/my-eight-year-old-was-refused-a-uk-passport <p>The Passport Office accepted applications for my two other children but refused the youngest with exactly the same documents</p><p><strong>I</strong> <strong>am a Briton living in Switzerland and my three children are British and Swiss nationals.</strong></p><p><strong>When we found out </strong><strong>via the Guardian </strong><strong>that dual nationals, who live overseas, are now required to hold a British passport in order to enter the UK, we set about applying, so the children can continue to visit their English relatives.</strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jun/23/my-eight-year-old-was-refused-a-uk-passport">Continue reading...</a> Consumer affairs Consumer rights Money Passport Office Travel UK news Tue, 23 Jun 2026 06:00:34 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jun/23/my-eight-year-old-was-refused-a-uk-passport Photograph: mundissima/Alamy Photograph: mundissima/Alamy Photograph: mundissima/Alamy Anna Tims 2026-06-23T06:00:34Z https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/05/air-conditioning-scams-fake-deals-heatwave-aldi <p>By using websites copied from stores such as Aldi, fraudsters hope hot and bothered buyers will miss the red flags</p><p>With the UK heatwave expected to increase temperatures over the next week, you decide to invest in an air conditioning unit. But they are expensive, and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/02/fan-shortage-uk-heatwave-currys">stocks are running out</a> in the shops as everyone else has had the same idea.</p><p>After a quick search, you see that there are other options online, and some from names that you recognise.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/05/air-conditioning-scams-fake-deals-heatwave-aldi">Continue reading...</a> Scams Consumer affairs Money Aldi Retail industry Supermarkets Business Extreme heat Environment Sun, 05 Jul 2026 06:00:19 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/05/air-conditioning-scams-fake-deals-heatwave-aldi Photograph: nensuria/Getty Images Photograph: nensuria/Getty Images Photograph: nensuria/Getty Images Shane Hickey 2026-07-05T06:00:19Z https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jun/28/scam-watch-panic-thats-just-what-fraudsters-are-waiting-for-to-steal-your-crypto-data <p>A niche type of fraud is lucrative enough for criminals to set up fake websites with dodgy software to harvest your data</p><p>After holding them for a few years, you have decided it is time to cash in your cryptocurrency holdings. The problem is, it is so long since you set up the digital wallet which manages them on your laptop, you have forgotten the lengthy access code.</p><p>Stressed at the thought of losing thousands of pounds, you search and download a program which promises to recover the 24-word “seed phrase” which gives you access to your cypto assets.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jun/28/scam-watch-panic-thats-just-what-fraudsters-are-waiting-for-to-steal-your-crypto-data">Continue reading...</a> Cryptocurrencies Money Scams Consumer affairs E-commerce Technology Banking UK news Business Sun, 28 Jun 2026 06:00:01 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jun/28/scam-watch-panic-thats-just-what-fraudsters-are-waiting-for-to-steal-your-crypto-data Photograph: Igor Stevanovic/Alamy Photograph: Igor Stevanovic/Alamy Photograph: Igor Stevanovic/Alamy Shane Hickey 2026-06-28T06:00:01Z https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jun/21/gta-6-grand-theft-auto-vi-beta-test-pre-release-scams-fake <p>Bank details at risk as criminals use AI to create fake sites and emails offering pre-release beta test version</p><p></p><p>Like millions of gamers around the world, you have been waiting years for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/games/2025/nov/06/gta-6-release-delayed">Grand Theft Auto VI</a> to be released. Now you have the opportunity to play the much-anticipated game before everyone else.</p><p>An email has arrived inviting you to play a pre-release “beta” version of the game so that you can alert the makers to any bugs before its official release later this year.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jun/21/gta-6-grand-theft-auto-vi-beta-test-pre-release-scams-fake">Continue reading...