Apprenticeship levy unlikely to meet target of 3m starts by 2020, admits minister April 5, 2019 A controversial tax designed to shake up the apprenticeship system will likely fail to meet its original targets, according to the government minister in charge of it. The apprenticeship levy, a tax on business designed to fund 3m apprenticeships by 2020, has caused the number of apprenticeship starts to plummet since its introduction two years [...]
Some things are better left unread – here’s why you need to ditch the office email April 5, 2019 Email can feel like a quick, modern form of communication, but in reality it could not be more outdated. In the world of business, we’ve been using this same format for decades. And now the wear marks are starting to show. Sure, email is easy enough to use. It has its advantages. But the conversations [...]
UK firms go slow on women’s pay as gender pay gap narrows slightly April 4, 2019 The gender pay gap widened at 181 of the UK’s largest employers last year, as big business made small progress towards reducing disparities between men and women. Read more: Avoid these "quick fixes" for closing the gender pay gap With around 10 per cent of employers left to report before tonight's midnight deadline, those with more [...]
Amber Rudd gives nod for pensions dashboard project to ‘transform’ retirement planning April 4, 2019 Amber Rudd has given the green light for the long-awaited pensions dashboard project to go ahead, with the first industry models to come out later this year. Under the scheme, workers will be able to see information about their various nest eggs combined on a so-called dashboard, accessible on smartphones, tablets and computers. The plan [...]
Why student housing is a first-class honours investment April 4, 2019 When it comes to the UK property market, an investment in knowledge clearly pays off. High yields, low risk, and fast returns are just a few of the reasons reasons luxury student housing has become the new essential in any high-net-worth individuals’ investment portfolio. While many of the UK’s older generation will reminisce of sub-standard [...]
For safety’s sake, we need to rethink our address system April 4, 2019 Back when I worked in the music events industry, a huge part of my time was spent trying to get bands and equipment to the right place, on time. It was far more difficult than I’d ever imagined, and it was painfully clear to me that street addressing is totally inadequate for directing people from [...]
Five high-quality European stocks for an ISA April 4, 2019 | City Talk By Rodney Hobson from interactive investor. Our author and columnist offers some tips on choosing ISA stocks and identifies a handful of top picks. Rodney Hobson is an experienced financial writer and commentator who has held senior editorial positions on publications and websites in the UK and Asia, including Business News Editor on The Times [...]
Brexit chaos sparks fifth consecutive month of fund outflows April 4, 2019 Brexit chaos continued to affect fund sales in February as net outflows hit £156m, compared to inflows of £1bn the previous year. Investors have now sold a total of £11.5bn of UK funds since the 2016 referendum, as February marked the fifth consecutive month of outflows, the latest data from the Investment Association shows. Read [...]
US expansion: Plotting your route across the pond April 4, 2019 As the country renegotiates its place on the global stage, many UK businesses are following suit – looking abroad for growth opportunities that were once found closer to home. But there is nothing manifest about a business’s destiny to grow overseas. Instead, there are several questions that you should answer before expanding overseas. Take the [...]
Embattled asset manager GAM shakes up almost half of its board after sacking star fund manager April 4, 2019 Embattled asset manager GAM has appointed three new directors as part of a board shake-up. The firm proposed that three women – former Syz Asset Management boss Katia Choudray, ex-Janus Henderson general counsel Jacqui Irvine and former AIG vice president Monika Machon – be elected to the board next month. Read more: Embattled fund manager [...]
