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The owner of TSB has said it is considering the sale of the high street bank. 

Spanish firm Banco Sabadell said it will weigh up any potential offers for TSB as it looks to defend itself from a hostile takeover by a major rival. 

In a regulatory filing, the banking giant said it received "preliminary non-binding expressions of interest for the acquisition of the entire share capital of TSB."

TSB currently runs around 175 branches across the UK.

It comes a decade after Sabadell bought TSB from Lloyds for 拢1.7bn to gain a foothold in the UK. 

More than a third of business owners are planning to make staff cuts due to the rise in employer national insurance contributions, research by a professional service group has found. 

In a survey of 500 business owners with turnovers of 拢5m and more, S&W found 20% had already reduced their staff head count as a result of the changes. 

Another 33% said they were planning to make cuts. 

The government increased employer national insurance contributions from 13.8% to 15% in the October 2024 budget. 

"Given that salaries represent a considerable proportion of the overall cost base for most businesses, it is to be expected that many are looking closely at headcounts in response to the increased National Insurance costs," Claire Burden, partner in the consulting team at S&W, said. 

While some are not cutting employees, they are taking other actions to cope with rising bills. 

A total of 76% said they were increasing their prices and 61% said they were scaling back expansion plans. 

Millions of Britons could be waiting for months to receive compensation from Mastercard. 

Consumers were due to be given payouts between 拢45 and 拢70, whether they were Mastercard customers or not (we explain why below). 

A  was initially expected to launch within weeks of the 拢200m settlement deal being approved in May. 

But MoneySavingExpert has said this has been delayed to another challenge being launched - this time by a company called Innsworth, which helped fund the case. 

It said that the business is trying to challenge how the 拢200m funds will be split by filing a legal claim asking for a bigger cut. 

It also warned that if the case is successful, people could see their payouts cut. 

Here's what you need to know about the Mastercard settlement... 

Walter Merricks, the former financial ombudsman, launched his claim after he alleged 46 million shoppers in Britain were ripped off after fees were wrongly levied on transactions made over 15 years between 1992 and 2008.

The fees were paid by retailers accepting Mastercard payments, rather than the consumers themselves. But Merricks argued shoppers had lost out as retailers passed on these fees in the form of higher prices.

Mastercard settled out of court for 拢200m last month. 

You are automatically a member of the class action if you:

• lived in the UK (for at least a continuous period of three months) between 22 May 1992 and 21 June 2008;
• were aged 16 or over during this time;
• bought goods and services (for a non-business purpose) from businesses selling in the UK, irrespective of the means of payment used;
• and were living in the UK on 6 September 2016.

KitKats have become the latest product to fall victim to shrinkflation, with the bars in a multipack being cut. 

The pack of nine now contains eight, while the multipack of 21 now has 18.

Prices have not come down with the size change, rising by as much 18.1%, according to analysis by The Grocer. 

Nestle, the owner of the chocolate bar, said the changes had been made due to "significant increases" in cocoa costs. 

Cocoa prices hit record-breaking highs last year after dry weather ruined crops. 

"Like every manufacturer, we have seen significant increases in the cost of cocoa, making it much more expensive to manufacture our products," Nestle told Money. 

"As always, we continue to be more efficient and absorb increasing costs where possible.

"To maintain the same high quality, delicious products that consumers know and love, it has sometimes been necessary to make adjustments to the price, weight or size of some of our products." 

People earning around 拢100,000 a year could "bear the brunt" of tax rises in the autumn budget, new analysis has suggested.

Known as HENRYs (high earners, not rich yet), this group could be hit the hardest by increases to council tax, income tax and tax on pensions, Britain's biggest investment firm Hargreaves Lansdown found. 

Rachel Reeves refused to rule out tax rises after unveiling her spending plans for government departments in her spending review last week, telling Sky News all the plans had been "fully costed and fully funded". 

Watch her interview below...

Here are the taxes experts are keeping an eye on - and why Hargreaves Lansdown thinks any increases could leave HENRYs worse off. 

Income tax

Income tax already falls most heavily on higher earners, with the top 5% (which HENRYs are part of) paying almost half of all income tax. 

For every 拢2 you earn over 拢100,000 you lose 拢1 of your personal allowance.

By the time you earn 拢125,140 you've lost all of your personal allowance. Once you've breached 拢125,140 you pay 45% on the extra.

"The frozen income tax thresholds have taken a toll and the freeze to 2028 will only add to the pain. If the government was tempted to freeze them for longer to raise tax it would mean more people pass over the threshold to pay 60%, and more pass into the realms of 45% tax too," said Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at Hargreaves Lansdown. 

Council tax

Many HENRYs tend to rent bigger, more expensive properties, so fall into higher council tax brackets. 

Reeves has said council tax will not rise by more than 5%, but she could see council tax as a fundraising opportunity. 

"As chancellor, George Osborne was said to have considered creating new levels of council tax on pricier properties - adding more bands to hike the tax on the most expensive homes," Coles said. 

"The government could choose to explore it again. HENRYs, renting more expensive homes, would be in the frame for even higher tax bills." 

Tax on pensions

Despite their higher earnings, Hargreaves Lansdown research shows fewer than half of people earning between 拢100,000 and 拢130,000 are falling short on pension savings. 

Some may be using salary sacrifice schemes to bring down their taxable salary, or they will pay their entire bonus into the scheme to avoid paying tax on that portion. 

"If the government outlaws these schemes, it would remove this option. It could also make company pensions less tax-efficient for firms, so they may be tempted to cut the benefits," Coles said. 

