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A special investigations team at HMRC has doubled its tax haul in a crackdown on wealthy people. 

The unit, which focuses on people who earn more than 拢200,000 a year or have assets above 拢2m, yielded more than 拢1.5bn in the 2023/24 tax year, figures obtained from HMRC by law firm Pinsent Masons showed. 

That's up from 拢713m raised in the previous year. 

The overall amount collected across HMRC from wealthy taxpayers increased to 拢5.2bn 鈥� up from 拢4bn.

"HMRC have been set some very hard targets for extra tax collection by the chancellor. It is hard to see how they can achieve those targets without a sharp rise into tax investigations into the wealthy," Ian Robotham, one of the legal directors at Pinsent Masons, said. 

"The scale of specialist investigations into wealthy taxpayers shows HMRC has already been clamping down much harder on those suspected of underpaying tax." 

Charities have welcomed the government's decision to make winter fuel payments available to more pensioners. 

Earlier today, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed all pensioners earning less than 拢35,000 a year will be eligible for the payment, which is worth up to 拢300. 

The benefit used to be universally available to those above pension age, but this was scrapped by the government last year, which opted instead to means-test it. 

This meant the number of eligible people dropped from 11.4 million to 1.5 million.

Today's change means around 9 million pensioners will be eligible this winter. 

Age UK said the U-turn was "the right thing to do" and will "bring some much-needed reassurance for older people and their families".

Caroline Abrahams, the charity's director, called it a "good day for older people".

She said: "We have always said what really matters is that the estimated 2.5 million older people who lost their winter fuel payment when they couldn't afford it get the money back, by one means or another.

"This new policy will help all these people by restoring their winter fuel payment, and we welcome it as a result."

The Centre for Ageing Better also welcomed the decision, with its chief executive Carole Easton saying it will help "avoid unnecessary suffering this winter". 

But she warned that there needs to be a "longer-term solution which eventually could reduce or remove the need for such payments". 

Nine million pensioners in England and Wales will get the winter fuel payment this year, the chancellor has confirmed after a major government U-turn. 

Last year, one of Labour's first acts in government was to scrap the payment for almost all pensioners. 

Only those who received pension credit or similar benefits were eligible for it - a drop from 11.4 million to 1.5 million. 

The decision was aimed at balancing what was described as a 拢22bn "black hole" in the public finances.

But Sir Keir Starmer announced there would be a partial U-turn in May, after the policy drew heavy criticisms from charities, opposition parties and voters, and Labour suffered poor local election results. 

So, who will be eligible this winter? 

The payment, worth up to 拢300, will be given to pensioners with an income of less than 拢35,000 a year. 

Those with an income above this threshold (around two million pensioners) will also receive the payment, but it will then be reclaimed from them in tax.

To be eligible, you will need to have reached state pension age by 15 September this year.

You do not need to do anything to claim the amount. It will be paid into your account automatically. 

Pensioners who do not want to receive the payment will be able to opt out, according to the Treasury. 

How much is it costing? 

The Treasury claims the new arrangement will cost 拢1.25bn, but it is not clear how it will be funded. 

We should find this out at the Autumn budget, which is usually delivered by the chancellor at the end of October or early November. 

You can read more about this in our Politics Hub...

Regulators have joined forces for an international effort to protect social media users from rogue promotions by some financial influencers, also known as "finfluencers".

Nine regulators from a number of countries, including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Italy, the UAE and the UK, took part in a global enforcement effort that began on 2 June. 

In the UK, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued 50 warning alerts, which the regulator said will result in more than 650 take-down requests on social media platforms and more than 50 websites operated by unauthorised finfluencers.

It has also sent seven "cease and desist" letters, and invited four "finfluencers" for interview.

The FCA said it has also made three arrests with the support of the City of London Police and authorised criminal proceedings against three people.

What are 'finfluencers'?

Finfluencers are social media personalities who may promote financial products and share insights and advice with their followers.

