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How to write a personal statement for English

Tips for convincing English tutors you deserve a place on their course

Here's an analogy every student of English will grasp: "Think of your personal statement as a very short, short story. It has to have a beginning and an end and a character that we care about.

"For the purposes of this story, you are that character. What makes you tick?" Sheffield English lecturer Jonathan Ellis recommends that's the approach you take when you start writing your personal statement.

But in telling your story, don't let your imagination run riot. Listen to the note of caution sounded by the academics who read the personal statements submitted by sixth-formers trying to get on to their English courses. You need to play it safe, they say.

The quietly thoughtful, honest statement will go a lot further than one puffed up with flamboyant claims and razzmatazz.

Professor Martin Coyle, admissions tutor for English at Cardiff University, says students who strain too hard for effect often sound hollow. An interest in the minor figures in Jane Austen's novels is more likely to interest an admissions tutor than a statement written in blank verse, he says.

"They should also be looking forward to university – to anything from analysing grammar in detail, to learning old English, to studying post-modern American poetry," says Professor Coyle.

Does he object to students with a "passion" for their subject. Not really, he says. "If they're not passionate at 17, they're never going to be passionate!"

But Dr Hilary Hinds, an admissions tutor from the English department at Lancaster University, finds cliches such as "passionate about literature" and "I've loved books for as long as I can remember" dull and predictable. "Demonstrate it rather than claim it," she says.

Lancaster University offers English with creative writing, a course that gives applicants a little more scope to be imaginative in their personal statements, says Dr Hinds.

But it is more important to provide evidence of creative writing experience, such as submitting work to a poetry magazine or editing a school magazine.

Dr Hinds advises students to avoid reeling off a list of their A-level reading. "Give me some kind of contextual, analytical or historical angle that shows you are actively engaging with course texts."

School-leavers fresh to an English degree have to brace themselves for a hefty reading list, and evidence of extensive reading in your personal statement will convince tutors you can handle it.

Dr Richard Storer, admissions tutor for English at Leeds Trinity, recommends students read and discuss as much as they can outside of the A-level curriculum. "Books from pre-1900 will catch the eye – that shows more of a readiness to take on a challenge," he says.

His personal bugbear is the opening quote from Plato, Nelson Mandela or Oscar Wilde that may or may not reflect the applicant's philosophy on life. "Quite often they don't seem to have actually looked at the quote or understood it."

Such misplaced pretension is not going to impress Oxbridge either. Steve Watts, chair of the Cambridge admissions forum, says he's never happy to receive personal statements in badly written verse. "There's standing out from the crowd – fine. But there's also making a show of yourself – not so fine," he says.

"The worst thing you can do is to declare how much you love Tolstoy, say, when you're only at page five of War and Peace. You can guarantee we'll ask you about something from the middle or end."

What should you include in your statement? Ucas guidance recommends applicants state their career aspirations, reasons for choosing the course, academic interests, relevant experience and other interests. Is that applicable to an English degree?

Well, the trick is to keep it relevant. A Duke of Edinburgh expedition to the Lake District might seem tangential but it is interesting if it inspires you to read Dorothy Wordsworth's journals. A supermarket Saturday job doesn't develop your powers of literary criticism – but it does show you can get up early and take responsibility for yourself.

English tutors at the University of Cambridge don't really expect work experience – unless its something that enhances how you think about literature, says Watts.

He also says he'd be surprised if many candidates knew their career aspirations at the personal statement stage. Other interests, however, are important: "Reading, theatre-going, film-watching, creative writing, making drama could all be called hobbies but are also part of the business of critical engagement which most English degrees are all about."

Tutors are assessing your potential, not what you have already achieved. They are aware that some students have a better chance of gathering impressive life experiences than others.

Research conducted last year by Dr Steve Jones of Manchester University found that personal statements from independent school applicants were generally better written and listed more prestigious experiences than those from state school applicants.

"Admissions tutors are increasingly conscious of how past advantage can affect the statements submitted," says Dr Jones, "Academic capital is more important than cultural capital – so it's great if you can play the flute, but we'll be more impressed if you show a deep understanding of your discipline and the kind of content you'll encounter on your chosen courses."

He also advises erring on the side of caution when it comes to style. "Don't be under-formal or over-formal, don't crack jokes, and don't use up your word count with pretentious quotes," he says.

There are subtler and more effective ways of bringing your personal statements to life. "The best personal statements," says Sheffield's Ellis, "have their own story to tell – perhaps beginning with the first book you finished in one sitting or the first book you re-read.

"Do you care about authors or genres? Novels or poems? There's no right answer.

"We certainly don't look favourably on personal statements that don't mention a single book. Alas, there are many of these every year.

