'Overpriced, overused and over here' – is there anything to be said for American-style, short-term offers? Emma Lunn investigates

There are many legitimate criticisms that can be made of Alistair Darling's first Budget. It was far too timid on greenery for our taste. The scale of new car taxes it heralded was far too complicated. And the higher taxes on alcohol are not so high that they will do much to discourage binge-drinking, while they may do wonders for day-trips to Calais. Our guarded response to the introduction of tests for all recipients of incapacity benefit is printed above.

'I'm returning to Wales after spending some years abroad in Chile. Obviously, I'll need to get a job before I can secure a mortgage, but must I work for six months to prove that I can support repayments? Or could I get the money straight away? I have a deposit of £15,000 and I'm hoping to find a home for about £90,000'
JB, Santiago, via email

Egg may be investigated by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) over its decision last month to terminate the contracts of 161,000 credit card customers.

Agencies pursue 20 million cases a year and resort to underhand (yet often legal) tactics. Now, a change to the law will make their business even easier. Jonathan Owen and Ian Griggs report

Around 11 per cent of credit card holders have missed a monthly repayment in the past six months, according to a survey from comparison website MoneyExpert.com. Card firms, which charge an average of £12 for each payment missed, are estimated to have made £61m as a result.

The first contact with a debt collection agency is usually a bright red envelope in the post. The second is a late-night phone call informing the debtor of the agency's involvement. And the third is the dreaded knock on the door.

The credit rating of the Russian oil group Yukos was cut to default by Standard & Poor's yesterday, after it missed an interest payment on a $1bn (£520m) loan.

FITCH IBCA, the credit rating agency, has warned that the "apparent lack of policy response" of the G7 leading industrial nations could jeopardise world growth.

Rachelle Thackray meets a 20-year-old who is dancing his way to success

Japan debt risk

The National Consumers League in the United States, claiming its Internet fraud reports tripled in the last year, yesterday unveiled new Web pages to arm consumers against cybercrooks and warned them of the 10 most-used scams.

Lloyd's of London's individual members, or names, will be asked to stump up greater funds to back their underwriting capacity at the insurance market if far-reaching proposals announced yesterday are finally accepted.

Just when you need a credit card most, lenders may refuse your application for reasons that have nothing to do with your finances