Job vacancies tumble in July as hiring appetite eases August 26, 2025 UK job vacancies tumbled in July following a strong June performance, with entry level roles still suffering from a weak job market. Vacancies fell month on month following June’s strong rebound, down 1.24 per cent to 864,705, according to the latest job market report from Adzuna. Average salaries suffered a slight fall, slipping to £42,264 [...]
UK banks carry out sweeping branch closures as customers go digital August 22, 2025 Some of the biggest traditional banks have shut more than one in three of their UK branches over the past five years as they turn away from the high street and dash to bulk up their digital offerings. Data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows the number of bank, credit union and building [...]
HMRC set to crack down on pension tax relief August 22, 2025 HMRC is stepping up its scrutiny of pension tax relief claims from higher earners, as part of a broader effort to maximise revenue collection
Job postings fall in ‘summer slowdown’ August 22, 2025 Fewer jobs postings were made in July in signs that a “summer slowdown” will hit the UK economy and test Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ commitment to get more Brits into work. Data provided by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and analytics company Lightcast has shown that there was a 9.2 per cent decrease in the number [...]
Consumer confidence weak but rate cuts offer some reprieve August 22, 2025 The Bank of England’s fleet of interest rate cuts have helped lift consumer confidence in personal finance, a leading survey has suggested, but the prospect of high inflation has left sentiment vulnerable. Bank officials are closely monitoring the effects of looser monetary policy on consumption and confidence levels across the UK. GfK’s flagship consumer confidence survey [...]
London tube staff to strike in September in ‘extremely concerning’ move August 21, 2025 London tube staff are set to strike over pay in early September in what industry chiefs have labelled a “damaging scenario” for sluggish growth across the capital. The rail union RMT said on Thursday that rolling strike action would begin on Friday 5 September while Docklands Light Railway staff will strike from 8 September over [...]
Week in Business: Will Reeves Launch a Massive Tax Raid on Property and Pensions? August 21, 2025 Christian May interrupts your holiday with grim news on another punishing round of tax hikes coming in the Autumn.
Services lead ‘fragile and uneven’ business activity rebound August 21, 2025 Business activity in the UK’s private sector enjoyed its strongest rebound in a year this month, but economists have cautioned the growth remains “fragile and uneven.” S&P’s Global flash UK composite purchasing managers’ index (PMI) reached 53.0 in August, up from 51.5 in July and marking the highest score in 12 months. Any score above [...]
Work and study visas fall in push to reduce immigration August 21, 2025 Work visas issued to migrants have fallen by 36 per cent compared to last year, fresh data has revealed, as tightened rules on skilled workers and care providers have lowered the numbers of people arriving in the UK. The Labour government is under considerable pressure to cut net migration from previous peaks of nearly one [...]
UK firms pin hopes on US trade growth despite tariffs August 21, 2025 UK exporters to the US believe their sales will grow more than firms selling goods and services to other markets, a new survey has found, boosting hopes that trade will rebound after the initial shock of tariffs. Research by YouGov has suggested that 45 per cent of companies selling products to the US are hopeful [...]