Topics
The bodies, benefits and rules we write about constantly. Each topic gathers everything we have published, from the first piece to the latest.
HMRC — the UK tax authority
HMRC collects taxes and contributions, keeps the VAT register and refunds overpayments. Everyone who works, runs a company or lets property here deals with it. Everything we have written about its deadlines, rates, letters and penalties.
Universal Credit — Britain’s main benefit
A payment for people on a low income or none. For migrants the first question is not how much it pays but whether they may claim at all: most visas carry a no-public-funds condition. We cover the conditions, the amounts and the traps.
National Insurance — contributions and the NI number
The contributions behind the state pension and some benefits, and the personal number they attach to. How to get the number, what employees and the self-employed pay, and what happens when a year does not count.
The NHS — public healthcare
What the NHS gives free, what prescriptions and dentistry cost, how to register with a GP and what to do in an emergency. Everything we have written on patients’ rights and on what you do pay for.
Council tax — the local charge
The payment to your borough council: bands, discounts, exemptions and what happens if you fall behind. We also track the boroughs where the bill is rising fastest.
The Home Office — immigration
The department decides everything to do with visas, status and citizenship: the rules, the fees, processing times and employer checks. Here are its decisions and what they mean in practice.
Transport for London
The Tube, buses, trains and fares. Line closures, price rises, how payment works and what to do when a train stops.
The DWP — work and pensions
Responsible for benefits and the state pension. Its decisions, checks and the recovery of overpayments.
eVisa and BRP — digital status
BRP cards are going and status is moving into the UKVI account. What to do with an expired card, how to set up an eVisa, how to prove status to an employer or landlord, and what goes wrong most often.
The Bank of England and Bank Rate
Rate decisions move mortgages, savings and the pound. We explain what changes for an ordinary household, not for the markets.
Settlement and citizenship
Indefinite leave to remain and a British passport: qualifying periods, absences, tests and cost. You can count your own trips with the calculator on our services page. The rules shift, so the date attached to each figure matters.
Companies House — the company register
The open register of UK companies: incorporation, filings and checking a counterparty. You can run the check on our own checks page.
Ofgem and energy bills
The regulator sets the price cap for gas and electricity and the rules for suppliers. What changes in your bill, whose debt is written off and how not to overpay.
The Skilled Worker visa
Britain’s main work visa: salary thresholds, cost, the employer’s sponsor licence and family members. You can check a company against the Home Office register on our checks page.
Student visa and studying
What study costs, who pays home fees, what money you must show and whether you may work while studying.