Time for a staycation? Mortgage payment holidays explained March 26, 2020 As part of its plan to reduce the economic damage done by staying at home during the coronavirus outbreak, the government has granted a holiday on what is many people’s biggest outlay: mortgage payments. For three months, those who are paying off their mortgage will get a temporary break from their monthly payments, one of [...]
Coronavirus crisis is putting the public good back at the heart of commerce March 26, 2020 Conservative chancellors are not usually known for their inspirational quotes. Rishi Sunak, however, channelled the mood of the nation when he unveiled his bold package to tackle the coronavirus crisis. Ending his speech on a stirring note, he set out how history would judge our response, highlighting the acts of kindness and decency that would [...]
Coronavirus: Pursue profit at all costs or stand by your staff? The world has its eye on business March 26, 2020 How times have changed. It is remarkable to think that it was just eight weeks ago that business and political leaders from around the world gathered in the Alpine town of Davos. The 50th World Economic Forum was dominated by discussion of the climate crisis, global trade and artificial intelligence. US President Donald Trump declared [...]
Coronavirus: The tax questions facing those stuck in the UK March 26, 2020 Covid-19 is impacting everybody in one way or another, including those who were not expecting to be UK tax residents but now find themselves unable to leave the country. City A.M. asks Helen Jones, a tax partner at BDO, the key questions that need answering for those stuck in Britain during the pandemic. What residency [...]
Primark refuses to pay rent bill amid coronavirus crisis March 25, 2020 Budget retailer Primark has today reportedly refused to pay its rent bill after closing all of its stores due to the coronavirus pandemic, as fears mount that some retailers will never reopen after the outbreak. Primark has written to landlords to tell them it would not meet its quarterly rent payment due on 110 leasehold [...]
UK coronavirus: Death toll reaches 465 March 25, 2020 The coronavirus death toll in the UK has reached 465 after a further 28 people in England died after contracting the virus. In total, 414 people in England have died from Covid-19, while 22 have died in Scotland and Wales and seven died in Northern Ireland, the Guardian reported. Today’s overall UK increase of 43 [...]
Coronavirus: Off-licences added to list of essential retailers March 25, 2020 Off-licences have been added to the government’s list of essential retailers that are permitted to stay open during the UK coronavirus lockdown. Off-licences and “licenced shops selling alcohol, including those within breweries” have today been reclassified as essential stores, amid reports that supermarkets were beginning to sell out of beer and wine. Customer stockpiling saw [...]
Brompton Bikes boss: long-term thinking is needed after coronavirus March 25, 2020 Coronavirus may have stopped everyday life in its tracks, but the boss of one of London’s manufacturing success stories says employers must adopt long-term strategies now for when the wheels start turning again. Will Butler-Adams, the boss of Brompton Bikes, says this applies to macro: the future of transport, as well as the micro: the [...]
Coronavirus: Wetherspoon to pay workers under jobs retention scheme March 25, 2020 JD Wetherspoon will pay its 43,000 workers under the coronavirus jobs retention scheme after the pub chain faced backlash from employees. All staff will be paid on Friday for hours worked last week, and the first payment under the new scheme will be made on 3 April and weekly from then on, the company said [...]
MWC to offer refunds after conference scrapped due to coronavirus March 25, 2020 Mobile World Congress (MWC) will offer refunds to anyone who paid to attend the conference in a move that could “lay down the gauntlet” for other events cancelled due to coronavirus. Organiser GSMA scrapped the telecoms extravaganza in February following a string of high-profile withdrawals, saying health concerns made it “impossible” for the event to [...]