Claire Gould has found that data on what she calls "hidden homicides" is not recorded by the Office for National Statistics or police forces The mother of a teenager who was murdered by her ex-partner is campaigning for the government to include "hidden homicides" in their data collections.

Borrowing - the difference between spending and tax revenue- was £17.8bn last month.

The official figures are released as the chancellor's stewardship of the public finances remains under intense scrutiny at a time when she is gunning for growth.

It came after fresh data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that the UK economy grew by a weaker-than-expected 0.1% in November.

The rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation is expected to have come in at 2.6% last month, unchanged from November.

Thousands of civil servants are to strike “indefinitely” from this month following an order to return to the office for three days a week.

The increase in home work has created a generation who are “not doing proper work,” according to the former boss of Asda and Marks & Spencer. Speaking to BBC Panorama, Lord Rose said more working from home was a part of the UK economy’s “general decline” and that productivity was suffering as a result. “We [...]

The West Midlands claimant count covering those claiming unemployment benefits stood at 207,945 last month, with the figure for Shropshire at 4,955, or 2.6 per cent of the working population. The figure for Telford and Wrekin was 4,695 while, for Powys, the number stood at 2,065.

The volume of retail sales, which measures the quantity bought, fell by 0.3% in December, the Office for National Statistics said.

The latest data has raised expectations that the Bank of England could cut UK interest rates again next month.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves ‘s financial headache has been inflamed by a surprise jump in borrowing in December, which leapt to a four-year high of nearly £18 billion.

Government borrowing hit £17.8 billion in December, surpassing forecasts by £3.2 billion intensifying the debate over the chancellor’s fiscal rules.