There's the best part of another month yet to go until chancellor Rachel Reeves delivers her Autumn Statement, but already, the industry and consumers alike await it with trepidation.
A black hole of around £22 billion must be filled and money found from somewhere. And the chancellor certainly isn't making the positive noises businesses and consumers are really seeking.
In a Downing Street speech on Tuesday (4 November), Reeves refused to rule out tax rises in her Budget, despite a Labour manifesto pledge not to hike income tax, VAT or National Insurance, warning the world was continuing to "throw more challenges our way".
