NEWS IN BRIEF
TAXED ON TIME
According to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), this year saw a record 9.45m self assessment tax returns filed on time, with a record 7.65m filed online.
This means that 90.4 per cent of taxpayers met the deadline – an increase of 4 per cent on last year and the highest on-time filing since HMRC was created.
The busiest day for online returns was 31 January, when HMRC received nearly 445,000.
BRACE YOURSELF FOR THE COLD
The AA is concerned that many homeowners may be ill-prepared for the current Siberian weather conditions, after being lulled into a false sense of security by the unseasonably mild winter to date.
According to the AA, last winter’s weather caused damage in over 7m households, leaving homeowners with £3.1bn in repair bills.
PAWS FOR THOUGHT FOR FAT CATS
According to research from More Than Pet Insurance, fish and chips, chicken tikka masala and lasagna are among the nation’s favourite dishes to give to pets. 72 per cent of cat and dog owners admit to regularly feeding their pets leftover fast food and takeaways.
As a result, cat and dog owners are being hit with vets bills as a result of their pets’ ill health.
HOUSE PRICES SOFTENING
According to the Nationwide Building Society, house prices in Britain declined by 0.2 per cent in January, but are 0.6 per cent higher than one year ago. The price of a typical home in Britain is now £162,228.
The softening of UK house prices is being blamed on the challenging economic conditions prevailing in late 2011, with the UK economy contracting in the final three months of the year.