Help-to-buy loan confusion

Help-to-buy loan confusion

First-time homebuyers have been unable to complete purchases because of a new rule for developers. To qualify for the loan, homes reserved this year must be fully built by 31 December - at least, that’s what some homebuyers have been told by Homes England, the public body that funds affordable housing. But when the Observer called advice lines, staff insisted there was no such date.

Reduced foreign investment

Attracting foreign investment is a key aim of the current government. This year, the UK lost out to France as the most popular European destination for foreign investors for the second year in a row, amid disruption from Brexit and the pandemic. The UK had dominated foreign direct investments into Europe for the prior 18 years. C'est la vie.

Tesla sales surge

Its Model 3 has become 2021’s most popular battery electric car in the UK, pushing the Nissan Leaf into 2nd place. Electric car sales are up across rich nations, as carmakers respond to new regulations, and the threat of bans.

UK gov swipes right

Tinder, Match, Hinge, Bumble, Badoo, Plenty of Fish, OurTime, and Muzmatch, have partnered with the UK Government to add vaccine badges to their platform. Online daters can choose to display a badge that reflects their vaccination status. A YouGov poll of nearly 5,000 UK adults saw 28% of respondents say they would not date someone unvaccinated.