Did you think that when you reached the prime of your life you would own the roof over your head? Think again. Growing numbers of people are stuck in costly privately rented homes as they approach middle age, with no hope of ever buying a house in the future.As more people retire with the burden…

Image copyright PA Media Taxpayers funded a surge in redundancy payments last year after a spate of High Street shop and restaurant failures, a study shows.The amount paid out by the government's Insolvency Service rose to its highest level in seven years, figures obtained by property advisor Altus Group show.It follows a number of high-profile…

Image copyright ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP/Getty Images Image caption Fairtrade has launched a She Deserves chocolate campaign The average woman cocoa farmer is paid as little as 23p a day, highlighting a gender pay gap in the global chocolate industry, according to Fairtrade.That figure is well below the extreme global poverty line of £1.40 a day.The group…

Image copyright AFP Image caption French President Emmanuel Macron says negotiating a UK-EU trade deal will be "tense" French President Emmanuel Macron has said he is "not sure" a UK-EU trade deal will be struck by 31 December, the end of the Brexit transition period.Mr Macron said negotiations starting in March will be "tense", with…