DEBATE: With the top taxpayers revealed, is there a case for lowering the highest rate of income tax? January 29, 2019 With the top taxpayers revealed, is there a case for lowering the highest rate of income tax? Kate Andrews, associate director at the Institute of Economic Affairs, says YES. With the tax burden at a 50-year high, there is almost always a case to be made for lowering whichever tax is up for discussion. This [...]
Former Virgin Money chief Jayne-Anne Gadhia hunts for investors in new tech startup January 28, 2019 The former head of challenger bank Virgin Money is to set up her own fintech startup, designed to save consumers money on their household bills. Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia has approached several investors regarding a new company called Snoop, which will take advantage of Open Banking rules to utilise data about customers' spending habits, according to reports [...]
FCA to force pension providers to unveil hidden ongoing charges under new proposals January 28, 2019 Companies offering popular pensions products will be forced to be transparent about ongoing charges, in a fresh batch of measures bidding to help increase savers’ pension pots by £25m a year. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced today it would force providers of so-called drawdown products – where retirees leave their pension funds invested rather [...]
UK fintech Featurespace raises £25m in latest funding round led by Insight Venture Partners and Mission OG January 28, 2019 UK fintech firm Featurespace, a software company that specialises in behavioural analytics, has raised £25m in a funding round led by Insight Venture Partners and Mission OG. The funding, which is the largest amount the firm has raised to date, will be used to aid Featurespace’s international expansion and the development of the company’s artificial intelligence-led software. Featurespace, which currently [...]
A quarter of high net worth investors keep 50 per cent of savings in cash rather than invest January 28, 2019 A quarter of high net worth investors hold more than 50 per cent of their wealth in cash as they believe that it is the least risky option, new research has found. A further 35 per cent of those with more than £100,000 in investable assets keep between 26 to 50 per cent of their savings in cash, [...]
Learn how to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee in your next big meeting, pitch, or presentation January 28, 2019 If you look back over 2018, I’m sure you can think of a meeting that didn’t go well. Perhaps you felt under pressure to win the pitch or gain agreement, and at the critical moment you said the wrong thing. This same challenge is faced by world-class athletes every day. They can prepare for four [...]
The perfect brand name doesn’t exist, so stop searching for it January 28, 2019 Naming a brand is often a tortured process, full of impassioned argument and furrowed brows. Everyone wants to find that silver bullet: the simple, unique name that crystallises everything important about the brand. Well, stop looking. Because you won’t find it – and you don’t need to. Names matter, but never as much as they [...]
For the love of dogs: Tails.com is on a mission to solve the podgy pup epidemic January 28, 2019 You don't need to be a vet to know that a 1.5kg Chihuahua isn’t going to need the same food as a 80kg Great Dane. But while most pet owners tend to focus on portion sizes, few will take into account the different nutritional needs of each breed. “Like parents with their children, owners and their [...]
Trust in business is back up, but with power comes responsibility January 28, 2019 In business, we are all well-versed with the phrase “the customer always comes first”. The 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer tells a different story. The British people believe that the greatest obligation of business today isn’t about serving customers – it’s about treating employees well. No one is suggesting, of course, that the customer doesn’t matter. [...]
JD Sports owner heads list of the UK’s top 50 taxpayers January 27, 2019 Financiers, hedge fund managers and housebuilders dominated a new list revealing the UK’s biggest taxpayers, published on Sunday. The Sunday Times tax list, which also includes high profile names such as David and Victoria Beckham, estimates the amount of tax paid to HMRC by the UK’s wealthiest people based on publicly available information. Read more: The [...]