Wise reports jump in users ahead of US dual listing Fintech Money transfer firm Wise delivered a bumper third-quarter as the UK fintech continued to lay the groundwork for its US dual listing. The payments firm recorded a 26 per cent surge in cross-border volumes to £47.4bn in its latest quarter as its customer base swelled. Wise said it now served near-11m users, up by a [...]
I’ve been speaking to CEOs all year – this is what they really think Business After spending a year interviewing some of the UK’s top business leaders, a number of themes have emerged which paint a concerning picture of their confidence in this country’s future prospects – but there is also hope. In 25 episodes of City AM‘s Boardroom Uncovered podcast series in 2025, a large number of the CEOs [...]
‘If we’re serious about growth this is the lever to pull’, says Treasury adviser Entrepreneurship UK founders are launching businesses faster than ever, yet many still feel undervalued, underfunded, and overlooked. The 2025 UK StartUp Report showed that only 29 per cent of founders believe entrepreneurship is seen as a desirable career while just 27 per cent feel successful founders are celebrated. And, perhaps worst of all, only around a [...]
AI powers UK’s startup surge as founder numbers soar December 3, 2025 While Britain is trudging through another tax-heavy Budget, LinkedIn data has revealed signs of a founder boom, with AI doing much of the heavy lifting. As Rachel Reeves attempted to boost startup and scale-up appetite in her Budget, LinkedIn revealed that the number of UK professionals adding ‘founder’ to their profile has jumped 69 per [...]
British founders dodged an exit tax – and bagged a few wins instead November 27, 2025 Startup founders went into this week’s Budget in a state of quasi-panic. Rumours of a so-called ‘exit tax’ on wealthy individuals, fuelled by weeks of speculation, sparked fears that Britain was about to hurt its own ecosystem. Far from taxing entrepreneurs on the way out, Rachel Reeves used her second Autumn Budget statement to shower [...]
Autumn Budget: Will the UK keep its tech talent or drive it abroad? November 25, 2025 Time is running out for Rachel Reeves to reassure the sector she has spent months courting. With tax rises looking increasingly likely in Wednesday’s Autumn Budget, the mood across UK tech has shifted to concern, reviving the warning issued earlier this month by some of Britain’s most valuable founders: change course, or risk watching high-growth [...]
‘Tax on risk’ – Founders warn against income tax rise November 4, 2025 A group of young entrepreneurs has issued a fresh warning that a proposed hike to income tax will hit the self-employed hardest, and accelerate a trend of young founders relocating overseas. In a clarion call ahead of next month’s Budget, the Young Entrepreneurs Forum warned that a mooted 2p rise in income tax alongside a [...]
Autumn Budget: Reeves must focus on growth, not ‘gimmicks’ October 16, 2025 Ahead of the Autumn Budget, City Reporter Samuel Norman sits down with top industry names for a Budget Briefing. This week, the chief executive of founders club Helm calls for bold innovation policies took take centre stage. Chancellor Rachel Reeves should use her second Autumn Budget to make bolder swings for the UK’s innovation economy [...]
Specsavers: Sales and profit rise as bumper pay day scrapped October 14, 2025 Specsavers has scrapped the bumper dividend it has been handing to its billionaire owners despite its sales and profit growing during its latest financial year. The chain has paid out £15m in each its last two financial years to founders Dame Mary Perkins and her husband Doug. Over that time, Specsavers’ turnover has increased from [...]
The Entertainer: Staff eye tax-free bonuses as founders cede control August 11, 2025 Almost 2,000 employees of the UK’s biggest toy chain, The Entertainer, are set to receive tax-free bonuses after its founders handed them control of his retail empire. Gary Grant has transferred 100 per cent of his ownership in Teal Group Holdings, which he held alongside his wife Catherine, to an employee ownership trust. The move, [...]