Household budgets under pressure: UK retail sales growth slowed to just 0.7% year-on-year in August as shoppers tightened belts ahead of further household bill rises, with non-food down 0.8% and discretionary spending hit. Spending still holds up in pockets: Barclays data shows overall card spending rose 2.1% year-on-year in August, helped by a 7.2% jump in entertainment and a 3.1% rebound in travel, including more staycations. Council Tax enforcement: Wiltshire Council sent bailiffs to collect council tax debt from 6,600 people, prompting National Debtline to urge exemptions for Council Tax Support recipients. Drought reality check: Even after the wettest week since early February, hosepipe bans remain in place across parts of England and Wales because reservoir storage is still falling. Car industry shake-up: Jaguar Land Rover plans to cut around 4,000 jobs over two years amid cyberattack fallout, tougher competition (including from China) and demand shifting toward EVs. Carbon border rules: The UK has recognised India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme as qualifying for relief under its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, but exporters still must prove their own carbon costs.