Economy faces ‘midlife crisis’ as benefit claimants hit new high August 10, 2025 The economy faces a “midlife crisis” after a fresh study revealed the number of jobless benefit claimants aged 50 or older has reached nearly two million for the first time. A new report from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has shown the number of 50 to 64-year-olds who are out of work and claiming [...]
Housebuilders in focus amid Labour’s planning reforms push August 10, 2025 UK housebuilders will be in sharp focus as the sector grapples with construction woes, despite the Government ploughing ahead with plans to stimulate more building. Persimmon and Balfour Beatty will announce their half-year results on Wednesday, and Bellway will provide a trading update on Tuesday. York-based developer Persimmon said in May that forward sales – [...]
Over 100 civil servants set to be axed in cull of security teams August 10, 2025 More than a hundred jobs could be cut from the organisation in charge of vetting people for security clearance as the Government looks to slim down the Civil Service. The Cabinet Office has proposed reducing the staff at UK Security Vetting (UKSV) to 780 full-time roles, down from its current level of just under 900, [...]
Lammy and Vance host national security advisers ahead of Trump-Putin summit August 9, 2025 The Foreign Secretary will host a meeting of allied national security advisers on Saturday as Donald Trump pushes for a peace deal in Ukraine. Downing Street announced that the meeting at David Lammy’s official country retreat, Chevening, would bring together advisers from the US, Europe and Ukraine to “discuss progress towards securing a just and [...]
Interest rates likely to remain higher for longer August 8, 2025 Markets are indicating interest rates are set to stay higher for longer than expected after the Bank of England’s “hawkish cut” and gloomy inflation and growth forecasts shocked City analysts. Prior to the Bank’s interest rate cuts, markets had all but priced in a further 25 basis point cut by the end of the year, [...]
Starmer refuses to rule out tax rises – and criticises forecasters August 6, 2025 The Prime Minister has refused to comment on whether he will break Labour’s manifesto pledges on taxes at this year’s Autumn Budget as he slapped down independent forecasters’ claims the government faced a £50bn black hole. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) claimed Rachel Reeves would miss her borrowing target by £41.2bn [...]
Trump hikes India tariffs to 50 per cent for fuelling Russian ‘war machine’ August 6, 2025 President Donald Trump has imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on India after the country’s government imported Russian Federation Oil. In an executive order signed on Wednesday, the White House said it would slap Indian imports with the fresh levy taking their overall rate to 50 per cent. The President warned on Tuesday he [...]
We are governed by people who don’t know what they’re doing August 6, 2025 Almost 100,000 jobs in the hospitality sector have disappeared since the government unveiled its hike to employers’ National Insurance Contributions, and lowered the threshold at which it is paid. Employers have also had to contend with a rise in the minimum wage amid a storm of other headwinds including inflation, energy costs and generally weak [...]
Rachel Reeves needs £50bn tax raid to stick to fiscal rules, economists warn August 6, 2025 The Treasury will need to raise more than £50bn in fresh taxes to stay within its fiscal rules, one of the UK’s most prestigious economic groups has warned, laying bare the scale of the pain that could be wrought on businesses by Rachel Reeves in the autumn. The government is set to miss its “stability [...]
Labour urged to come clean on exit tax August 5, 2025 Labour ministers have been urged to clarify whether the government will introduce an exit tax as Tax Policy Associates chief Dan Neidle warned rumours could be “damaging” for the UK economy. Chancellor Rachel Reeves looks poised to raise more than £20bn in taxes later this year amid a shortfall in the fiscal headroom left by [...]