Kent Morning Briefing
Monday, 13 July 2026
The day in Kent · Major banks have been ordered by the Financial Conduct Authority to improve access to fee-free basic bank accounts — a ruling with direct implications for Kent residents struggling with the cost of living. The accounts, which carry no fees or overdraft charges, are a legal entitlement that many eligible people are being wrongly denied or poorly served on.
The day ahead in Kent
Weather
Today: Mostly clear morning, high 22°C, low 17°C, windy (gusts to 35 km/h).
Tomorrow: Cloudy morning, becoming clear in the afternoon, high 29°C, low 17°C.
Travel
Roads (3 incidents): M25 — M25 Clockwise Jct 15 to Jct 16 carriageway closure.
Rail: All Kent services running to schedule.
As of 22:30 from National Highways + National Rail.
Coastal tides
Dover: Low 05:38 (1.38m) · High 10:53 (6.17m) · Low 18:06 (1.26m) · High 23:19 (6.36m)
Margate: Low 05:32 (0.90m) · High 11:49 (4.37m) · Low 18:11 (0.77m) · High 00:13 (4.62m)
Tides via tidetimes.co.uk.
5 things to know
- Kent crypto firms face full FCA regulation deadline of October 2027
- OBR presents live 2025 Fiscal Risks report; public can submit questions online
Top Kent Stories
- FCA Sets October 2027 Date for Full UK Cryptoasset Regulation — What Kent Residents and Firms Need to Know
Published 23:50 BST
The Financial Conduct Authority has confirmed that businesses carrying on regulated cryptoasset activities — including operating trading platforms, issuing stablecoins, and safeguarding customer… - FCA Orders Nine Major Banks to Improve Access to Fee-Free Basic Bank Accounts
Published 21:50 BST
The Financial Conduct Authority has told the UK s biggest banks and building societies to fix poor practice around basic bank accounts — no-fee, no-overdraft accounts that millions of people are… - OBR Budget Responsibility Committee to Present 2025 Fiscal Risks and Sustainability Report at Live Press Conference
Published 19:50 BST
The UK s independent fiscal watchdog is holding a live streamed press conference to present its updated Fiscal Risks and Sustainability report, with the public invited to watch and submit questions…
Crime & Justice
No additional crime stories in the last 12 hours.
Business & Economy
No additional B&E stories in the last 12 hours.
Kent Sport
No additional sport updates in the last 12 hours.
Financial markets
Bank of England (last 7 days):
- UK financial regulators to begin overseeing Critical Third Parties announced by HM Treasury
- Minutes of the UK Money Markets Code Sub-Committee – June 2026
- Letter from the Governor to Joe Powell MP
Markets via Yahoo Finance; ONS + BoE via official feeds.
What’s on today
No public events scheduled today.
Coming up tomorrow
- 09:15 · Regulation Committee Appeal Panel (Transport) — Maidstone
- 14:00 · Children, Young People and Education Cabinet Committee — Maidstone
“Kent’s historic Chatham Dockyard once employed over 10,000 workers and built ships for Nelson’s fleet at Trafalgar.”
Kent fact of the day