Asking prices hit new record

Asking prices surge

The average asking price for homes in the UK has surged to £333,767 in May, the highest ever. The data comes from Rightmove and shows double-digit price growth in Wales and north west England since March 2020. Meanwhile, asking prices in London have grown by just 0.2%.

Crypto buyers blocked

Homebuyers using profits from cryptocurrency trades for their deposit are being rejected by solicitors and lenders. Mortgage brokers are reporting an increase in the number of buyers who made their money in crypto. Many have resorted to hiring “forensic accountants” to show how they made the money and prove their profits are clean.

Staff shortages

Bars, restaurants, and hotels are hiring at their fastest rate for 8 years but could struggle to fill vacancies according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Many EU workers have left the country amid Brexit and the pandemic. Data from job site Adzuna tells the same story, with 18% more job ads than 6 months ago but half the number of searches from Western Europe and North America.

Covid fakes

If you know where to go, you can buy a fake NHS vaccine card or test certificate for just £25. There are now more than 1,200 vendors in the UK selling the forgeries to people hoping to get around strict travel rules. Who’s buying them? Anti-vaxxers apparently, and people coming to the UK from poorer nations.