Trainline and Virgin Atlantic face watchdog’s ‘drip pricing’ probe Transport & Infrastructure The UK’s competition watchdog has launched an investigation into three companies over concerns that customers were not shown the total upfront price when buying train and coach tickets, holidays or driving lessons. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will probe the activities of Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and RED Driving School as part of a wider [...]
HMRC: self-employed workers twice as likely to file taxes late Tax Self-employed workers are twice as likely to file their taxes late compared to higher earners, City AM can reveal, amid renewed focus over the administrative burden facing freelancers and sole traders. Those that are self-employed and on the lowest incomes below the basic tax rate threshold, are “significantly more likely to miss the self assessment [...]
Divorce costs hit finances beyond lawyer fees, says Octopus legal group Legal Divorce costs are financially draining for separating couples in the UK beyond just legal fees, according to a new report from Octopus-owned legal service, Amicable. The report, which surveyed 2,000 UK adults who have either divorced, separated, or dissolved a civil partnership over the last 10 years, found that almost 40 per cent said their [...]
UK businesses struggle with triple threat of costs, cyber risks and stagnant growth May 6, 2026 The UK consulting sector is expected to grow by nearly 6 per cent this year, amid businesses facing ‘intensifying pressure’ from cost management, cyber security risks, and budget constraints. The Management Consultancies Association (MCA), which represents the consulting sector, has released a new report stating that heightened costs and strapped budgets are “the single biggest concern” for [...]
‘Wake-up call’ for UK financial firms as internal control failures drive £1bn fines April 24, 2026 UK financial services firms, which faced £1bn worth of fines since 2021 for internal control failings, should be “seriously concerned”, says the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors (CIIA). More than half of the 97 Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) enforcement cases analysed by CIIA relate to firms “not getting the basics right”, with many linked [...]
£21 million to change a generation: the case for financial education now April 17, 2026 It is hard to believe that only four months have passed since I first saw that City A.M. had partnered with City Pay It Forward. In truth, it feels far longer, because the cause they champion — financial education for the next generation — is one that has mattered to me for most of my [...]
‘More needs to be done’ to help pension savers after salary sacrifice, says Standard life boss March 16, 2026 The boss of one of the UK’s largest pension providers has warned “more needs to be done” to help those saving for retirement after the government introduced a cap on salary sacrifice in the latest Budget. Andy Briggs, the chief executive of Standard Life, told City AM: “Obviously, we weren’t supportive of [salary sacrifice changes] [...]
I’ve been speaking to CEOs all year – this is what they really think December 24, 2025 After spending a year interviewing some of the UK’s top business leaders, a number of themes have emerged which paint a concerning picture of their confidence in this country’s future prospects – but there is also hope. In 25 episodes of City AM‘s Boardroom Uncovered podcast series in 2025, a large number of the CEOs [...]
Financial Education Is Broken – Here’s How We Plan To Fix It November 11, 2025 Financial education in the UK is broken. Most young people leave school without the key money skills they need for adult life, according to their own teachers. Left unaddressed, this failure has long-term consequences. Poor money skills are linked to problem debt, lower social mobility, and poorer mental health. The recent announcement that financial education will be [...]
This Could Be The Best Investment The City Ever Makes November 11, 2025 Go into a primary school today and ask how many of them trust major financial institutions like banks and you’ll generally find that less than half do so. Sometimes it’s as low as one-third of the class. At least, that’s what the financial education charity I volunteer with, City Pay it Forward, has consistently found. [...]