Afford

Follow the day’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSome federal politics for you coming up: we’re expecting to hear federal treasurer Jim Chalmers speaking on ABC’s Insiders shortly – we’ll bring you that when it happens.The prime minister Anthony Albanese is in Melbourne today and doing a press conference at about the same time as his treasurer is speaking on the telly. We’ll let you know what comes out of that presser, too.I do think we’re going to fall agonisingly short, guys. I think we’re going to fall agonisingly short, but boy, oh boy, what an incredible campaign from an incredible, incredible candidate.Labor is likely to retain Stafford. There has been a 4.1 per cent swing against Labor with additional postal votes still to be counted. But for the LNP to win from here, those postal votes would need to break very strongly in its favour. That is very unlikely to happen.I am so thrilled to tell you that Luke Richmond is the new member for Stafford. Continue reading...

Voters in northern Brisbane electorate go to polls after sudden death of former independent MP Jimmy SullivanGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA byelection in the Brisbane seat of Stafford is expected to swing towards the sitting LNP Queensland government in a result experts say would likely be fatal to former premier Steven Miles’ leadership of the Labor party.Voters in the northern Brisbane electorate of Stafford have gone to the polls after the sudden death of former independent MP Jimmy Sullivan in April. Continue reading...

Rents will rise and homelessness quadruple in a decade unless serious steps to cut emissions are taken, University of Sydney researchers findFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGlobal heating could worsen housing affordability, push up rents and quadruple homelessness in a decade without fairer housing policies and action to reduce emissions, new research has found.Home prices and rents in Australia are influenced by a complex mix of factors, from incomes and mortgage rates to insurance premiums, available land and population. Continue reading...

Rightwing extremist Ivan Jennings had earlier pleaded guilty to dissemination of a terrorism publicationA rightwing extremist who called for “killing migrants when they arrive on their boats” has pleaded guilty to terrorism offences.Ivan Jennings, 46, from Stafford, admitted encouraging terrorism between 15 August and 14 November 2024 at Leicester crown court on Monday. Continue reading...

‘Least affordable’ areas mainly in London commuter belt, UK Finance finds, with Iran war not yet reflected in dataBusiness live – latest updatesUK homebuyers are facing the worst mortgage affordability pressures for almost two decades, although the “pain” is not being felt equally across the country, according to industry data.The banking body UK Finance said that at a nationwide level, initial mortgage repayments were typically swallowing up more than a fifth (21.3%) of a homebuyer’s gross income – the highest level since 2008. Continue reading...

State pension was ‘built for a different era’, says former PM’s organisation amid pressure on government financesLabour has been urged by Tony Blair’s thinktank to scrap the pensions triple lock amid mounting pressure on government finances.With the Iran war threatening to derail public spending plans, the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) said the “unaffordable” manifesto pledge to maintain the triple lock should be torn up as part of a wider overhaul of the state pension. Continue reading...

• Nearly two-thirds (64%) of U.S. adults worry about affording health care costs, with 30% very worried, topping affordability concerns over gas prices. • Health care affordability remains the public's primary worry despite other economic pressures. • Poll highlights ongoing financial strain on households amid rising medical expenses.

Climate leaders say Democrats need to extol clean energy as a way to cut costs for Americans as war roils oil marketsDemocrats should get louder in championing clean energy’s affordability and resilience from global shocks, according to some of the party’s leading voices on the climate.As the Iran war roils economies by raising the cost of oil and gas, countries are aiming to accelerate their shift to cleaner energy. But in the US, Donald Trump has sought to kill off any alternative to fossil fuels while opposing Democrats have been reluctant to tie the conflict to any action on the climate crisis. Continue reading...

Health secretary and chef Robert Irvine claim Americans could eat healthier and more cheaply if they shopped betterSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe first episode of the new Secretary Kennedy Podcast, produced by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), opens with this quote from guest Robert Irvine, who creates meal plans for the US military: “We talk about food being expensive. If you’re buying expensive food, it’s expensive. But if you’re buying food and you know what to do with it, it’s not expensive.”The episode is titled Fixing America’s Food System – Robert Irvine, and features a 45-minute conversation with the HHS secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, the host of the show, and guest Irvine. Best known as a celebrity chef, Irvine has collaborated with the US military to launch Victory Fresh, a program that offers healthy grab-and-go meals on military bases, during the Biden administration. The program’s Biden-era origins are never acknowledged during the show. Continue reading...

