Brits to spend half a year waiting for Tax Freedom Day after Labour tax hikes June 12, 2025 Tax Freedom Day is set to be on the latest ever date within a matter of years, fresh research has revealed, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves showing no signs of cutting taxes in the near future, given inflated spending. Reeves unveiled billions more cash to be injected into several departments at yesterday’s Spending Review while funding [...]
Labour tax hikes drive steepest fall in retail sentiment since Covid May 27, 2025 British retailers’ confidence has made the steepest dive in five years, after facing pressures from Rachel Reeves’ £26bn employer tax raid and uncertainty sparked by Donald Trump’s trade war. The drop is the most severe since the Covid-19 pandemic paralysed the UK high street, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Grim sentiment in [...]
Labour’s tax policies are hitting the companies they need to build homes May 23, 2025 Construction plant-hire companies are fundamental to delivering the government’s pledge to build 1.5m homes, but they tend to be family businesses – the very kind that are being worst hit by changes to NICs and Business Property Relief, says Steven Mulholland The latest Homes England figures might look promising – more homes completed, more sites started, and [...]
Manufacturing edges towards year of decline amid ‘noticeable impact’ of tariffs May 1, 2025 UK manufacturing’s falling production levels show no signs of ending as the spectre of tariffs brings a “noticeable impact” on exporters’ sales, leading analysts have said. Firms have had to navigate through sticky inflation and high energy costs for the best part of three years as the UK’s weakened economy has failed to bounce back [...]
Manufacturers accelerate job cuts as firms brace for ‘gloomy’ year April 24, 2025 Manufacturers are shedding staff at the fastest pace in more than four years, according to new data, as they wrestle with soaring energy bills and Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes bite. The downturn in manufacturing output slightly eased in the quarter to April, a survey of hundreds of firms by the Confederation of British Industry [...]
Reeves’ taxes hammer private sector as one of ‘lowest ever’ PMIs recorded April 23, 2025 Private sector output fell in April for the first time in a year and a half as firms reported “more of a struggle” to survive after Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax rises kicked in, S&P Global’s flagship survey has suggested. Businesses had been preparing for Reeves’ £20bn hike to employers’ national insurance contributions (NICs) for the [...]
National Insurance exemptions could help get Britain working again April 17, 2025 If the Chancellor wants to get Brits back to work, she should offer National Insurance cuts for those hiring the long unemployed, writes Georgiana Bristol.
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 [...]
Spring Statement 2025: ‘Missed opportunity’ to avoid hospitality cliff edge March 26, 2025 The UK’s leading hospitality body has slammed the Spring Statement as a ‘missed opportunity’ to solve the mounting crisis in Britain’s pubs and bars. The statement contained no phasing in of higher national insurance contributions (NICs) or extra support for the sector, despite pleas from the industry. “Growth won’t just happen without a plan. Today’s [...]
Pay awards stagnate ahead of national insurance hike March 19, 2025 Pay growth at UK businesses is stagnating as businesses look to cut costs ahead of the Chancellor’s upcoming tax hikes. Figures compiled by HR data and insights provider Brightmine show that pay growth slumped following Rachel Reeves’ Autumn Budget, and have since stagnated at three per cent. The current figure now aligns with the Office [...]