The cost of renting property in the UK has gone up twice as fast as the cost of a mortgage, official figures suggest.

The average monthly spend on rent will shortly overtake the average mortgage cost.

With the continual rise in the cost of renting property in the UK, rent arrears are mounting up.

Facing the UK is a “rent debt crisis”, according to the charity Money Advice Trust.

An average rise of 2.8% in the nation’s electricity bills translates into an increase of €1.21 per month for an 'average' bill of about €46.5.
 
The electricity bill for domestic consumers is to rise as soon as January 2014, according to the Energy Services Regulatory Authority.

Five international tour operators have been sampling the delights of the eastern Algarve region this week, enjoying the mountain scenery, the hiking trails, the food, and the beauty of the Guadiana and Ria Formosa.

Hailing from France, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands the tourism experts were introduced to some of the highlights of the area, starting with a visit to the Alcoutim orgainsed by the Association of Tourism of the Algarve, and the Megasport company, in partnership with the City Council and the Odiana association.

Only 19 of Portugal’s 308 municipalities, and none in the Algarve, have a working internal audit function, according to a study released today at the first Internal Audit Forum for Local Authorities which took place in Loures near Lisbon.

According to António Ferrador, head of Audit and Management Control at Loures council, just 74 of Portugal’s councils have an internal audit function, but of these only 19 take the trouble to use them.

Opposition parties today accused the Government, especially the Prime Minister, of disregarding and disdaining the poverty evident in much of the country.

The Left Bloc and the Communists left the PM in no doubt as to their views on the results of the austerity programme in the fortnightly debate held this morning in Parliament, "the policies that we have seen simply disregard the difficulties the Portuguese are having," said Communist party leader Jerónimo de Sousa as the figures were debated.

Turismo de Portugal will send €5.9 million to Algarve Tourism for it to spend in 2014, running its services and promotional campaigns in isolation from any overall promotion of Portugal as a marketable brand.

A happy tourism boss Desiderio Silva will to continue to promote the Algarve’s own brand in the domestic and international markets where hopefully any messages he comes up with for the Algarve will not conflict with Turismo de Portugal’s remit of promoting the country as a whole.

Expat pensions will soon be obliged to prove they are not dead in order to claim their pensions.

The new arrangement came in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement at the beginning of the month.