Legal sector warns against tax ‘raid’ proposal on client account interest ahead of Budget Legal London’s legal sector has sounded the alarm over government plans to cut interest on law firms’ client accounts to fund the justice department, warning it could drive some law firms out of business. The Ministry of Justice’s consultation on a proposal to introduce an Interest on Lawyers’ Client Accounts Scheme (ICLA) closed in March after [...]
Stamp out pension tax speculation or risk another cash grab, industry warns Healey Personal Finance The pension industry has warned Healey not to allow pension tax speculation to go “unchecked” in the run up to his maiden Autumn Budget, after rumours led savers to pull millions from pension pots last year. UK savers pulled £91bn from their pension pots before last year’s Autumn Budget as they looked to dodge Labour’s [...]
Healey plan to slash headroom would ‘not be received well’ by nervous bond market Markets John Healey’s reported plans to slash the breathing space the government has before it breaks its spending rules would spark a negative bond market reaction and lead investors to question the country’s commitment to fiscal credibility. Bond traders told City AM that any attempt to significantly reduce its so-called fiscal headroom would leave the country [...]
Autumn Budget: Healey weighs slashing fiscal headroom to reduce tax hikes September 24, 2026 Chancellor John Healey is debating accepting a smaller fiscal buffer in order to reduce tax hikes in next month’s Autumn Budget. The Treasury and No 10 are in active discussions over whether to set a lower buffer in the Budget than the Office for Budget Responsibility set in March, according to reports in the Financial [...]
Baker Tilly chief warns Budget may carry ‘pain cost’ for businesses bracing tax changes September 23, 2026 The chief executive of professional services giant Baker Tilly International has warned the upcoming Budget will likely carry a heavy “pain cost” for UK businesses bracing for tax changes. “It’s going to be a ride, isn’t it,” Francesca Lagerberg, Baker Tilly International‘s chief executive told City AM. “The mood music is that it won’t be [...]
Ban non-compete clauses to ‘boost Britain’s fastest growing firms’ September 22, 2026 Rising hiring costs and difficulties recruiting talent are making it harder for Britain’s most promising companies to grow, with three quarters saying they could create at least 10 per cent more jobs if barriers to expansion were removed. New research from Enterprise Britain found the cost of employing staff has become one of the main [...]
Healey urged to ‘restore faith’ by ending personal allowance freeze in Budget September 16, 2026 UK savers are demanding chancellor John Healey end the freeze on the personal allowance in his maiden Autumn Budget, as more Brits get dragged into higher tax bands. A recent poll showed nearly 70 per cent of taxpayers want Healey to unfreeze the personal allowance, with critics arguing it has forced workers and pensioners into [...]
JP Morgan boss Jamie Dimon to meet Chancellor John Healey ahead of Budget September 9, 2026 JP Morgan boss Jamie Dimon is set to meet John Healey today ahead of the new Chancellor’s first Budget, City AM understands. The American banker – regarded as one of the most influential figures in global finance – is due to meet Healey in London for the first time following a phone call exchange last [...]
Business confidence climbs on consumer spending power August 28, 2026 Business confidence has risen to its highest level since March, as resilient consumers shrug off the impact of the Iran war and Budget-related speculation is kept to a minimum. According to the Lloyds Business Barometer, confidence among British firms rose four points in August to 53 per cent, the highest reading since the outbreak of [...]
A beginner’s guide to appeasing the bond market – and why it matters July 24, 2026 Britain’s enormous debt pile means the bond market now has the power to decide the fate of a government. Ali Lyon spoke to gilt investors to see how our new Chancellor can keep them happy. When John Healey was last in the Treasury, the world was a very different place. Britain’s economy was growing at [...]