And of course, every tutor makes it clear that impeccable spelling and grammar are paramount, particularly for English applications. The advice is to check and check again, then get parents, teachers and friends to check.

A misplaced apostrophe can be really off-putting to admissions tutors, and you don't want to give them an easy reason to turn you down.

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What to include in a Personal Statement

Personal Statement Tips

Masters personal statement.

Applying for postgraduate courses is a different process to undergraduate.

A master’s personal statement is a bit different from an undergraduate personal statement . While the particulars may change, the basics remain the same.

Individuals have to apply directly to each university they are interested in instead of applying through the UCAS website.

This mostly holds advantages of not having to pay a fee for applying, but it does mean that you have to spend more time on each application and your master’s personal statement, as well as the master’s application personal statement.

If at any point a word or phrase jumps out at you in this article for that you’re unfamiliar with, check out our university terms glossary and learn the definition right there!

Or alternatively, if you're writing your personal statement for a master’s, look at our personal statement examples and see if there is a master’s personal statement example that inspires you!

How to write a master’s personal statement

When it comes to writing a master’s personal statement, the principles are the same for this as they are for every other personal statement, but the specifics of the level of study will obviously change.

A personal statement for s master’s degree should focus on the things that you have learned at undergraduate level and should speak about your passion for the subject that you're studying. When it comes to writing a personal statement for master’s, you should also reference whatever experience you have in these areas as well.

When writing a master’s degree personal statement, make sure you are positive. Try and avoid negativities when speaking about your passion for the subject and the course you're applying for, which you can find in any master’s personal statement examples.

Applying to individual universities

Even though it will take up more time to apply individually for each course, it does offer several advantages. Firstly, you will be able to adjust your personal statement and application to cater for that institution. It will increase your chances of receiving an offer over having to write one sole statement and application for several universities.

It also will ensure that you only apply to universities and degree courses that you have given serious thought to, as you wouldn’t want to waste hours applying for something you are not completely sure about.

Undergraduate personal statements

The undergraduate personal statement will feature heavily on their studies up to further education level – mostly secondary school and sixth form or college. Students may also discuss their passions and why they find the subject interesting. Individuals at this level are limited as they haven’t truly expanded their knowledge within a subject or studied key themes, for instance, Law.

You won't need necessarily need to do that with personal statement master’s.

Postgraduate study requires more pizazz

When writing a personal statement for a master’s, it’s worth remembering that most postgraduate applications will be directly looked over by course leaders or lecturers from that course. The difference in the number of student admissions between undergraduate and postgraduate is tenfold.

Postgraduate courses will have smaller classes, with some only featuring a handful of students and this is normal. But that can also translate to harder competition. There is a smaller number of available spaces, and even though fewer people apply, you still need to ensure your application stands out to receive an offer.

Draw from your undergraduate degree

When it comes to writing the personal statement for your UCAS application , it is vital that you mostly draw from your undergraduate degree experience – and not anything previous unless it is completely relevant to do so. Universities won’t be interested in a project you completed during GCSE or A Level because that will indicate that it occurred several years ago, and imply you haven’t completed anything worth mentioning since.

If it was an extraordinary event or project, or relates to something from your undergraduate degree that you do want to discuss then you can make it relevant. However, do try to avoid talking about irrelevant parts of previous education when applying for a postgraduate degree course.

There are several different areas regarding your undergraduate degree that you can discuss throughout your personal statement. You can talk about different projects and individual assignments that you either found easy, hard, interesting or eye-opening or any that are related to modules listed in the postgraduate course.

Extra-curricular activities are more important

During the three years at an undergraduate level, individuals would have become involved with societies, movements, marches, projects and extracurricular activities. Maybe you created a new society? Or maybe you attended regular talks set up by your university?

If this is the case then do discuss this within your masters personal statement, this will show course leaders that you have expanded your mind and activities through a number of ways. It displays a passion for the subject and for learning that you can’t gain from a textbook or a journal article.

Career aspirations

Career aspirations are ever more prudent for a master’s personal statement. Studying a Postgraduate Diploma , Certificate of Higher Education , Diploma of Higher Education , other certificates or Master’s degree course are not necessary for every job and career out there, but they tend to be studied to improve job prospects even further. Discussing future plans will show that you take this degree seriously – and not just avoiding the fact that you have to be an adult and get a job.

Universities respect postgraduate students and their decisions, and this means that if you want to study that course due to a keen interest, career aspiration or as a stepping stone to another qualification, then you should state the reason.

Read the prospectus

Candidates should also spend time reading through the course specifications, how it is assessed, how long it is and what modules are included. At postgraduate level, it is extremely important that you are studying the right course.

Research modules and assessments

Discussing the modules and specialist areas that the postgraduate degree course offers shows admission tutors that you have researched this degree and feel sure of your decision.

