Covid loan fraudsters should turn themselves in to avoid harsher penalties, lawyers say July 4, 2022 Individuals who defrauded the government’s Covid support schemes should consider turning themselves in to avoid even harsher penalties, amid a far-reaching crackdown on those responsible for making fraudulent claims, lawyers have said. The comments come after figures from the UK’s Insolvency Service showed the executive agency has struck off a total of 179 company directors, [...]
Pandemic not over: Omicron variants drive surge of covid cases by 32 per cent in a week July 1, 2022 Coronavirus cases in the UK have spiked by more than 30 per cent in a week, while hospitalisation rate was up to 11 per cent, from eight. New figures released by the Office for National Statistics show a surge in cases from 24 June, up to 2.3m from 1.8m people across the UK. The Omicron [...]
UK’s charity watchdog opens probe into Captain Tom Foundation June 30, 2022 The UK’s charities watchdog has launched an investigation into The Captain Tom Foundation, over concerns about potential conflicts of interest involving the late Army officer’s family. The Charity Commission today said it had opened an inquiry into The Captain Tom Foundation over concerns about the charity’s management. The watchdog said a company that is controlled [...]
Impacts of Covid and Brexit hard to uncouple, MPC appointee Dr Swati Dhingra June 29, 2022 Dr. Swati Dhingra said that the impacts of Covid and the impacts of Brexit are still difficult to differentiate. In an oral evidence session following her appointment to the Monetary Policy Committee, Dr. Dhingra said “We’re still struggling with how to distinguish between the impacts of Covid and Brexit,” with the EU exit date coinciding [...]
Stagecoach returns to growth as bus journeys bounce back to 81 per cent of pre-Covid levels June 29, 2022 Britain’s biggest bus company Stagecoach today said it now in a “good financial position” after “recovering customer demand” saw passenger journeys bounce back to 81 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. The public transport operator said it had “firmly returned to growth” after its profits more than doubled year on year, from £17m in the financial [...]
UK food standards under threat after years of Brexit chaos and Covid upheaval June 28, 2022 The UK is facing “significant risks” to its food standards following two years of upheaval, according to a new report. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) released the first of what will be an annual report highlighting changes and challenges facing the UK’s food system. The two agencies said it comes [...]
PwC to give 11,000 workers their biggest pay rise in a decade June 26, 2022 PwC is set to give around half of its UK workforce their biggest pay rise in a decade, in hiking around 11,000 of its workers base salaries. The accountancy firm is set to give a nine per cent pay rise to around half of its more than 22,000 staff – at a cost to [...]
Covid hospitalisations in England up 24 per cent from last week June 21, 2022 Coronavirus hospitalisations in England have surged by almost 25 per cent in the last week, as cases spread like wildfire once more across the globe. New figures released by the NHS this week highlight 5,726 beds occupied by Covid patients as of 20 June, up from 4,602 on the previous Monday. The spike in cases [...]
World gets Covid reality check as next Omicron wave is building rapidly: Coronavirus infections surging and masks returning June 21, 2022 It is becoming increasingly evident that the next global Covid wave is building fast as Coronavirus is regrouping and growing rapidly in strength in dozens of countries around the world. From Asia to Europe to South America, infection rates are rising, forcing dozens of governments and authorities to consider new measures. Mask use is surging [...]
New Omicron wave growing fast: ‘We were wrong to think Covid was over and vaccination is not enough’ June 20, 2022 Covid-19 inflection rates in the UK and hospitalisations across Europe are on the rise. Meanwhile, new omicron sub-variants are growing more prevalent. Therefore, the Government’s panglossian messaging has undermined the public health response to a potential new Covid-19 wave, experts warn today. Dr Chris Papadopoulos, Principal Lecturer in Public Health at the University of Bedfordshire told City A.M. this morning that “in recent months the government has [...]