Presidential elections in Djibouti and Benin at the weekend highlighted how a costly electoral system is reshaping democracyAlexis Mohamed would have loved to stand against his former boss. A longtime adviser to Djibouti’s president, Ismail Omar Guelleh, Mohamed resigned last September, citing democratic regression in the country.But at the election at the weekend, Mohamed was not on the ballot. Now outside the country, he says he cannot return home to file nomination papers or campaign freely without credible security guarantees. Even if he were allowed to compete, nomination costs would still loom as a steep barrier in a political environment many critics describe as ceremonial, with Guelleh the habitual winner. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Survey of 2,000 people by Barnardo’s also finds almost half feel their child has missed opportunities due to costUK politics live – latest updatesFour in 10 parents across the UK are struggling to afford essential items for the care of their newborn babies, according to research.The survey of 2,000 parents with children aged under five by the charity Barnardo’s found that almost half (49%) felt their child had missed out on opportunities to learn or play because of the cost of living. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Capital gains tax discount and negative gearing rules created ‘extra artificial incentive’ for property speculation, the e61 Institute has foundGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe combination of the capital gains tax discount and negative gearing rules has turbocharged debt-fuelled property speculation over recent decades, according to a new analysis of hundreds of thousands of property investments.The federal budget in three weeks’ time is widely expected to include changes to tax breaks for investors, in an effort to rebalance the tax system away from the wealthiest Australians and to take pressure off home prices. Continue reading...

Millions are dipping into savings or borrowing to get by as the Iran war drives up prices, survey showsThe Iran war has led to a surge in pessimism in the UK as half of households are already struggling to afford everyday essentials.The escalating conflict in the Middle East, which has driven the price of oil, gas, crop fertiliser and other raw materials sharply higher, threatens to cause another cost of living shock. Continue reading...

• AMA Board Chair Dr. Aizuss testified before Congress on March 20, 2026, highlighting financial challenges for physician practices impacting patient access to care nationwide. • He identified market consolidation, inadequate payments, prior authorization burdens, coverage instability, and workforce shortages as drivers of rising costs and longer waits. • Recommendations include prior authorization reform, restoring physician-owned hospitals, addressing physician shortages, and ensuring Medicaid sustainability amid changes.

• A new KFF survey from February-March 2026 shows 23 million ACA marketplace enrollees facing higher premiums after failed bipartisan subsidy extensions, forcing cuts to necessities. • Orlando resident Priscilla Brown, 48, rations Type 2 diabetes insulin to half or third doses or skips it entirely to manage costs despite insurance. • 75% worry about affording emergency care or hospitalization; 70% blame insurers 'a lot,' over half fault Republicans, Trump, and pharma companies.

• House Committee on Financial Services Chairman French Hill (AR-02) and Housing and Insurance Subcommittee Chairman Mike Flood (NE-01) commended President Trump’s March 15, 2026, executive order removing regulatory barriers to affordable home construction. • The leaders noted the order aligns with bipartisan committee work over the past year to reduce building costs and boost housing supply through commonsense reforms. • They expressed intent to codify the executive order's objectives in upcoming congressional housing legislation to ensure lasting impact.

• The U.S. Senate passed a broad bipartisan housing bill on Thursday designed to make U.S. housing more accessible and affordable, marking a rare bipartisan legislative effort to address the nation's growing housing shortage. • The bill represents a significant policy shift aimed at tackling housing affordability challenges facing American families across multiple income levels. • Congressional support for housing reform reflects bipartisan recognition of the critical need to expand housing supply and reduce barriers to homeownership and rental access.

US workers are finding it difficult to afford basic necessities as the president claims ‘the economy is roaring back’US workers are still struggling with the cost of living despite Donald Trump’s campaign promises to fix the US affordability crisis.The Guardian spoke to workers as an exclusive poll showed cross-party concerns about the Trump administration’s handling of the US economy. Continue reading...

Lawmakers in nine states introduced more than fifteen tariff disclosure bills in 2026, requiring businesses to display tariff costs on receipts or vehicle labels amid midterm election pressures. Oregon's HB 4061 would provide grants to small businesses affected by federal tariffs, while both Democrats and Republicans target algorithmic pricing software in states like Illinois (HB 4717), Ohio (SB 328), Tennessee (SB 1807), and Utah (SB 293). These measures aim to address constituent concerns over rising living costs by promoting transparency in pricing practices potentially enabling price collusion. Additional bills in Colorado (HB 1210) and Maryland (HB 148) extend restrictions to workplace algorithms used for wage setting.

President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on March 13, 2026, directing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase $200 billion in mortgage bonds to lower home buying costs. The orders aim to limit financial institutions' ability to buy single-family homes and cap credit card interest rates, responding to median home prices hitting $398,000 in February—nearly five times the median household income. Housing affordability has become a pivotal issue threatening GOP midterm prospects, especially among voters under 40, amid a bipartisan Senate bill passed Thursday to boost construction. White House officials anticipate mortgage regulation changes could impact buyers within months.