</a> Scams Grand Theft Auto VI Games Grand Theft Auto Culture Money Consumer affairs UK news US news World news Sun, 21 Jun 2026 06:00:24 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jun/21/gta-6-grand-theft-auto-vi-beta-test-pre-release-scams-fake Photograph: Rockstar Games Photograph: Rockstar Games Photograph: Rockstar Games Shane Hickey 2026-06-21T06:00:24Z https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jun/14/i-should-know-better-tech-expert-lost-70000-in-one-simple-phone-call <p>After falling for a scam call, ‘The Tech Chap’ host Tom Honeyands realised he’d given away vital details in social media posts</p><p>When Tom Honeyands realised he had been defrauded out of £70,000 he was furious and embarrassed – and left wondering if he had given away too many details on his social media videos.</p><p>Honeyands was on a work trip to Tokyo when he got a call from someone claiming to be from Lloyds bank. The caller asked if he had made a recent transaction in Singapore and when he said no, the scammer said his account had been compromised and that security details needed to be reset.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jun/14/i-should-know-better-tech-expert-lost-70000-in-one-simple-phone-call">Continue reading...</a> Money Scams Technology YouTube Lloyds Banking Group UK news Business Consumer affairs Sun, 14 Jun 2026 06:00:36 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jun/14/i-should-know-better-tech-expert-lost-70000-in-one-simple-phone-call Photograph: ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Photograph: ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Photograph: ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Shane Hickey 2026-06-14T06:00:36Z https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2026/jul/12/currentbody-skin-multi-light-therapy-led-mask-review <p>With five light modes targeting everything from fine lines to blemishes and pigmentation, CurrentBody’s latest mask promises a lot – and so does its price tag</p><p>• <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2025/sep/19/best-led-red-light-therapy-face-masks"><strong>The best LED face masks</strong></a></p><p>I’ve been testing <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2025/sep/19/best-led-red-light-therapy-face-masks">LED masks</a> for a couple of years now, and the <a href="https://www.currentbody.com/products/currentbody-skin-led-light-therapy-mask">CurrentBody Series 2</a> red-light face mask has long been my favourite option for anti-ageing. It’s comfortable, offers excellent coverage and powerful deep near-infrared treatments. Sadly, it doesn’t work for other skin concerns. It’s a one-trick pony.</p><p>So, when I heard that CurrentBody had launched its Multi Light Therapy mask with five different modes, I was interested to see how it would stand up to the stellar performance of its predecessor. As someone with hormonal acne, I was especially keen to try the mask’s “clearing” mode, but it also offers a calming “restoring” mode, a pigmentation-reducing “brightening” mode, and a distinctive “complete” mode, as well as the “anti-ageing” mode.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2026/jul/12/currentbody-skin-multi-light-therapy-led-mask-review">Continue reading...</a> Skincare Beauty Life and style Gadgets Technology Sun, 12 Jul 2026 12:00:18 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2026/jul/12/currentbody-skin-multi-light-therapy-led-mask-review Photograph: Sarah Matthews Photograph: Sarah Matthews Photograph: Sarah Matthews Sarah Matthews 2026-07-12T12:00:18Z https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2026/jul/10/robota-review-schwarzman-centre-oxford <p><strong>Schwarzman Centre, Oxford<br></strong>Headlong’s take on Karel Čapek’s 1920 tale of romance and robots is rife with timely debates about tech’s threat but at times the philosophical discussions drag on</p><p>If our world is currently thinking through the brave new future of generative AI and super intelligence, Karel Čapek’s 1920 play RUR: Rossum’s Universal Robots proves the notion of robot consciousness and rebellion is not a new anxiety. So does Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, which Čapek’s drama resembles in its philosophical debates and moral warnings, despite its futurism.</p><p>Ella Road adapts Čapek’s play for our times in this Headlong and Schwarzman Centre co-production, its science apparently informed by research from Oxford University academics, which gives it a cutting-edge, real-world underpinning.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2026/jul/10/robota-review-schwarzman-centre-oxford">Continue reading...