Health Secretary declines to be drawn on benefit freeze ‘speculation’ Politics A senior minister has declined to be drawn on whether the government will freeze personal independence payment (PIP) as uncertainty continues to surround Labour’s upcoming benefits reforms. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is expected to announce reforms on Tuesday aimed at cutting a welfare bill that ministers have described as “unsustainable”. Ahead of the [...]
Nepal: Where making a profit is a crime Opinion Maoist policies have made the Himalayan nation of Nepal one of the poorest in Asia, says Rainer Zitelmann On December 11 2023, I landed in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Nepal lies between China and India and has a population of around 30m. Kathmandu is located in a valley in the middle of the Himalayas [...]
Digital nomads costing UK economy £3bn a year Economics The UK is missing out on over £3bn of consumer spending and £320m of lost VAT a year because of the rising popularity of ‘digital nomad’ schemes among British citizens. According to a fresh study from Public First, the modish regimes – which promise professionals long-term work visas without having to become fully-fledged tax residents [...]
UK growth outlook slashed amid tax and trade ‘double whammy’ March 5, 2025 The Chancellor’s growth agenda was dealt a fresh blow on Thursday after the British Chambers of Commerce slashed its forecast for the UK economy due to the tax and trade “double whammy” afflicting UK businesses. The business group now expects the UK economy to grow by just 0.9 per cent in 2025, a hefty downgrade [...]
Self-rocking prams and turbo buggies, baby tech is innovation gone right March 5, 2025 From self-rocking prams to motorised buggies, baby tech showcases the best of innovation, writes former sceptic Phoebe Arslanagić-Little.
One in ten part-time retail jobs at risk from changes to tax thresholds February 26, 2025 A leading retail body has warned that up to 160,000 part-time jobs could be at risk over the next three years due to the rising cost of employment. Part-time roles are particularly susceptible to tax changes announced at the Budget. Retailers will be taxed on any employee earning more than £5,000, down from the current [...]
The best music festivals 2025: an event for every vibe February 24, 2025 Everyone’s talking about Glastonbury, but if you didn’t get a ticket, fear not: dozens of other amazing music festivals take place in the UK every summer. While Glastonbury is obviously a stonking good time, it isn’t the only good time. In fact, going to a smaller event can have plus points, like fewer crowds, and [...]
Workers’ rights: A third of small firms plan to cut jobs February 20, 2025 A third of small businesses expect to cut jobs in the near future due to fears that the government’s upcoming workers’ rights package will leave them facing painful tribunals and a higher sick pay bill. A fresh survey from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) shows that in the fourth quarter of last year, 33 [...]
Everything family businesses should know ahead of Reeves’ tax changes February 14, 2025 Rachel Reeves' Budget has thrown up new obstacles for family businesses. Stephanie Parish tells you why you should plan ahead now.
Yes, AI will wipe out some jobs. But this is the story of progress February 5, 2025 AI will inevitably make some jobs redundant, but the benefits to society are far worth it, writes Paul Ormerod.