Tax on inheritance

There have already been some changes made in this area, but the government might make further tweaks to the system. 

Coles said: "This could include anything from reconsidering exemptions for spouses to extending the period of time it takes for larger gifts to leave the estate. All of them would come with serious downsides, but they remain possibilities." 

In two weeks, the energy price cap will fall from 拢1,849 to 拢1,720. 

Some of you think it's worth waiting until then to switch your tariff - but there are already 24 deals on the market offering a lower rate. 

The cheapest fixed energy deal costs 11% less - that's an average saving of 拢185 a year, according to comparison site and switching service Uswitch. 

"If you are still on a standard tariff, then you should run a comparison as soon as possible. Anyone with the option to switch could almost always save by switching to a fixed deal," Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch, said. 

The price cap is controlled by energy regulator Ofgem and aims to prevent households on variable tariffs being ripped off.

It doesn't represent a maximum bill. Instead it creates an average bill by limiting how much you pay per unit of gas and electricity, as well as setting a maximum daily standing charge (which all households must pay to stay connected to the grid). 

Here are the best deals on the market...

Children are earning less weekly pocket money, according to a report. 

Kids' weekly income fell by 1% to 拢9.12 from 2023, amounting to 拢474.76 a year, NatWest Rooster Money's annual pocket money report found. 

But they are getting bigger rewards for chores, earning 7p more for walking the dog, 21p more for mowing the lawn and an extra 8p for washing the car. 

They're also being visited by an inflation-busting tooth fairy, who is paying 5.25% more at 拢4.21 a tooth. 

Analysing data from more than 350,000 Rooster Card users, the report found fewer parents are giving their children regular pocket money, with more opting for an ad-hoc, reward-based system.

Since 2023, the percentage of parents giving regular pocket money has fallen 1.8% to 27.4%. Children who do get a weekly allowance are giving an average of 拢3.85. 

Saturday is the most popular pocket money payday, favoured by almost half of families (45%), with 17-year-olds being paid the most at an average of 拢8.31 a week. 

Overall, children are spending more and saving less, with the average amount set aside falling 48% to 拢30.38 of their annual income.

How much pocket money do you give your children - and how do you decide how much they get? Tell us your thoughts in the comments box above. 

Poundland is set to close 68 stores and two UK warehouses as part of its restructuring plan. 

The plans are understood to be leaving 1,350 jobs at risk. 

The high street discount store was sold to investment firm Gordon Brothers last week for a nominal fee after recording mounting losses. 

If approved by the court, the restructuring plan will aim to deliver "a financially sustainable operating model" for the business. 

The company's frozen and digital distribution centre at Darton, South Yorkshire will close later this year and its national distribution centre at Springvale in Bilston, West Midlands will shut its doors in early 2026, according to the plan. 

The plan will also see remaining stores no longer selling frozen food and a reduction in its chilled food offerings. 

Yesterday, our City editor Mark Kleinman learnt the company will halt rent payments at hundreds of its shops. 

According to a letter sent to creditors in the last few days, roughly 250 shops have been classed as Category C sites, with rent payments "reduced to nil".

"It's no secret that we have much work to do to get Poundland back on track," said Barry Williams, the company's managing director. 

"While Poundland remains a strong brand, serving 20m-plus shoppers each year, our performance for a significant period has fallen short of our high standards and action is needed to enable the business to return to growth.

"It's sincerely regrettable that this plan includes the closure of stores and distribution centres, but it鈥檚 necessary if we鈥檙e to achieve our goal of securing the future of thousands of jobs and hundreds of stores."

Thousands of Utilita customers will get up to 拢150 in compensation after the energy company failed to pay its Warm Home Discount payments on time. 

The firm will pay a total of 拢277,000 to customers after the energy regulator Ofgem found more than 4,000 people were not given the mandatory discount quickly enough due to an internal error. 

Utilita told Money: "All customers received their payment within 12 days. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused. We promptly reported our mistake to Ofgem and paid the impacted customers a goodwill gesture." 

What is the discount?

The Warm Home Discount scheme gives low income households an automatic payment of 拢150 to help with their energy bills. 

"The Warm Home Discount is a lifeline for vulnerable energy consumers on low incomes. Even a short delay in making these payments can cause harm to vulnerable customers, so it's vital that suppliers make these payments on time and without hassle," Cathryn Scott, regulatory director of market oversight and enforcement at Ofgem, said. 

"Unfortunately, on this occasion, Utilita fell short of our standards by failing to pay some of their customers in a timely manner. Utilita has conducted an audit of their Warm Home Discount processes to make sure this doesn't happen again."

Amazon is extending its Prime Day discount to give shoppers double the amount of time to snap up a deal. 

The annual sale will last four days from 8 to 11 July, twice the two days last year. 

The online retailer says there are savings to be made on Bose, De'Longhi, Dyson, Lego, Shark, CeraVe, Ninja and Sonos products, with new deals dropping at midnight each day - though to get the discounts, you need to be a Prime member. 

How to prepare for Prime Day

If you aren't a Prime member already, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial - just remember to cancel it at the end if you don't want to be charged. 

It costs 拢8.99 a month or 拢95 a year, unless you're aged between 18 and 22, then it's 拢4.49 a month or 拢47.49 a year. 

To make sure you are getting the best deal, it's worth checking the price of any products you need now. Note it down and see how much you are really getting off during Prime Day. 

Amazon isn't always the cheapest retailer either, so double check other sites to see if you can get a better bargain elsewhere.