UK debt pile grows

The 1-minute read to get the money news you need

Government still borrowing

UK national debt grew by £22.3 billion in October, as public spending to support jobs and livelihoods continued. The cost of borrowing is currently very cheap. But chancellor Rishi Sunak has warned that in the long term, the country’s finances must be “put on a sustainable path”.

Public sector pay freeze

5.5 million public sector workers could see their pay frozen next year to save money. However, NHS workers are likely to be exempt to recognise their work throughout the pandemic. We’ll get more details in chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Spending Review next week - it’s thought he’ll make the case that wages have actually fallen in the private sector this year.

Rush for turkey crowns

Supermarkets are seeing huge demand for festive food and some items are already selling out. With big get-togethers off the cards, smaller centrepieces like turkey crowns are going like hotcakes. There’s also a shift upmarket - Waitrose and M&S are particularly busy, with delivery slots booking up well in advance.

Aldi on Deliveroo

Eager shoppers across the UK can checkout at Aldi and get their groceries within 20 minutes, thanks to its new trial with Deliveroo. The budget supermarket is now offering the service from 130 stores across London, Cambridge, the East Midlands, and Greater Manchester.