The majority of postgraduate degree applicants do take their studies seriously and find that they enhance their employment prospects as well as specialise in an area that they are incredibly passionate about. The skills of writing and structuring a piece of text that you learned throughout your undergraduate degree course will only help you write an amazing personal statement for your application.

When writing your personal statement, there are plenty of master’s personal statement examples to help you to gain inspiration, which will keep you more in tune with what you’re doing and will track what you’re doing well. If you look at an example of a personal statement for a master’s, remember not to plagiarise.

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Writing a personal statement for teacher training

These guidelines apply to applications for a PGCE or Schools Direct which are both made through Apply on the .Gov website

Include the following:

• Your reasons for teaching: Avoid clichés like, "I've always wanted to be a teacher".
• Choice of programme: Demonstrate that you have made a well-researched and informed choice. Show your knowledge of Initial Teacher Training providers.
• Knowledge and commitment to the age range you are applying for: If you are applying for both primary and secondary places in the same application, you need to make a strong case for your preferred option.
• Subject specific commitment: Subject tutors read the forms, so if you are applying for secondary it is important to mention this.
• Enthusiasm: Selectors look for clear-headed, informed enthusiasm. You need to demonstrate you understand the demands of the profession. Why would you be a good teacher?
• the national curriculum, national strategies and subject organisations eg The Association of Science Education
• classroom management (behaviour, groups, resources, timing and pastoral care)
• teachers roles and responsibilities
• classroom organisation
• differentiation- special education needs (SEN)
• the role of ICT
• assessment for learning
• awareness of possible gaps - eg if you have a C grade in English and are applying for primary, you need to show that you are willing to polish up
• Mention any geographical restrictions you have, as these may be taken into account.
• Get advice on your personal statement
• Information on routes into teaching

Further advice

• From the Department for Education
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Writing a personal statement

Here is our advice on how best to show us what you have to offer and give us a sense of who you are as an individual. 

What are we looking for?

We are looking for excellent writing and a statement that is personal and unique to you. We want to understand:

• Your passion for your subject
• How you are a good fit for your chosen programme
• What you will bring to the university community

Before you start

Read the programme description and the modules offered.

Think about what skills, qualities, and experiences might be needed for a programme like this. 

Think about examples from your life that demonstrate these skills, qualities and experiences.

• Academic studies
• Extra-curricular activities
• Personal interests
• Achievements
• Exhibitions visited
• Competitions
• Work experience
• Taster days 
• Field trips
• Volunteering experience
• Were you inspired by the experience? What was inspiring about it?
• Did it make you want to learn more about something? 
• What did you learn through this experience about the subject? 
• Did you learn anything about yourself through this experience?
• Did you gain transferable skills through this experience? For example, teamwork, communication, or leadership skills? 

Your main focus should be on demonstrating your interest in, and describing your engagement with, the subject itself. The majority of your statement, around 75-85%, should focus on this subject, with the remaining 15-25% on extra-curricular activities or career aspirations. 

First draft

From all of your examples, and bearing in mind the structure, choose a few that are most relevant, and write about them in a detailed, specific, and reflective way. Relate these back to the skills, qualities, and experiences that you have identified are relevant to your chosen programme. 

Don’t forget: 

• Allow your passion for the subject to shine
• Show why are a good fit for your chosen programme
• Show what you will bring to our UCL community

Before you submit

Ask a teacher, advisor, friend or family member to read your statement and support you to think of other examples that you might have missed. Ask them to do a final spelling and grammar check.

Read your statement aloud to check that it flows well.

Make sure it is truthful and honest; some courses have an interview element so the admissions selector may ask you to expand further on something you wrote in your statement. 

Make sure it is applicable to all five of your UCAS choices; remember you can only submit one personal statement with your UCAS form.

Proofread for a final time. 

Our top tips

• 75%-85% of the statement must be about the subject
• Select only your best examples
• Reflect on your experiences
• Stay focused and relevant
• Let your passion for your subject shine
• Avoid clichés and bland, vague statements
• Proofread before submitting

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Coventry City vs. Manchester United - FA Cup Semifinals | Channel, Stream, Preview

• Updated: Apr. 20, 2024, 6:34 p.m. |
• Published: Apr. 20, 2024, 6:34 p.m.

Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo, centre, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Liverpool at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, April 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson) AP

• Tyler Kuehl | [email protected]

LONDON, U.K. -- The final four teams remaining in the 2023-24 FA Cup season get set to punch their tickets to the final match this weekend.

On Sunday, one of the most storied clubs in football will face an underdog looking to spoil the party, as Manchester United takes on Coventry City.

• Watch the FA Cup on ESPN+

Manchester United might be tailing off from challenging for a UEFA Champions League spot in the English Premier League, or even a Europa League spot for that matter, but that has not deterred the club from trying to get back to the FA Cup Final for the second straight season.

