‘Bond market tantrum risks’: Gilt traders brace for Labour leftward pivot as Starmer future uncertain
Let’s be honest, the ever-rising minimum wage is hurting employment April 19, 2025 Rising from £3.60 to £12.21 in just 26 years, the ever-rising national minimum wage isn't actually helping workers, writes Matthew Lesh.
Clintons back in profit after closing stores and cutting over 300 jobs April 7, 2025 Clintons has surged back into the black after closing more stores and cutting over 300 jobs. The gift card giant has posted a pre-tax profit of £8m for the year to 29 June, 2024, according to new accounts filed with Companies House. The total comes after Clintons made a pre-tax loss of £5.3m in the [...]
April’s cost hikes are ‘a step too far’ for the UK’s independent businesses April 1, 2025 Independent retailers have warned of job losses and cuts to staff hours due to rising business costs set to come in this April. Shops pointed to the ‘double whammy’ of increases to national insurance contributions (NICs) and the minimum wage. “As responsible employers we want to ensure we are paying a fair wage to our [...]
Blackpool Pleasure Beach to close rides as costs spiral March 24, 2025 High inflation, interest rates and “significant increases” in the minimum wage have made turning a profit “harder to achieve”, the owner of Blackpool Pleasure Beach has said as it fell back into the red. The attraction, which dates back to 1896, also said the rising costs will force it to close some rides this year [...]
Average price of pint to surge above £5 due to April cost hikes, say beer bosses March 24, 2025 The average price of a pint of beer is set to surge past £5 for the first time due to cost hikes hitting the sector next month, according to industry bosses. Pub sector chiefs have warned that prices for customers will have to increase in order to help keep venues running in the face of [...]
Insolvencies rise at start of 2025 as businesses brace for extra costs February 18, 2025 The number of insolvencies rose at the start of the year, in a sign that UK businesses continue to struggle ahead of a looming increase in employment costs.
Labour market ‘creaking rather than cracking’ following Budget February 18, 2025 There's been a growing air of pessimism around the labour market since Labour's maiden Budget, and with good reason.
Labour market: Vacancies ‘tumble’ in January ahead of Labour’s tax raid February 10, 2025 Demand for staff fell at its greatest extent since August 2020, a new report from KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) said.
‘Student Tax’ to hit graduates on minimum wage by April January 16, 2025 Thousands of graduates will find themselves stranded in their home town, unable to root out professional opportunities, when April’s hike in the minimum wage drags them into the threshold of student loan repayments, a top financial services firm has warned. The government announced an above inflation rise in the National Living Wage of 5.6 per [...]
Fewer firms expanded headcount following the Budget, BCC says January 14, 2025 Fewer firms increased their headcount in the final quarter of last year, a new survey showed, as businesses prepare for the impact of the national insurance hike.