England’s fertility rate drops to record low August 27, 2025 The fertility rate across England and Wales has fallen to a record low, according to official figures, which is likely to fuel clashes between policymakers and economists over immigration controls. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that the total fertility rate, which is measured by the number of children women would expect to [...]
NDA ban and bereavement leave add extra £80m to UK Employment Bill August 27, 2025 The new amendment to the Employment Rights Bill, including banning the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), will add an additional £80m a year in costs to UK businesses. According to the employment team at TWM Solicitors, the new clauses introduced in July are expected to increase the existing government forecast of £5bn by at least [...]
Thousands of savers overcharged on pension withdrawals by HMRC August 26, 2025 Thousands of people have claimed a refund on emergency tax on pensions after the HM Revenues & Customs (HMRC) overcharged savers an eye watering amount on their withdrawals. In total, 6,000 people successfully claimed a refund in the 2023-2024 financial year, a 20 per cent increase from the year before, according to figures obtained by [...]
Pound edges up against dollar after Trump’s latest Fed attack August 26, 2025 The pound gained from a turbulent US dollar trading session on Tuesday after the greenback was stung by President Donald Trump’s attacks on the Federal Reserve. The dollar index (DXY) – which tracks the dollar’s value against a basket of currencies – tumbled as much as 0.4 per cent as Trump said he had “sufficient [...]
Officials working ‘very hard on ending Russia-Ukraine war’, Trump envoy says August 25, 2025 US president Donald Trump’s special envoy Keith Kellogg said officials are “working very, very hard” on efforts to end the three-year war between Russia and Ukraine, as a lack of progress fuels doubts about whether a peace settlement could be on the horizon. Mr Kellogg said in Kyiv that officials are “hoping to get to [...]
Trump’s tariff salvo blindsides UK manufacturers August 24, 2025 Donald Trump has blindsided UK manufacturers by slapping fresh tariffs of up to 25 per cent on more than 400 categories of British goods, from shampoo and children’s highchairs to motorcycles and diggers. Conservative shadow trade secretary Andrew Griffith accused ministers of failing to protect exporters, saying: “When it comes to protecting UK businesses from [...]
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
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.
UK government borrowing since April hits £60bn August 21, 2025 The UK government borrowed a total of £1.1bn last month, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), compared to £2.3bn last year and below the fiscal watchdog’s £2.6bn forecast. The total deficit hit £60bn in the months since April, which is £6.7bn more than in the same four-month period of 2024 and the third-highest [...]
Reeves warned tax reform would be ‘rushed’ and lead to snags August 20, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ efforts to fast-track tax reforms in the three months leading to this year’s Autumn Budget risk being “rushed” and putting Britons at a disadvantage, senior tax advisers have warned. Treasury officials are reportedly “racing” to find tax reforms to ease the burden on businesses and individuals while improving productivity forecasts from the [...]