This is the Red Devils’ fourth trip to the semifinals since 2017, with ManU making it to the championship match twice. The team had favorable draws early in their season, only having to face one EPL club, Nottingham Forest, in their first three matches. However, they met a strong Liverpool side in the quarterfinals, with Manchester United rallying to win 4-3 in extra time.

Coventry is trying to do something that has not been done in 16 years, and that is an EFL Championship squad advancing to the FA Cup Final. The last team to accomplish the feat since Cardiff City fell to Portsmouth in the 2008 Final.

This is the first time Coventry has made it to the semifinals since they won it all in the 1986-87 season. You could argue the club has had an easy path to the final four, as they got to play clubs like sixth-tier Maidstone United in the fifth round. However, they took down EPL side Wolverhampton in the quarterfinals.

Manchester United is 43-17-23 against Coventry City, with Coventry actually beating ManU in their last meeting during the 2007 Carabao Cup.

2023-24 FA CUP SEMIFINALS

Coventry City FC vs. Manchester United FC

When: Sunday, April 21

Time: 10:30 a.m. ET

Where: Wembley Stadium (London, U.K.)

Stream: ESPN+

Check out full FA Cup fixtures and results here

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Huw Edwards resigns from the BBC after 40 years ‘on medical advice’

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Huw Edwards has resigned from the BBC ‘on medical advice’, it has been announced in a statement.

‘Huw Edwards has today resigned and left the BBC. After 40 years of service, Huw has explained that his decision was made on the basis of medical advice from his doctors,’ the announcement read.

‘The BBC has accepted his resignation which it believes will allow all parties to move forward. We don’t believe it appropriate to comment further.’

It was recently reported that Edwards, 62, had still been receiving his six-figure salary from the broadcaster eight months after his last TV appearance.

The news broadcaster – who was the lead presenter of BBC News at Ten – was suspended by the corporation last July following allegations that he paid more than £35,000 to a young person who sent him sexually explicit images.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that there was no evidence to suggest that a criminal offence had been committed.

In July 2023, Edwards’ wife, Vicky Flind, issued a statement on his behalf , saying that he was ‘suffering from serious mental health issues’.

‘In light of the recent reporting regarding the “BBC Presenter” I am making this statement on behalf of my husband Huw Edwards, after what have been five extremely difficult days for our family,’ she said at the time.

‘I am doing this primarily out of concern for his mental well-being and to protect our children.

‘Huw is suffering from serious mental health issues. As is well documented, he has been treated for severe depression in recent years.

‘The events of the last few days have greatly worsened matters, he has suffered another serious episode and is now receiving in-patient hospital care where he’ll stay for the foreseeable future.

‘Once well enough to do so, he intends to respond to the stories that have been published. To be clear Huw was first told that there were allegations being made against him last Thursday.’

Flind continued: ‘In the circumstances and given Huw’s condition I would like to ask that the privacy of my family and everyone else caught up in these upsetting events is respected.

‘I know that Huw is deeply sorry that so many colleagues have been impacted by the recent media speculation. We hope this statement will bring that to an end.’

In November last year, it was claimed that Edwards was expected to leave the BBC after an internal enquiry into his conduct at the broadcaster had been carried out.

A BBC spokesperson told Metro.co.uk at the time: ‘We would urge people not to indulge in speculation – as we have previously explained, we will not provide a commentary on what is an internal employment process nor on the latest bit of speculation on how things might stand.’

In addition to being accused of paying a young person £35,000 for explicit photographs, a second young person claimed that they were sent expletive-filled abusive messages from Edwards.

A third also said that the broadcaster broke lockdown rules to meet them .

It was alleged by Newsnight that Edwards sent ‘inappropriate’ and ‘suggestive’ messages to junior BBC employees, but the messages were not deemed to be criminal.

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Money latest: 'Stealth' raid on Britons' inheritance revealed; urgent Aldi recall amid police probe; petrol price spikes

Inheritance tax receipts surged to a record high last year due to the government freezing the threshold at which you start to pay. Read this plus all the latest consumer and personal finance news below - and listen to the latest Ian King Business Podcast as you scroll.

Tuesday 23 April 2024 20:41, UK

• Inflation falling doesn't mean we should cut interest rates, Bank of England economist says
• More Britons paying inheritance tax after chancellor freezes threshold - so how can you beat it?
• Aldi recalls product amid police investigation
• Petrol prices hit 150p a litre for first time since November

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• Listen to the Ian King Business Podcast above and tap here to follow wherever you get your podcasts

Tesco is being monitored by the UK's supermarket regulator after it began imposing an "Amazon-style" fulfilment fee on online suppliers, according to The Times. 

