The Chancellor unveiled a raft of upbeat data pointing to the recovery gaining momentum, with record numbers in work, borrowing falling and house prices forecast to soar by 5.2 per cent next year.

The purchasing managers’ index of activity in the UK construction sector dipped from 61.4 in October to 59.4 in November, which is still well above the 50 mark that divides growth and decline.

The big omissions from a Budget or an Autumn Statement are always revealing. It used to be help for savers. This week the missing element was the squeezed middle. Not households, but firms.

As analysts digested the detail of the Chancellor’s ‘mini-Budget’ the ramifications of reforms to stamp duty, business rates and the North Sea tax regime became clearer…

Draconian rises signalled by the Chancellor will see the average bill for a Band D household rise up to £320 by 2020/21. George Osborne urged town halls to impose increase to fund social care shortfalls.

Part-time students have been handed some good news in today's Autumn Statement with access to maintenance loans to help with living costs during their studies from 2017/18.

Ahead of the Autumn Statement a study has warned that planned welfare curbs and rising inflation are set to deal a major blow to the 'just about managing' group - or 'JAMs'.

Defying Brexit doomsayers, the deficit came in at £4.3billion in October - below the £6billion expected. The figures emerged on the eve of Philip Hammond's Autumn Statement.

Few can defend the way that letting agents hit tenants with rip-off administrative fees. These firms cash in every time someone rents a new home, writes DAN HYDE.

Philip Hammond said UK output would grow faster than in most EU countries, creating half a million jobs. He vowed to spend billions to boost productivity, build homes and improve transport.

George Osborne, to his credit, was sitting on the backbenches yesterday to listen to his successor Philip Hammond deliver his first financial statement as Chancellor, says PETER OBORNE.

Philip Hammond told MPs he would be compiling a major report into the impact that state spending on pensioners has on the health and social care of an ageing population.

The OBR forecast a £122billion rise in UK debt, with £58.7billion blamed on Brexit. That came as it said the UK would not fall into a recession, but growth would be lower.

It was not the kind of Autumn Statement we had come to expect under George Osborne – all fire and brimstone – but Philip Hammond’s debut was not without its nasty side.

Professional golfer Paige Spiranac hit back after the LGPA released new dress code guidelines banning plunging necklines and short skirts, which she says is discriminatory against female players.

Stoke City are finalising the transfer of Wigan Athletic's Nick Powell and are interested in Everton's versatile 24-year old defender Matthew Pennington.

The Ecuadorian outfit confirmed the 32-year-old's arrival on Friday afternoon by posting a video of Valencia getting used to his new surroundings.

Crystal Palace tweeted a cringeworthy video to announce the £8million signing of James McCarthy from Everton. The clip shows James McArthur outside an internet cafe.

The 19-year-old had attracted the attention of eight other Premier League sides in the summer transfer window, but remained at Stamford Bridge to battle for first-team football.

Hearts have secured the signing of Manchester United keeper Joel Pereira on a season-long loan deal.It will be the 23-year-old's fifth temporary spell away from old Trafford.

SPORTS AGENDA BY MIKE KEEGAN: England's footballers may well have been delighted last week when the FA announced a multi-year sponsorship deal with food delivery app Deliveroo.

Derby County captain Richard Keogh (left) has been pictured on crutches for the first time since being involved in a horror car crash that could have ended his career.

IAN WHITTELL AT EWOOD PARK: Wigan Athletic climbed off the foot of the Championship table on Monday night after playing out a goalless draw with Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers.

The 32-year-old has been training with Salford this season after being released by Wigan Athletic last year. The midfielder was once viewed as a long-term replacement for Paul Scholes at United.

Robinson was left distraught when his £10m deadline-day move to AC Milan collapsed at the last minute in January. However, he could be set for a big Premier League move this summer.

Wigan's Chey Dunkley has been given special dispensation to use the club's ghost training ground as he continues to make big strides in his recovery from a double leg break.

Chelsea Perkins, 31, booked a family holiday with her partner, Peter, 26 and 10 month old son, Theo, to Menorca with Tui, paying just under £2,500 for the three of them.

Flight prices for Antigua and Brazil have seen some of the largest falls this summer, a new report has revealed - while Kiev has also seen a fall, and a boom in interest, thanks to 'dark tourism.'

The pound has now dropped to a six-month low against the euro and a two-year low against the dollar. And rates are likely to remain uncertain amid political and economic uncertainty.

The average cost of a family holiday has dropped by £76 with six out of ten popular holiday hotspots seeing a reduction in price over the last year, according to research by M&S Bank.

While soaring costs are well documented for people suffering from visible or severe illnesses a diverse group of consumers are suffering with illnesses largely hidden from view.

In the race to be named the most popular family package holiday destination, Tenerife has come out on top for the second year running, according to TravelSupermarket.

Little known Lviv in Ukraine heads up the list of the top ten cities identified by Airbnb as having the highest growth in bookings over the past 12 months.

Barbara Marriott, 56, was due to fly to the Playa Flamingo Beach Resort in Lanzarote at the end of August with her husband and daughter.

The best time to book flights for Christmas is 13 weeks in advance - the last week of September - as travellers will get the best price for both flights and accommodation, according to Skyscanner.

The Civil Aviation Authority is readying contingencies, which could include having to repatriate thousands of customers if the travel agent goes bust during their holidays.

Budapest came out as the cheapest destination for a city break with an emphasis on museums and theatre, while Prague and Warsaw came second and third according to the Post Office report.

As temperatures in Britain drop and the dark nights draw in, many will be dreaming of a warm destination they can escape to for a winter break. We reveal where flights have fallen most.

Julie Tuck's family arrived at Doncaster Airport on Wednesday 17 July at 1pm, ready to depart to Kos at 4pm. However, at 4pm they were all advised that their flight had been cancelled.

After enduring a 12-hour flight delay returning from his daughter's wedding in Corsica, Bob Feltham was eager to claim the £1,335 his family was owed.

Although the Christmas decorations have only just been put away for another year, many families' attentions have already turned to booking a holiday.

All inclusive holidays are becoming increasingly popular with a 28 per cent increase of families searching for the packages this year compared to last year, new data has revealed.

Cruise lines keen to attract passengers in the face of the coronavirus outbreak are introducing a tempting package of offers to entice them on board.

The 71 year-old was told by the travel insurance firm that he would not be able to claim the money back as he had not informed it straight away of pending eye surgery.

Poor exchange rates are leaving travellers in a panic, resorting to buying currency at the airport. But the Mail on Sunday found holidaymakers would be better off packing their bank debit cards instead.

Travellers could find themselves a European bargain in Shannon, Frankfurt and Malaga among other locations, according to data from Skyscanner.

While the average price per person, per night for a short-haul city break in December is £180, this goes down to just £60 in January, research shows.

Exotic locations such as Buenos Aires, Enfidha and Doha all make the top ten list of faraway places that have seen the biggest drop in costs, according to new research from Skyscanner.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has advised Britons against all but essential travel to mainland China. The new coronavirus has hit Hubei Province in central China hardest.

Hundreds of angry passengers are demanding a full refund from Norwegian Cruise Line after its tour of South-East Asia on its Jade cruise ship visited only 2 out of 7 planned stops.