Tokenised deposits: Lloyds, NatWest and Barclays have completed the first interbank transactions using blockchain-based tokenised deposits, with HSBC and others running a separate peer-to-peer payment trial as part of the Great British Tokenised Deposit initiative. Banking access: Lloyds Banking Group confirmed 19 branch closures (Halifax, Lloyds and RBS) ahead of October, pointing customers to apps and remote services. Savings pressure: Skipton warns cash ISA savers may be stuck on low rates (average 1.94%) ahead of rule changes next year, while households with over £10,000 in savings face a warning tied to Andy Burnham’s cash ISA shift. Pensions dashboard: The DWP says a pensions dashboard update will connect 85% of records (about 70m private pots) and could help people track lost pensions worth around £9,500 on Gov.uk MoneyHelper from 2027/28. Cost-of-living & rates: Bank of England deputy governor Clare Lombardelli said a rate rise is “increasingly likely” if energy prices stay high. Consumer mood: The BRC-Opinium monitor showed expectations for the economy and personal finances weakening in September. Fintech & payments: Amaiz launched an international payments service using local banking rails to send money to 96 countries, aiming for faster delivery than SWIFT. Data privacy: Class action firm Edelson Lechtzin is investigating the Lincoln Investment Planning data breach affecting at least 1,867 people in Massachusetts and potentially more nationwide. Jobs: Admiral Insurance plans to cut around 500 UK roles in its insurance transformation. Wealth investing: Platforum reports UK D2C investing is growing faster than adviser platforms, with neo-brokers gaining traction and established players cutting charges. Energy investment: Econergy secured up to €160m equity from Phoenix Financial to back Romanian solar-plus-storage projects.