Many are acting legitimately and not breaking any laws - but others may tout products or services illegally and without authorisation through online videos and posts, where they use the pretence of a lavish lifestyle, often falsely, to promote success, the regulator said.

Elsewhere, the Treasury Committee said it had sent a letter to Meta, the owners of Facebook and Instagram, asking for information on its approach to financial influencers.

A restaurant deliberately designed to give customers a bad service experience will close its final UK site this month. 

Karen's Diner in London's Islington will shut up shop on 29 June after two years of trading due to the "additional burden" of increased costs. 

"People don't understand how hard it is to run both a restaurant and a theatre simultaneously, especially in such fierce trading conditions," a statement from the owner of the site, shared with The Caterer, said. 

The chain's parent company, Viral Ventures UK LTD, entered liquidation last year due to "mounting financial pressure". 

Karen's Diner became a TikTok sensation, with clips of the staff insulting customers racking up millions of views. 

It takes its name from the meme "being a Karen", which refers to people who are rude to those who work in customer service, or are particularly difficult. 

First launched in Australia, the restaurant came to the UK in 2022, with sites in Sheffield, Manchester and Birmingham. 

Sky News launched a new - and free - Money newsletter on Friday.

Each week, subscribers will get exclusive content that goes beyond the blog, with digestible information to help you make decisions on your savings, mortgages, holidays and much more.

All of this will be curated by the team behind the award-winning Money blog that is read by millions of Britons each month.

You can sign up here.

Here, our Money live reporter Jess Sharp talks through what you can expect from the newsletter...

By James Sillars, business and economics reporter 

The eyes of global financial market investors are firmly on London today.

Why? It's where US and Chinese delegations are meeting in the hope of making further progress in ending their trade war - the most significant element of Donald Trump's "America first" fight.

Following an apparently positive phone conversation between the US president and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping last week, there is pressure to deliver a full tariff truce after the pair reduced punitive duties on each other for 90 days last month.

It allowed some time for further talks between the world's two largest economies as investors fret over the damage the spat, and wider trade war, is having on the global economy.

Trump has described the status of the negotiations as "very far advanced". We'll see.

Data out of China today demonstrated the damage caused by the trade war to date.

Deflationary pressures have deepened as factory gate prices - an important signal on the pace of price growth ahead for an economy - slid further into negative territory during May.

It can be partly explained by customs data showing that China's exports to the US - its biggest single market- slumped by 34.5% year-on-year during May in value terms.

That was up from a 21% drop the previous month.

There is very little else about to give direction to investors this morning.

As such, the FTSE 100 is up 7 points at 8,844.

At that level, the index is 30-odd points behind its record closing high.

Trade talks progress between the US and China this week could be the catalyst needed to help the FTSE 100 find uncharted territory.

Amazon has promised a crackdown on fake reviews on its site following an investigation by the competition watchdog.

The retail giant has committed to "robust processes" to quickly detect and remove fake reviews after an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

As part of its measures, Amazon has promised to tackle concerns around "catalogue abuse", where sellers hijack the reviews of well-performing products and add them to an entirely separate and different product in order to falsely boost the star rating.

Businesses that boost their star ratings via bogus reviews will also be sanctioned, and even banned from selling on Amazon.

The site has also promised to provide clear and robust mechanisms to allow consumers and businesses to report fake reviews and catalogue abuse quickly and easily.

It follows an investigation by the CMA into Amazon over concerns that the company was breaching consumer law by failing to take adequate action to protect people from fake reviews.

The CMA estimates that around 90% of consumers use reviews when making purchasing decisions, and that as much as 拢23bn of UK consumer spending is potentially influenced by online reviews annually. 

Fake reviews are now explicitly banned under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA).

If you've ever spent your morning commute daydreaming about starting afresh with your career, this feature is for you. Each Monday, we speak to someone from a different profession to discover what it's really like. This week we chat to senior probation officer Sam Gildersleeve...

