<p>Blow to John Healey before budget as UK households face ‘notable strain’ on their finances</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2026/sep/21/asian-shares-rise-optimism-us-chinese-talks-trade-ai-oil-falls-live-updates">Business live – latest updates</a></p></li></ul><p></p><p>Fears of a steep rise in mortgage payments and increasing job insecurity have sent UK consumer confidence tumbling to a three-month low, according to a leading survey.</p><p>In a blow to John He