Government’s ‘human error over many years’ to blame for UK pensioners underpaid by £1bn September 22, 2021 An investigation by the UK’s spending watchdog has found that “repeated human errors over many years” were to blame for the fact the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) underpaid 134,000 pensioners over £1 billion in state pension. According to the National Audit Office (NAO), these errors occurred due to complex state pension rules, outdated [...]
Rising UK fraud levels branded a ‘national threat’ by banks September 22, 2021 Financial fraud rose by 30 per cent in the first half of 2021 resulting in losses of over £750m, according to the latest fraud report by banking trade body UK Finance, published this morning. Authorised push payment fraud, where consumers were unwittingly scammed into approving a payment into a criminally-controlled account, increased 71 per cent [...]
Cardano chief donates $20m to establish Carnegie University mathematics centre September 22, 2021 Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has handed $20m to Carnegie University to establish a new mathematics centre.
Startup city: Square Mile investors make London the top place after Silicon Valley for tech firms – CityAM : CityAM September 22, 2021 London is second only to Silicon Valley for the best place for startups to thrive, according to a definitive ranking of the world’s major tech and business hubs. The capital tied with New York in second place to the Californian area synonymous with billion-dollar valuations and tech bros – and far ahead of the next [...]
Everyone knew Boris Johnson had a ‘crush’ on me, says Jennifer Arcuri September 22, 2021 Tech entrepreneur Jennifer Arcuri said it was widely known that Boris Johnson had a “crush” on her, but denied her relationship with the former London mayor helped her secure access to foreign trade missions. The American’s links with the now Prime Minister came under public scrutiny last year over allegations she received favourable treatment for [...]
Suburban takeover: Pret sets out plans for more than 200 new shops – CityAM : CityAM September 22, 2021 Sandwich chain Pret a Manger has announced plans to open more than 200 UK shops in the next two years, as it aims to become more than a “white collar worker’s staple”. The business hopes to double its size within five years, with a £100m net investment by JAB and Pret founder Sinclair Beecham to [...]
West Midlands’ transport system will follow London’s lead – CityAM : CityAM September 22, 2021 While Westminster was abuzz with all the reshuffle gossip last week, my eyes were immediately drawn to the renewed focus on the levelling up agenda. With a new high-profile cabinet minister in place and a re-named department, it is clear the Prime Minister is intent on delivering the vision he laid out in his speech [...]
Whitehall needs to butt out of businesses’ rules on home working – CityAM : CityAM September 22, 2021 Good news, British workers! If you want to work flexibly, by adjusting your hours or working from home, then a consultation document due to be published on Thursday may give you the right to request it from day one. If an employer dares deny it, they’ll need to explain why and suggest an alternative working [...]
The paradox of fashion NFTs September 21, 2021 Brands should carefully weigh up NFT opportunities before jumping on the bandwagon, says Crypto AM columnist Stefania Barbaglio.
Exclusive: Startups and finserv firms push for more rules to keep bots under control September 21, 2021 Bots are changing the way we work, saving businesses thousands of hours and significant sums per year as they increasingly play a key role in automating key corporate functions, including customer service and data collections. Despite this, due to the actions of a small number of irresponsible bot users, myths and misconceptions, many business leaders [...]