The supermarket faced criticism after it imposed the fee, which is linked to processing orders, picking and shipping products, and managing returns. 

Brands and suppliers said the fee could put many of them out of business. 

Tesco argued it made the decision after its own fulfilment costs grew when it expanded its online operations.

The smallest suppliers with contracts of £250,000 or less are exempt, but bigger suppliers pay from 12p per item for branded goods and 5p for own brands.

Carpetright has been hit by a cyberattack which has prevented it from trading across its 400 UK stores for almost a week, according to a report. 

Customers have been unable to place orders in its shops since last Thursday, staff told The Times. 

A spokeswoman added that online customers were "largely unaffected" and would be able to make new orders - but the attack will still be a financial blow for the flooring chain. 

BP is rolling out a new crime logging platform and body-worn cameras to improve safety for its staff members. 

The app-based platform will allow staff to report incidents and get in touch with police, as well as helping BP to identify offenders targeting multiple sites across its business. 

The platform will also send an alert when repeat offenders or vehicles of interest are reported on the platform in the local area. 

The government has announced a UK-wide ban on wet wipes containing plastic in a bid to reduce pollution.

According to the Marine Conservation Society, 11 billion wet wipes are used in the UK each year. Of these, 90% contain plastic. 

Discarded wet wipes frequently litter Britain's beaches and eventually break down into microplastics, which contribute to water pollution and damage ecosystems.

The ban, announced yesterday, should go through parliament this summer.

Read more here ...

Rising private school fees are forcing parents to take out loans, move house or turn to taking money from relatives.

More than 71% of 2,000 people surveyed in the Saltus Wealth Index report said the rising cost of private school tuition was impacting choices regarding their children.

Mike Stimpson, a partner at Saltus, said fees had increased by 6% from 2022-23 and were likely to increase another 5% this September. 

Out of the respondents, 21% said they would have to move their children out of private school.

Private school costs average around £24,000 a year, according to The Good Schools Guide.

Rising cigarette prices are prompting more people to quit smoking.

While health concerns still remained the top reason for quitting in a survey of nearly 6,000 people, a quarter of respondents said it was down to the cost of cigarettes - up from a fifth before the pandemic. 

The average price of a packet of 20 cigarettes is more than £14. 

Highlighting the savings that could be made by quitting smoking could help more people to stop, the University College London study said. 

The FTSE-100 has hit a second all-time closing high in as many days. The index of the UK's biggest 100 listed companies, having earlier hit a new intra-day high of 8,075.52 at just after 8.24am, finished the session up 20.94 points, around 0.26%, at 8044.81.

It's worth noting, though, the Footsie has been a relative laggard this year. The S&P 500, America's top stock index, is up 6.91% so far in 2024, Japan's Nikkei 225 is up 12.81% and Germany's DAX 40 is up by 8.30%. 

The Footsie, by contrast, is up by a mere 4.05% even after the rally of recent sessions. So it can hardly be said to be doing well compared with international peers. On top of those already mentioned, the MIB in Italy is up by 13.24% this year and the CAC 40 in France by 7.46%, for example.

Nonetheless, the Footsie hitting a new record close two days running is notable.

There is no shortage of reasons why. 

The most obvious is the recent weakness in sterling. The pound hit a five-month low against an international basket of currencies on Monday following comments from Sir Dave Ramsden, a deputy governor of the Bank of England, on Friday afternoon in which he pointed to the growing likelihood of interest rate cuts in the near future. 

That has weakened the pound against the US dollar in particular. 

Since three-quarters of earnings of FTSE-100 companies are denominated in other currencies, chiefly the US dollar, a fall in the pound against those currencies makes the future earnings generated by Footsie companies - whose shares are denominated in sterling - cheaper to buy in those currencies.

That was certainly behind the big rally seen on Monday -although today sterling rallied on comments from Huw Pill, the Bank's chief economist, which suggests there is more going on. That something is the relative cheapness of the Footsie in comparison with its peers. 

The Footsie currently trades on a price/earnings (P/E) ratio of just 13.22 times - in other words, £1 invested in the index today would be repaid 13.22 years from now. 

That is cheap when set against the DAX in Germany, which trades on a P/E of 14.87 times and the CAC in France, which trades on a P/E of 15.91 times or the SMI in Switzerland, which is on 14.52 times. 

The main US indices, meanwhile, cavort along on P/E ratios of more than 20 times. Only Spain's leading stock index, the IBEX, looks cheaper than the Footsie by comparison.

The conclusion that should emphatically not be drawn is that the Footsie's recent rally is anything to do with the UK's economic outlook, even though the latter is visibly improving. 

The index is chock-full of companies that have little or nothing to do with the UK - such as Fresnillo, a Mexican gold and silver miner; Antofagasta, a Chilean copper and gold miner; and Ashtead Group, a plant and tool hire company which derives £90 in every £100 it earns from the US. 

