POUND NOTES

■ Financial fact: UK house prices were around £11,000 higher on average in November than a year earlier, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Land Registry. ■ Financially unprepared: People approaching middle age are more likely to feel financially unprepared for the future than any other adult age group, research suggests. Nearly half (46.3%) of 35 to 44-year-olds feel totally unprepared or try not to think about it, according to research from digital wealth management firm Moneyfarm. Many in this age group may be juggling childcare costs, as well as having large mortgages to pay off. ■ Winter getaways: More than a third (37%) of people plan to go abroad to seek out the sun this winter, spending an average of £840 per person, a survey suggests. Some 38% of those surveyed admit that the cold weather brings out a bad mood, with this figure rising to 42% for women, compared with 34% for men, the research among 2,000 people from Halifax found. By contrast, 70% say that warmer weather puts a spring in their step, encouraging the desire for a winter holiday.

■ Hidden debts: One in 10 people with debt admit to hiding it from family, friends and partners, a survey from GoCompare Money found. Nearly twothirds (65%) of these say they’ve been keeping their debt secret for a year or more, and 14% said that they didn’t know how they would be able to repay the money they owe.