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'.

The National Audit Office (NAO) warns today that the health service’s ‘endemic’ financial problems have left it so short of cash that it is having to raid building projects to pay for day-to-day services.

Things appear to be changing for the better for the economy - and just in the nick of the time for the Chancellor as he prepares to give his first major report later today.

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.

Insurers have slammed the rise which has pushed the tax up to almost double what it was in 2015 and they predict it will lead to an increase in the number of uninsured drivers on the road.

The analysis, reaction and charts from the experts and our own journalists from throughout the day.

As John McDonnell stood up for his big moment to respond to the Chancellor's spending plans, Labour's MPs were much more interested in their mobile phones than his rambling speech.

In its five-year forecast the Office for Budget Responsibility predicts net migration will only fall slightly as the UK adopts a tighter migration regime. Net migration is currently 327,000 a year.

The new 'full-fibre' networks will have the capacity to reach speeds of more than 1Gbps, which it is claimed could allow users to download an entire Game Of Thrones series in less than a minute.

The Chancellor has revealed an amended 'taper rate' for the welfare payments, which will allow low-paid workers to keep an additional 2p of every extra pound they earn.

Delivering his first fiscal package since the historic EU referendum vote, the Chancellor insisted the government understands the fury of those who have not shared in the wealth generated by the economy.

Until yesterday, Chancellor Philip Hammond was among the most dismal of doom-mongers. But as he delivered his Autumn Statement, he seemed transformed.

As Hammond speeches go, the Autumn Statement was short and reasonably un-glum. He kept it to 45 minutes. By his own morose standards he was almost skittishly optimistic in places.

Hammond has backed recent HMRC proposals for a crackdown on using the loophole for smartphone and gym contracts, buying cars and TVs, or private medical insurance.

A row has erupted in response to the tenant fee ban, with some landlord and agents reacting with fury to what they say are ‘unworkable’ plans that would have a ‘boomerang’ effect.

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.

John McDonnell insisted today that Labour MPs were listening to his response to the Autumn Statement yesterday despite most of them being seen busy on their mobile phones.

The Chancellor said the government was treating the estimates from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) as a 'signal' of what might happen.

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.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s first – and last – Autumn Statement was very much focused on measures to keep the economy out of recession.

Former health secretary Stephen Dorrell, who is now chairman of the NHS Confederation, said Philip Hammond (shown) had made a ‘mistake’ by failing to find extra funds in last week’s autumn statement.

Currently, employees do not have to pay income tax or national insurance if their redundancy pay is under £30,000.

Ministers spent £12.6billion more than they received in taxes and other income last month - but economists were pencilling in a figure of £11.6 billion.

DOMINIC LAWSON: BBC Newsnight also cited the Depression of the 1930s as the nearest thing to modern Britain under the Conservatives.

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.

Marco Silva wants new faces this summer with Zaha the top of his wishlist before the window closes. And after drawing a blank against Wigan Athletic, Silva is unlikely to renege on his desire for forwards.

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.

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.

Brendan Rodgers says no player who he wants to keep will leave Leicester in the January transfer window. Rodgers is determined to keep intact a squad who have taken Leicester to second place.

TOM COLLOMOSSE AT THE KING POWER: Leicester City have cruised into the FA Cup fourth round with a win over Wigan thanks to Tom Pearce's OG and a Harvey Barnes deflected strike.

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.

THE SECRET SCOUT: Sportsmail's scout is a top football expert who attends matches each week searching for the next star. This week they bring the full low-down on Wigan's Joe Gelhardt.

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.

In a rush to obtain holiday money before taking a flight to Corsica, travel journalist Sarah Hartley took out €200 from a Moneycorp machine. A debit card receipt showed she'd been charged £245.

We revealed how some airlines use a 'no-show' clause to cancel return flights if passengers fail to board their outbound leg. Airlines claim this prevents passengers from 'gaming' ticketing rules.

Others have imposed a host of different rules governing the use of coins, notes and debit cards on a range of different routes. British Airways no longer takes cash for food and drink on short-haul flights.

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.

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.

Research by The Mail on Sunday found that Airparks Drop and Go at Birmingham is a 14-minute drive from the airport, with buses only coming every 25 minutes.

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.

The yen has seen the biggest increase with 2019 sales rising 42% compared with the year before - despite sterling falling against the currency.

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.

Some 80% of the top 40 holiday currencies have fallen in value against the pound, stretching holidaymakers' cash further, according to research from Post Office travel money.

They are two airports, in the same county, with the same holiday money company offering to change your pounds into foreign currency.

Oliver, from London, was shocked to find that his bank account and overdraft had been completely wiped out after the holiday booking site mistakenly took thousands of pounds without warning.

BA has a number of bonus partner offers which allow travellers to bag more Avios points without spending more than you usually would when sorting out your holiday.

The main way we can cut down on our carbon footprint is changing the way we travel - if everyone made small changes to their holiday schedule, it could make a huge difference over time.

With political rows and the on-off threat of a no-deal Brexit, there's no guarantee what could happen to the pound between now and 31 October - or after that date.