Even companies thought of as British, such as BP, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, Shell and Diageo, the world's biggest scotch whisky and tequila producer, derive the vast majority of their earnings outside the UK. In fact, of the 20 biggest companies in the Footsie, only one - the Lloyds Banking Group - can be said to make most of its income in the UK.

For a better gauge of how corporate Britain is doing, investors are better off looking at the FTSE 250, the next biggest 250 listed companies on the London Stock Exchange and home to household names such as Bellway, Games Workshop and ITV.

Some of these also derive a fair chunk of earnings from outside the UK, such as the cruise operator Carnival, the ingredients producer Tate & Lyle and the catalytic converters group Johnson Matthey. 

But it is also replete with companies that make most or all of their earnings in the UK, such as the property trio British Land, LondonMetric Property and Derwent London, the housebuilder Bellway and everyone's favourite sausage roll emporium Greggs.

In short, the FTSE 250 is a much better guide to sentiment towards UK companies than the FTSE-100. The bad news is that it is only up by a paltry 0.6% this year so far.

Labour has added an amendment to the government's Renters (Reform) Bill that would prevent landlords from selling a property for two years after a tenancy has begun. 

Under the rule, landlords would have to wait two years from the tenancy start date before initiating repossession proceedings. 

The bill aims to reform the private rental sector, and also includes plans to scrap "no fault" evictions, make it illegal for landlords to refuse to rent out to those on benefits or with children, and create a national landlord register. 

It is being debated tomorrow and is in the report stage, meaning MPs can consider further amendments. 

Any amendments will need to be voted through.

Other significant amendments include prevemting tenants from giving notice to quit until they have been in a property for four months. 

As tenants have to give two months' notice, this effectively means they will need to stay in a property for six months. 

Tory MP Natalie Elphicke has also added an amendment requiring landlords to pay renters and unspecified relocation fee if if they asked them to leave a property within the first two years of a tenancy.

Recent falls in inflation may have spurred talk of interest rate cuts, but the Bank of England's deputy governor has said this is not necessarily enough reason to slash rates. 

Speaking at the University of Chicago, Huw Pill said it would be better to cut rates too late rather than too early. 

He said little had changed with the inflation and interest rate situation since late March, and that there were "greater risks" associated with going too early. 

Despite optimism among some, Mr Pill said there is still a "reasonable way to go" before inflation has stabilised to the level needed for the UK to meet its 2% inflation target in a sustainable way. 

"This assessment further supports my relatively cautious approach to starting to reduce Bank rate," he said. 

Mr Pill had voted to keep the Bank rate unchanged at 5.25% in the most recent meetings of the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee in March. 

Inflation currently stands at 3.2% - the lowest rate since September 2021. 

This is still above the Bank's target of 2%. 

The next Bank rate decision is next week - but markets don't expect a cut then. June is seen as more likely - though Mr Pill's comments cast some doubt on that.

Petrol prices are exceeding 150p per litre for the first time since last November, according to new data.

Figures from the website Fuel Prices Online shows typical pump prices reached 150.1p per litre on Monday.

The average price of a litre of diesel is also at the highest level since November 2023, at 158.3p.

Experts say rising fuel prices in recent weeks can be attributed to an increase in the cost of oil and a weakening of the pound versus the US dollar.

AA fuel price spokesman Luke Bosdet said while inflation was heading downwards, petrol's rebound to 150p a litre left a "big boulder in the road".

He said: "Five days of falling wholesale costs, with the value of oil coming off the boil, offers hope that pump prices may not get much worse in the short-term.

"However, road fuel priced above 150p a litre grabs the attention of drivers and will lead some to re-tighten their belts on other spending."

The annual 100 fastest growing UK businesses list has been published, with the country's largest electric vehicle fast charging network in top spot.

Environmentally conscious companies dominate the ORESA Growth Index 2024 - with three of the top 10 companies participating in the clean and renewable energy market.

There was also success for the retail sector, with 24 businesses in the list, while the construction and logistics sectors have also seen signs of recovery since the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Topping this year's list is Basingstoke-based green energy business InstaVolt, which had an annual growth rate of 362.55%.

The company is the largest owner-operator of rapid public chargers in the UK, with 1,500 charging points.

In 2022-23, the company's third financial year, its revenues hit £18.6m.

Here's the top 10...

Regional success

While London and the South East dominate the list with 59 companies, Northern Ireland has four - up from zero in the past two years. 

Companies from Yorkshire and Humber and the North East have increased from six to 10 and from zero to one respectively, while the East Midlands has gone down to six from nine in 2023. 

Inheritance tax receipts surged to a record high last year due to the government freezing the threshold at which you start to pay.