The starting salary depends on your role... To become a probation officer, you need to complete the trainee probation officer programme, known as the Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP). The starting salary for a PQiP is 拢26,475 (or 拢30,724 with the London weighting of 拢4,249). Once qualified, your salary rises to 拢35,130. With experience, you can apply for promotion to a senior probation officer role.  

The PQiP programme... combines classroom learning with hands-on experience in the role. You're paid while you train, and you receive protected study time. Depending on your qualifications, the programme can take 15, 21 or 27 months. Once qualified, you鈥檒l be registered as a probation officer and added to the Probation Professional Register. This recognises your competence in managing risk and supporting rehabilitation with the right knowledge, skills, and professionalism.  

There are also many other roles... within the probation service, including probation services officers, victim liaison officers, programme facilitators, unpaid work supervisors, case administrators, receptionists, and staff working in approved premises and prisons. 

I manage a team of 13 staff... including probation officers and probation support officers. I'm responsible for overseeing risk management and ensuring we work closely with partner agencies like children's services, the police, mental health teams, housing providers, and prisons to manage risk effectively. A big part of my role involves performance management and providing supervision to my team 鈥� helping them reflect on their caseloads and professional development. I really enjoy supporting my team to grow in confidence and ability.  

Our team currently oversees... more than 400 people on probation.  

I work 37 hours a week... Monday to Friday. I'm not personally on call, although some senior probation officers provide out-of-hours cover for approved premises. As a probation officer, you may work later in the evening to accommodate people on probation who are working during the day.  

The camaraderie really depends on... the day 鈥� some days are busier than others. But we do socialise as a team, especially for birthdays or celebrations. We work in a challenging environment, but the support and humour within the team make a real difference.  

I haven't made any solid plans to retire... I still feel too young to think seriously about retirement! I'd like to keep working as long as I can, maybe part-time eventually. We're part of the Local Government Pension Scheme, which is a great benefit. The employer contributes 26.5%, and I contribute 6.5%. It's a very generous scheme and gives peace of mind for the future.  

In terms of perks... we get between 25 and 30 days paid annual leave a year, according to length of service, if you are a full-time employee. We're eligible for a Blue Light Card, which gives you discounts at loads of places. You can also win free tickets to events. We have access to wellbeing and counselling services, free physiotherapy (which really helped when I ran the London Marathon), health MOTs, eye care vouchers, and MoJ rewards like free drinks from Cafe Nero or Greggs. There are probably perks I haven't even discovered yet. 

I haven't ever felt scared... but occasionally I feel anxious 鈥� which I think is healthy. You're often meeting people in challenging situations, so being cautious and prepared is important. I always treat people with respect, explain the purpose of appointments clearly, and listen. That often diffuses tension.  

The scariest situation was when... a person on probation with complex mental health needs, homelessness, and substance misuse became very aggressive when I asked him to complete a drug test 鈥� a condition of his licence. He threw a bottle and became verbally threatening, and was asked to leave. He later waited outside the office for me. It was frightening, but I was fully supported by my manager, who arranged a safe journey home and provided a personal alarm. The incident was reported to police, and safety measures were put in place. I was reassured and able to carry on with my job.  

Of course there are days when I don't want to go in... just like any job. But I do really enjoy my role. It's busy and at times intense, but I genuinely believe in the service and what we do. That belief keeps me motivated. 

The most rewarding part of my job now is... seeing my team develop and succeed. But when I was a probation officer, it was supporting people to change. 

I worked with a young man involved in drug dealing after being groomed by a gang. On release from prison, we built a personalised risk management plan together. He was housed safely and found a job, away from his old contacts. Over time, he grew in confidence and completed his sentence without being recalled for the first time. At his final appointment, he simply said: "Thanks for believing in me." That meant everything.  

Most people don't really know... what a probation officer does. They're usually curious and interested, and often say: "I couldn't do that." I'm always happy to explain the role and share how much good the service does.  

The biggest misconception is... that we're just there to befriend people on probation. People don't see the behind-the-scenes work to manage risk and protect the public. Probation is often invisible in the media 鈥� unlike the police, courts, or prisons. There's no TV drama or documentary that really captures what we do. Maybe there should be!  

