Millions of disabled people will lose out under the Government’s plans to keep the annual rise in benefits below the cost of living, it emerged last night.

The latest hammering for millions of households from soaring gas and electricity bills kept the cost of living stubbornly high last month, figures showed today.

Winter energy bill hikes helped keep the annual rate of inflation at 2.7% for the third month in a row, official figures showed today.

From London to Liberia, nearly a billion people are living a hand-to-mouth existence. Katie Grant reports on global hunger and finds out how these families get through the week

I'm totally confused. What's the real measure of inflation?

Outlook What Britain really needs, the Office for National Statistics has decided, is another inflation index – to add to the 11 we have already.

Pensioners were given some welcome news today after the UK's top statistician said a key measure of inflation linked to retirement income and a raft of other investments and services should remain unchanged.

Pension savers face a serious blow to their retirement prospects with confirmation this week on changes in how the retail price index (RPI) is calculated.

Three in four motorists are travelling less far than a year ago to save money.

Why punish the children by trapping them in poverty so they are likely to fail at school and become trapped in a cycle of unemployment?

A bout the only government statistic that has any direct bearing on people's lives is the inflation number. The others – growth, unemployment, retail sales, investment – have relevance but they don't directly affect the purse and wallet the way the inflation number can through its direct link to benefits, pensions, pay agreements and a lot more.

A painful rise in the cost of the weekly shop kept up the inflation pressure for struggling household budgets in November, giving more headaches for rate-setters at the Bank of England.

A painful rise in the cost of the weekly shop kept up the inflation pressure for struggling household budgets in November, giving more headaches for rate-setters at the Bank of England.