Official figures show the government received £7.5bn in inheritance tax (IHT) receipts in the financial year to the end of March - an increase of £400m on the same period the previous year. 

(More widely, total tax receipts were £827.7bn - £39.1bn higher than the same period last year - due in part to inflation and other tax threshold freezes.)

Inheritance tax is a tax on the estate of someone who has died - including all property, possessions and money - and is only charged above the tax-free threshold of £325,000. 

This threshold has been frozen by the chancellor until 2028.

So, with inflation boosting the value of people's estates, more people are being dragged above the threshold.

The standard inheritance tax rate is 40%. 

Jonathan Halberda, specialist financial adviser at Wesleyan Financial Services, says more families "can expect to be caught in its net".

So what can be done to ensure families can keep their wealth? 

Use the inheritance tax spouse exemption

Mr Halberda says if you leave your entire estate to your spouse or civil partner, there will be no inheritance tax to pay - even if its value exceeds £325,000. 

Make a will

Doing this can mean you can distribute assets to take advantage of tax-free allowances. 

"Assets in trusts are no longer in your name and therefore not considered when valuing your estate for inheritance tax," Mr Halberda says. 

Gift giving 

Gifting money or assets to loved ones before you die can avoid inheritance tax, but there are limits on how much you can give away and who to. 

Gifts to charity 

Leaving gifts to registered UK charities in your will is exempt from inheritance tax.

By Daniel Binns, business reporter

The FTSE 100 has hit another all-time high this morning following its record performance yesterday.

The index, of the 100 most valuable companies on the London Stock Exchange, soared to 8,071 points shortly after the opening. It marks a new "intraday" (during the day) record.

Later in the morning, the FTSE 100 eased back to 8,060 points, but was still up nearly 0.5% on yesterday. The score is based on a calculation of the total value of the shares on the index.

It comes after the index reported a record-high closing figure of 8,023 yesterday following a fall in the value of the pound. A lower pound makes it cheaper for foreign investors to invest in FTSE companies.

One of the reasons the pound is falling against the dollar is interest rates are expected to stay higher for longer in the US - meaning investors will get better returns on their US investments.

The strong performance this morning raises the prospect we could see another record close at the end of today's trading.

Danni Hewson, from investment platform AJ Bell, said the figures were "psychologically important for investors and for London markets as a whole" as the capital has been lagging behind its rivals, particularly the US, in recent years.

Among the firms doing very well this morning is JD Sports. The retailer's shares are up more than 7% in early trading following reports that it is set to buy US rival Hibbett for $1.08bn (£0.87bn).

On the currency markets, £1 will buy you $1.23 US or €1.15, similar to yesterday's five-month lows for the pound.

The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil is up almost 1% at nearly $88 (£71) this morning.

Aldi has recalled one of its products and a police investigation has been launched over fears it "may have been tampered with".

The supermarket has pulled its Village Bakery 8 Tortilla Wraps White, citing safety fears over the "possible presence of metal". 

The recall affects items with best before dates up to and including 29 April 2024, and with a pack size of 8x62g.

Anyone who has bought the item is being urged to bring it back to their nearest Aldi. 

Notices have been posted at the stores telling customers not to eat the wraps. 

Aldi said its products go through "rigorous safety and quality checks" and the item was being recalled as a "precautionary measure".

"As there is an active police investigation we are not able to comment any further on this matter at this time," it said. 

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) also said Signature Flatbreads UK, which makes the wraps, is "working with the relevant food and police agencies to investigate the cause of the contamination".

No other items from the company are affected, it said.

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Keep these 10 financial documents forever. Scan and shred the rest.

Always hold onto birth certificates and social security cards, but it’s okay to cast off those old bank statements.

No matter how digital we’ve become, we’re still a paper nation.

Are your financial documents stuffed in a closet, files, shopping bags or stacked up on the floor?

Get Michelle’s advice free in your inbox

You may prefer to view it as organized chaos. But isn’t it really just a manifestation of your inability to discern what you need and what you should let go?

When I look at the piles of paper in my office accumulated throughout the past year, I know it’s time for another document dump. It’s part of my spring cleaning ritual .

Sometimes we hold onto all that paper because we aren’t sure what to keep and what to toss. Here’s a rundown of what should be retained.