The job can be... unpredictable. Things crop up that can change your day. But the team is incredibly supportive. People always help each other out when needed, which makes a big difference. 

The job has made me cry...  though, it's rare and usually depends on the situation. While I have cried before, I don't see this as a weakness, and it was mostly due to frustration at feeling that perhaps I wish there was more that I could do to help an individual. We're all human, and that's part of caring about the work we do. There is a great support network within the probation service, mainly from colleagues that are always willing to support. 

One moment that stands out is... when I was working with a young man involved in domestic abuse. He reflected on how his actions had wider impacts 鈥� the "ripple effect.". Later, he told me he'd felt angry during an argument but remembered our conversations and chose to walk away and kick a football instead. That insight and self-control showed real progress.  

The reason people reoffend varies but... common reasons include a lack of stability, poor housing, unemployment, substance misuse, mental health issues, and limited support networks. It's rarely just one issue.  

This role is for people who are... resilient, empathetic, and curious. You'll face complex, often challenging situations, and need to make decisions that affect lives and protect the public. No two days are the same. You'll work with people at their lowest points, and will need to build trust to help them change.  

The probation service values... diversity. We want to reflect the communities we serve. If you bring life experience, emotional intelligence, and a willingness to learn, this could be the career for you. Visit to find out more 鈥� and who knows, maybe I'll meet you one day! 

By Megan Harwood-Baynes, cost of living specialist

Who doesn't spend their lunch break wistfully searching Booking.com in need of their next holiday? It turns out, however, that if you are doing it on your laptop, you may be paying more.

Booking.com, Expedia and Hotels.com all offer mobile-only discounts, available only if you book your stay using your smartphone.

Research by Which?, the consumer champion, found 15 out of 50 listings on Booking.com had a cheaper "mobile only" price, with savings in the hundreds.

We tested it - and it makes a difference

Like many people, buying anything over the price of about 拢50 is deemed a "laptop activity" - I can't imagine booking a flight or making a pricey purchase on my tiny phone screen. I'm not sure of the psychology behind it, but entering credit card information and reading T&Cs feels safer on a larger screen. 

Phones also make it harder to do a price comparison, and it feels easier to make a spontaneous purchase.

I'm not alone in my thinking. 

A YouGov survey in September 2024 found only 18% of people would make a big purchase on their phone, with 42% sticking to a laptop or PC, and 34% saying it wouldn't matter either way.

But does this mean missing out on savings?

I put it to the test, first on Booking.com. I searched for a stay in Valencia for two adults, for the first week of May. 

One of the first hotels I was shown was priced at 拢487.

But when I switched to mobile, that immediately dropped in price by 拢44.

The next hotel I saw on my phone showed a discount of 拢54.

But hang on...

I wanted to check to see if that was a saving on the desktop price, but despite putting in the same dates, Booking.com told me the hotel was sold out. So I couldn't pay the higher price, even if I wanted to. 

I tried changing location, to see if it was the same, looking at a stay in Paris for the same dates.

Starting on my phone I could see two showed me a "mobile only" discount.

When I checked back on desktop, one of the hotels was apparently sold out again, despite still being able to book it on my phone. 

So, there are savings - but they're exaggerated

Which? also looked at other websites, including Hotels.com. It found that while some mobile prices were cheaper, savings were often hugely exaggerated. 

A Hotels.com "40% off" mobile exclusive for the Ocean Drive hotel in Seville sounded appealing at 拢235. But, when Which? checked on a laptop, the quote was 拢274 鈥� a much smaller mobile saving of 15%. 

Which? has warned that these discounts could potentially breach the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.

A spokesperson for Expedia Group said it was looking into the issue. 

One last note of caution

A lot of mobile-only pricing relies on a sense of urgency. Discounts plus a warning of limited availability try to pressure you into buying. 

So take a step back. There will always be another hotel in Paris if this one does indeed sell out. Check prices across platforms, and do a search for discount codes before you make any purchases.