There’s no escaping the fact that 2023 was a year of continued economic strain. While we saw some positive news in terms of inflation – specifically in the UK where falling energy and fuel prices brought the headline rate down from 4.6% in October to 3.9% in November – there was increased turmoil and pressure in other areas. In particular, geopolitical tensions have continued to escalate with conflict in the Middle East adding to existing global economic uncertainty caused by the war in Ukraine.


















