British households turned more downbeat about their finances in May, according to a survey that hinted at weakness in the consumer economy which has been one of the bright spots for Britain during the Brexit ructions.

Banks in Britain could face fines if they make selective and arbitrary decisions about compensating customers who have fallen victim to fraud, the Financial Conduct Authority's head of enforcement said on Wednesday.

Britain's company pension schemes, grappling with ageing former employees and low investment returns, may start to transfer their assets into new so-called superfunds in the coming weeks, according to people involved in the process.

Britain's unemployment rate fell to its lowest since the mid-1970s in early 2019 as employers hired in the run-up to the original date for Britain's EU departure, but there were signs that Brexit was beginning to weigh on the jobs boom.

A legal duty for banks to act in the best interests of their customers may be needed, British lawmakers said on Monday, piling pressure on regulators to step up protection of consumers after a string of mis-selling scandals spanning decades.