UK and Irish BDO firms set sights on ‘landmark’ mid-market merger November 5, 2025 The UK arm of accountancy and business advisory giant BDO is in merger talks with its Irish counterpart, highlighting a clear ambition for growth. The potential merger would be a landmark moment for both businesses. It would create one of the biggest accountancy firms in Europe, focusing on the entrepreneurial, growing, and ambitious mid-market heartland. [...]
Four in 10 Londoners ‘ready to quit capital’ over housing costs November 5, 2025 Nearly half of the capital’s 25-45 year olds are ready to leave over unsustainably expensive housing, according to a new study. In fact, two in three are regularly borrowing money to pay housing costs, most commonly turning to credit cards, payday loans and family support, according to a new report from Pocket Living. “The pressures [...]
‘Urgent and consistent’ policies needed to revive SME housebuilding November 4, 2025 The government must fix the ‘overly complex, costly, and slow’ operating environment for small and medium construction companies to unlock housebuilding, according to a new report. Delivery of new homes could be increased by up to 56 per cent – 100,000 properties a year – if barriers to building are removed, according to the State [...]
Brits plump for premium hotels as budget stays suffer November 3, 2025 The gap between hotel prices has continued to expand as Brits plump for premium travel over budget options, according to new figures. Average room rates of UK luxury hotels rose from £380.30 to £405.18 in August year on year, and from £136.33 to £141.57 for mid market hotels, data from RSM shows. Room rates in [...]
Reeves plans Autumn Budget tax raid on mansions November 1, 2025 Rachel Reeves is strongly considering a change to council tax payments as a way for owners of more expensive houses to pay more, according to people familiar with the matter. The move would be instead of a direct selling tax on expensive houses, which experts have warned would simply gum up the market as fewer [...]
Will the Autumn Budget push up inflation? October 30, 2025 For a few weeks, there was one thing Rachel Reeves appeared to speak about more than anything else: inflation. Earlier this month, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirmed inflation hit 3.8 per cent in the year to September, nearly double the Bank of England’s target rate. The IMF and the OECD said the UK [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Natwest ups guidance, Retail sales rise October 24, 2025 Good morning from the City AM liveblog team. As we get closer and closer to the Budget, businesses are becoming more and more vocal on their concerns over what could be in store. Yesterday it was the turn of London estate agent Foxton’s, which warned of softened demand as a result of Budget uncertainty. “Macroeconomic [...]
RSM UK approves merger with US arm, backing partnership over private equity October 23, 2025 Accountancy firm RSM UK has greenlit a merger with its US sister, RSM US, to create a $5bn (£3.75bn) new partnership structure, in the first major transatlantic combination in the accountancy sector. It was reported last October that both firms were in talks, with a focus on the mid-market. On Thursday, after a “near-unanimous vote” [...]
London flat prices slump as market gets ‘reshaped’ October 22, 2025 The price of London flat has dropped year on year as prices remain under pressure from low demand and high supply. The average price of a flat in London fell by 2.6 per cent year on year to £445,000, according to the ONS. “This is a tough time to be selling a flat,” Jonathon Hopper, CEO [...]
Premier Inn owner warns of ‘mounting pressure’ of tax rises before Budget October 16, 2025 Whitbred, the owner of Premier Inn, has warned that tax rises are becoming more likely and could pose a serious risk to the UK’s hospitality industry. Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces a £40bn gap in the nation’s finances, which is ever-more likely to be filled by a tax-raising Autumn Budget. The target of those tax rises [...]