Forever documents

Certain papers should be kept in a safe location where they are protected from damage, loss and theft. Such original documents, which may be hard or costly to replace, include:

• Birth certificates and adoption papers
• Death certificates
• Marriage and divorce records
• Social Security cards. Yes, you know the number, but there may be an occasion where you have to produce the actual card.
• Military service records, including discharge documents. An honorably discharged service member is eligible to receive funeral and burial benefits.
• Loan payoff statements. Here’s something important: If you negotiated to pay less than what you owed on a debt, keep the original agreement in perpetuity. Often when debt is sold to debt collectors for pennies on the dollar, the sale doesn’t include a lot of information, including documentation proving a payoff.
• Year-end pay stubs. If a company goes out of business you may not be able to track down the information should you need it later.
• Retirement or pension records. Be sure to keep the records from previous jobs.
• Estate documents
• Funeral programs. Although many funeral homes will post an obituary online, they are often shortened versions of the program you might receive at the service. I have a folder of programs because they contain a wealth of information that can be helpful in estate planning, including maiden names and other family history you might need. (In this case, I like keeping the originals rather than a scanned version.)

Loan documents: Keep original loan documents and statements until you have paid off the loan. Then, save the paperwork verifying the balance was paid in full. My husband and I are coming up on one year of paying off our home . I may be a little paranoid, but I’m keeping the original documentation.

Vehicle title: Keep the original as long as you own the vehicle.

Receipts for big-ticket items: For insurance purposes, in case of fire or theft, save receipts for big-screen TVs, computers and other major purchases. Hold on to each receipt as long as you own the item. Personally, I like to keep the original, but a scanned copy should be fine.

Home improvement purchase orders, receipts, canceled checks: Keep proof of any upgrades until you sell the home. If you have a capital gain from selling your primary home, you may qualify to exclude as much as $250,000 from your income or as much as $500,000 if you file a joint return with your spouse.

If you exceed these limits, here’s where having proof of the capital improvements helps your tax situation: “When you make a home improvement, such as installing central air conditioning or replacing the roof, you can’t deduct the cost in the year you spend the money,” according to TurboTax. “But, if you keep track of those expenses, they may help you reduce your taxes in the year you sell your house.”

Investment statements: If they are available online, you do not need paper copies. The most important reason to maintain these records would be to establish your cost basis when selling an asset to make sure you claim the proper capital gain or loss on your tax return.

3 to 7 years

Tax records: Record-keeping guidelines are tied to statutes of limitations. That’s generally three years, but it’s seven years for worthless securities and bad debts, according to IRS spokesman Eric Smith.

“For most people, the tax-related statute of limitations is pretty straightforward,” he said.

But there are special circumstances that extend that time. For example, getting a tax-filing extension, serving in a combat zone, qualifying for a disaster-area deadline postponement or a financial disability.

You must keep records, such as receipts, canceled checks and other documents that support an item of income, a deduction or a credit appearing on a return, according to the IRS.

But it doesn’t have to be an original. Scan and shred. The agency will accept a legible digital copy of a document.

“Electronic storage is also fine, as long as they can be retrieved, if needed,” Smith said.

Why keep even a scanned version after several years?

Your past returns contain your financial history — employment, investments and charitable giving choices.

But you won’t have to worry about having a scanned copy if you have an IRS online account. With an account, you can access a transcript of your return.

Maintaining years of tax returns can help if you ever need to research payments made into Social Security .

Medical bills: If you paid a medical expense with your health savings or flexible spending account, keep the receipt for three years. Consider it a tax-related document.

If you want more personal finance advice that's timeless, order your copy of Michelle Singletary's Money Milestones.

Credit card statements: Companies will provide you with a year-end statement that categorizes all expenses. If that works for you, shred the monthly statements you may have been getting in the mail.

And if you’re still getting paper statements, stop. Get them e-delivered. I still scan and save statements in case I close an account and no longer have online access.

Less than a year

There is no need to keep all those ATM or retail receipts. Once you get your statements, you can shred and toss.

Word of caution

I’ve mentioned this before, but be sure to research online services that will backup your scanned documents. By the way, an external hard drive attached to your computer is still vulnerable to hackers.

Make sure you also regularly update your computer software. The Washington Post’s Help Desk is a great source to help secure information.

B.O.M. — The best of Michelle Singletary on personal finance

If you have a personal finance question for Washington Post columnist Michelle Singletary, please call 1-855-ASK-POST (1-855-275-7678).

My mortgage payoff story: My husband and I paid off the house in the spring of 2023 thanks to making extra payments and taking advantage of a mortgage recast . Even though it lowered my perfect 850 credit score and my column about it sparked some serious debate with readers, it was one of the best financial decisions I’ve made.

Credit card debt: If you’re in the habit of carrying credit card debt, stop. It’s just a myth that it will boost your credit score. For those looking to get out of credit card debt, see if a balance transfer is right for you.

Money moves for life: For a more sweeping overview of my timeless money advice, see Michelle Singletary’s Money Milestones . The interactive package offers guidance for every life stage, whether you’re just starting out in your career or planning for retirement. You can also purchase a copy for yourself or as a gift.

Test yourself: Not rich and wondering what it’ll take to build your wealth? Take this quiz for my wealth-building tips.

Viola V. Madsen

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