over the past week and beyond. what does it mean for the pound in your pocket, your mortage rate, and the future of the uk s economy? to help answer these questions, we have a panel of experts. andrew walker is a former bbc economics correspondent who has reported on many tumultuous events in economies around the world and will turn his weathered eye to what the uk has been experiencing. and from across the uk, we have mercedes osborne a director at the exeter based mortgage brokers pointers financial paul lewis, is a personal finance expert who presents the bbc s money box radio show and joins us from llandudno, and fiona cincotta is a currency expert and senior market analyst at city index the online trading platform. she s in north london. welcome to all of you. so, first, andrew how did all this turmoil start? the pound at one stage went to an all time low and lost ground against other currencies. the bank of england which is responsible for controlling inflation an
hello. british gas says earnings at its energy supply arm, have soared nearly 900%. it comes after new rules allowed the firm to make more money from household gas bills. £969 million are the reported profits for the first six months of this year, that s a tenfold increase on the same period last year following the outbreak of the war in ukraine. the bumper profits come at a sensitive time with households and businesses struggling with rising costs. our business correspondent, theo leggett, has our top story. bumper theo leggett, has our top story. profits may be go shareholders, bumper profits may be good news for shareholders, but for british gas customers, like the single mum, they are a recipe for anger and frustration. it are a recipe for anger and frustration. are a recipe for anger and frustration. , , ., ., frustration. it is ust unfair on the consumer. frustration. it isjust unfair on the consumer. where - frustration. it isjust unfair on the consumer. where are - frustra
that should mean maybe another 10% on benefit rates from april but neither the treasury minister, nor the chancellor, kwasi kwarteng, have said that they will definitely do that. they will do it for pensioners but they will not necessarily do it for ordinary benefits paid to working age people and disabled people, so that s the big worry for people that come april when they had a lot of price rises over the year they will not be getting an extra 10% on their benefits. and i think the government will have to think carefully about how it will protect people and make sure that they can afford to do their shopping, especially in light of the fuel prices going up as well. a question here saying that the energy companies buy gas at the rate today, and the household gas bills are set to rise. i m on a prepayment meter, so can i buy my gas before the increase as the energy companies do? it is possible. it depends what sort of prepayment meter it is. if it is a smart meter where it does everyth
nor the chancellor, kwasi kwarteng, have said that they will definitely do that and they will do it for pensioners but they will not necessarily do it for ordinary benefits paid to working age people and disabled people, so that s the big worry for people that come april when they had a lot of price rises over the year that it will not be getting an extra 10% on their benefits. and i think the government will have to think carefully about how it will protect people and make sure that they can afford to do their shopping, especially in light of the fuel prices going up as well. a question here saying that the energy companies buy gas at the rate today, and the household gas bills are set to rise. i m on a prepayment metre, so can i buy my gas before the increase as the energy companies do? tt the increase as the energy companies do? , , :, , , , , , the increase as the energy companies do? , , ., do? it is possible. it depends what sort of prepayment do? it is possible. it depends wha