</a> Theatre Headlong AI (artificial intelligence) Stage Computing Culture Technology Fri, 10 Jul 2026 04:00:10 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2026/jul/10/robota-review-schwarzman-centre-oxford Photograph: Helen Murray Photograph: Helen Murray Photograph: Helen Murray Arifa Akbar 2026-07-10T04:00:10Z https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2026/jul/07/shark-chillpill-3-in-1-fan-review <p>With three ways to cool down and a cold plate that can lower skin temperature by up to 9C, Shark’s latest fan is a standout if you can justify the cost</p><p>• <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2025/aug/12/best-portable-neck-handheld-fans-uk"><strong>The best handheld fans, tested</strong></a></p><p>When I first wrote my guide to the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2025/aug/12/best-portable-neck-handheld-fans-uk">best handheld fans</a> in 2025, familiar electronics brands in the space were hard to come by. But, like buses, two have arrived at once this summer. The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2026/jun/24/dyson-hushjet-mini-cool-handheld-fan-review">Dyson HushJet Mini Cool</a> provided plenty of power, but missed the mark on the “hush” part of its branding, and now it’s time for Shark’s debut mini fan: the ChillPill.</p><p>In words that I never expected to write, Dyson’s product is the cheaper option – although everything is relative. While the HushJet Mini Cool is a penny below three figures, the Shark ChillPill blasts through that ceiling, coming in at £129.99.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2026/jul/07/shark-chillpill-3-in-1-fan-review">Continue reading...</a> Gadgets Technology Summer Life and style Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:00:35 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2026/jul/07/shark-chillpill-3-in-1-fan-review Photograph: Alan Martin Photograph: Alan Martin Photograph: Alan Martin Alan Martin 2026-07-07T09:00:35Z https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jul/07/we-are-not-machines-by-sarah-oconnor-review-can-dignity-at-work-survive-the-tech-revolution <p>A Financial Times journalist ponders the future of labour in world increasingly dominated by AI and automation</p><p>It’s never been easy to land and keep a decent job. But it feels like it’s getting harder. In June, the number of job vacancies in the UK fell to a five-year low; headlines warn of a looming AI-employment shock. What might the future of work look like – and who or what will shape its terms? In her new book, Sarah O’Connor goes looking for answers in the modern collision of artificial intelligence, automation, and human labour.</p><p>This clash between human and machine – and the fight to secure decent working conditions even as the pressure to maximise production mounts – is nothing new. Neither are concerns about the health risks of repetitive factory work or the loss of creative craftsmanship and independent judgment in the wake of mechanisation. O’Connor has been a reporter at the Financial Times<em> </em>for nearly two decades, and although We Are Not Machines<em> </em>looks to the future, many of the threats AI poses to workers’ dignity and safety look a lot like reconfigurations of old battles. The book takes its title from the signs striking Swedish miners carried in 1969 as they protested their employers’ new methods of monitoring their output. “<em>Vi är ej maskiner</em>”, their signs read: “We are not machines.”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jul/07/we-are-not-machines-by-sarah-oconnor-review-can-dignity-at-work-survive-the-tech-revolution">Continue reading...</a> Technology books AI (artificial intelligence) Technology Employment law Books Culture Tue, 07 Jul 2026 08:00:34 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jul/07/we-are-not-machines-by-sarah-oconnor-review-can-dignity-at-work-survive-the-tech-revolution Photograph: Amazon Photograph: Amazon Photograph: Amazon Mythili Rao 2026-07-07T08:00:34Z https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2026/jul/11/best-supermarket-party-cakes-tasted-rated <p>There’s no getting away from it: these are all ultra-processed, but which sponges are the life of the party and which are too sweet for comfort?</p><p>• <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2025/oct/04/supermarket-dark-chocolate-tasted-rated-tom-hunt"><strong>The best (and worst) supermarket dark chocolate</strong></a></p><p>Some of these taste tests – for instance, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2025/aug/16/best-supermarket-oven-chips-tasted-rated-tom-hunt">the oven chips one from last summer</a> – surprise me with their overall quality and minimal processing. But others, such as today’s party cakes, sit firmly in the ultra-processed category, and often make contradictory claims, “handmade” and “carefully selected high-quality ingredients” being just two.