We're signing off for the day, and we'll leave you with some reading for your commute which might help make your evening run that little bit smoother...

Vets may have to publish clearer price lists for common treatments under new government plans.

In the first major overhaul of the sector in 60 years - which hope to help pet owners avoid unexpected costs - vets will also have to make clear if they are independent or part of a chain.

They will need an official operating licence - similar to GP surgeries and care homes - and will have to provide an "easier and more effective route" for customers to raise concerns.

Animal welfare minister Baroness Hayman said pet owners "deserve clear information, fair treatment and confidence in the care their animals receive".

Competition and Market Authority inquiry chairman Martin Coleman said he welcomed the proposals, adding that the "current rules are not fit for purpose and need reforming to keep pace with commercial practice".

A consultation on the proposals will run for eight weeks.

We previously explained the changes suggested by the CMA in October... 

McDonald's is cutting its vegan menu to just one burger. 

The fast food chain is saying goodbye to veggie dippers, the veggie dipper happy meal, the vegetable deluxe and the spicy veggie wrap under the changes, leaving only the McPlant burger.

The items will start being removed from the menu on 3 February. 

McDonald's told Money it had reviewed feedback and sales data, and it was now focused on developing better options. 

"While McPlant remains a firm fan favourite and will continue to be the go-to choice for our vegetarian and vegan customers, we recognise these changes may be disappointing for some," a spokesperson said. 

"We are actively learning from other markets to understand which vegetarian and vegan options are proving most popular and exploring exciting new offerings that we know customers will love." 

Savers will not be able to use the new Lifetime ISAs to save for retirement and will not be paid their 25% bonus monthly under government plans. 

The new product, which was confirmed by the government in the autumn budget, will only be available to first-time buyers, and the 25% bonus will instead be paid when money is withdrawn to purchase a home, Money understands. 

It's understood that this will remove the need for a withdrawal charge and means a saver can withdraw funds, should their circumstances change, without penalty.

A consultation on the details of the new product will begin early this year, and it should be launched in April 2028. 

Until then, savers can still open LISAs under the present rules.

At the moment, LISAs offer a tax-free bonus of 25% on savings up to £4,000 a year. 

You are allowed to withdraw funds penalty-free to buy a home worth up to £450,000, for retirement from the age of 60 or if you are terminally ill and have less than 12 months to live.

Any other withdrawals face a 25% charge.

An HM Treasury spokesperson told Money: "We recognise that the Lifetime ISA is not working for everyone, particularly when people's circumstances change. 

"That is why we intend to consult on a new and improved product, specifically designed to support first-time buyers and without penalty for withdrawals."

There was chatter in the Paste BN office this morning after some of us woke up to notifications from Facebook and Instagram asking if we wanted to pay £3.99 a month for their platforms - or continue to use them for free.

So what are you paying for? Essentially, it's to get rid of personalised ads. 

We knew the subscription was coming after Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, announced it in September. 

But if you've also just received a notification, here's what you need to know when deciding whether to pay... 

How much is it? 

Subscribers who use the Facebook or Instagram app will pay £3.99 a month to remove ads, while those who use the web version will pay £2.99. 

Meta said the app was more expensive due to fees charged by Apple and Google through their purchasing policies.  

These charges apply per account. Additional accounts are charged a £2 per month for web and £3 a month for app. 

Who is getting the notifications?

Meta said it was notifying UK users over the age of 18 that they had the option to go ad-free. 

You get the notification when logging into your account or opening the app. 

It will be dismissible at first to give you time to think about your decision, but will then require you to select an option before continuing. 

What happens if you don't subscribe?

If you decide not to sign up, you will continue to see personalised ads. 

You will still have the option to set your ad preferences in the settings, which allows you to influence the adverts you see and the data that's used to choose the ads that appear. 

Meta has made it clear it does not sell your personal data to advertisers.

Why is it introducing the subscription? 

The changes come after the UK's data watchdog, the Information Commissioner's Office, published guidance for companies about ad-free subscriptions last year. 

Meta said it would give people a "clear choice about whether their data is used for personalised advertising, while preserving the free access and value that the ads-supported internet creates for people, businesses and platforms". 

The advertising model, known as "consent or pay", acts as a way for digital platforms to generate revenue from users who decline to be tracked across its services. 

Some news outlets have adopted the model, asking people to accept cookies to access their site or "reject and pay". 

By James Sillars, business and economics reporter 

Gold has hit a new record high after whizzing past the $5,000 per ounce mark on Monday.

The precious metal's value crossed $5,300 a short time ago. It's become a place for investors to park their cash as a hedge against trouble elsewhere while continued dollar weakness has made it more attractive to foreign investors.

The US dollar has recovered a bit of poise after falling to a four-year low earlier in the day.

Its value against a basket of international currencies has slumped when you look across the past year and all the global uncertainties created by Donald Trump.

Why it's happening, and the ramifications, are explained in the link below.

A pound is currently trading just below $1.37 - down a bit on the previous day when the president declared the dollar was doing "great".

A weaker dollar aids his trade war in that it should also help bring the US trade deficit down.

There are pros and cons for both the US and the rest of the world from the currency hit.

The FTSE 100 was trading down 0.4%, despite support from precious metal miners exposed to gold and energy stocks.

AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould said: "A weaker US currency is a headwind for the large contingent in the index which derive their revenue from across the Atlantic - although it continues to provide support to dollar-denominated gold."

Single father Roger Shergill, 42, says the government’s announcement on leasehold reforms has "come with some tears" and given him "a sense of relief and hope". 

Ground rents for leaseholders are to be capped at £250 a year, dropping to a peppercorn after 40 years, the government announced yesterday.

A peppercorn is a nominal amount, usually meaning nothing.

The change will come into force from 2028. New leasehold flats will also be banned.

Shergill told Paste BN he is paying £600 annually in ground rent on his leasehold flat in southwest Dorset. He said those bills, alongside the service charge, were making the flat unsellable and preventing him from moving.

BrewDog won't be making spirits anymore, with jobs feared to be at risk as a result.

The firm is closing its distilling brands, meaning it will no longer produce any of its spirits in Aberdeenshire, including Duo Rum, Abstrakt Vodka and Lonewolf Gin.

BrewDog says it will now focus on its beer brands, including the popular Punk IPA and Hazy Jane, and its Wonderland cocktail range.

Its distilling operation will come to a close over the next few months, but it will honour existing supply commitments.

A decision is yet to be made on the future of the distillery building itself in Ellon.

A BrewDog spokesperson said the move would "allow us to sharpen our focus and concentrate our efforts on our beer and the continued growth of Wonderland".

"We're incredibly proud of what the distillery team has built and want to thank everyone who has worked on, contributed to, and supported the distilling business over the years," they said.

Gordon and Buchan MP Harriet Cross said the closure was "deeply concerning", but added it highlights "the growing issues facing the drinks industry and hospitality sector".

Asking prices in more affordable locations soared the most in 2025, according to new analysis by Rightmove.

Hawick in Roxburghshire in the Scottish Borders saw the biggest increase in asking prices last year, with the average home putting up prices by 18% to £148,633.

Durham came second, with average asking prices rising by 15% to £251,339.

Stannington in Sheffield came third, with a 12% increase in prices, taking the average price tag up to £264,078.

Nationally, average asking prices at the end of 2025 were 0.6% lower than the year before. 

Colleen Babcock, Rightmove's property expert, says: "There is typically a larger pool of buyers who are looking to move within more affordable price brackets. 

"Therefore, locations with more homes that fall under the average asking price can see more demand from buyers, and that underpins house price growth in those areas."