</p><p>I want my children to enjoy treats without food anxiety, but we also owe it both to ourselves and to them to know what we’re actually eating. Unusually, the price of today’s cakes didn’t reflect processing levels. While more expensive products are often less processed, even the premium cakes included an array of emulsifiers (including mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, polyglycerol esters and sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate), preservatives, stabilisers, synthetic raising agents such as diphosphates, and glucose-fructose syrup, a heavily processed industrial sweetener linked to metabolic concerns. I’ve listed the number of additives in each product, excluding natural colours and flavourings, pectin, citric acid, carbonates and bicarbonate of soda, beeswax and glucose syrup. I also scored the cakes based on their appearance, taste, texture, value, certifications, animal welfare considerations and total sugar content (which varied greatly).</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2026/jul/11/best-supermarket-party-cakes-tasted-rated">Continue reading...</a> Cake Life and style Food Dessert Sat, 11 Jul 2026 12:00:50 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2026/jul/11/best-supermarket-party-cakes-tasted-rated Photograph: Robert Billington/The Guardian. Food styling: Robert Billington. Photograph: Robert Billington/The Guardian. Food styling: Robert Billington. Photograph: Robert Billington/The Guardian. Food styling: Robert Billington. Tom Hunt 2026-07-11T12:00:50Z https://www.theguardian.com/money/gallery/2026/jul/10/homes-for-sale-with-stylish-bedrooms-in-england-and-wales-in-pictures <p>From a warehouse conversion in London with views of the water, to a 17th-century barn with an annexe used as a yoga retreat</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/gallery/2026/jul/10/homes-for-sale-with-stylish-bedrooms-in-england-and-wales-in-pictures">Continue reading...</a> Money Property UK news Real estate House prices Business Fri, 10 Jul 2026 06:00:12 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/money/gallery/2026/jul/10/homes-for-sale-with-stylish-bedrooms-in-england-and-wales-in-pictures Photograph: William Benton-Fife Photographer/Strutt & Parker Photograph: William Benton-Fife Photographer/Strutt & Parker Photograph: William Benton-Fife Photographer/Strutt & Parker Anna White 2026-07-10T06:00:12Z https://www.theguardian.com/money/gallery/2026/jul/03/homes-in-england-kitchens-garden-in-pictures <p>From a home with a patio in Cheshire’s ‘Golden Triangle’ to a Lincolnshire barn that opens out to create one al fresco space</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/gallery/2026/jul/03/homes-in-england-kitchens-garden-in-pictures">Continue reading...</a> Property Money UK news England Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:00:21 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/money/gallery/2026/jul/03/homes-in-england-kitchens-garden-in-pictures Photograph: Jackson-Stops Photograph: Jackson-Stops Photograph: Jackson-Stops Anna White 2026-07-03T06:00:21Z https://www.theguardian.com/money/gallery/2026/jun/26/homes-for-sale-near-lidos-lakes-and-ponds-in-england-and-scotland-in-pictures <p>From a London tower near reservoirs to a Plymouth townhouse close to a historic saltwater lido</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/gallery/2026/jun/26/homes-for-sale-near-lidos-lakes-and-ponds-in-england-and-scotland-in-pictures">Continue reading...</a> Money Property Consumer affairs Swimming Life and style UK news England Scotland Fri, 26 Jun 2026 06:00:11 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/money/gallery/2026/jun/26/homes-for-sale-near-lidos-lakes-and-ponds-in-england-and-scotland-in-pictures Photograph: Dexters Photograph: Dexters Photograph: Dexters Anna White 2026-06-26T06:00:11Z https://www.theguardian.com/money/gallery/2026/jun/19/homes-for-sale-in-former-schools-in-england-and-scotland-in-pictures <p>From a one-room village school transformed into a five-bedroom rural pile to a flat in a grand Victorian building in London</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/gallery/2026/jun/19/homes-for-sale-in-former-schools-in-england-and-scotland-in-pictures">Continue reading...</a> Money Property UK news England Scotland Fri, 19 Jun 2026 06:00:24 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/money/gallery/2026/jun/19/homes-for-sale-in-former-schools-in-england-and-scotland-in-pictures Photograph: Fine & Country Photograph: Fine & Country Photograph: Fine & Country Anna White 2026-06-19T06:00:24Z