How Rachel Reeves could change the cash ISA May 12, 2025 News that Chancellor Rachel Reeves is preparing to launch a consultation on reforms to the ISA regime in the coming weeks has swept the City, re-kindling speculation of cuts to the cash ISA limit. In the Spring Statement earlier this year, Reeves confirmed that ISA reform was on the horizon, with changes to the regime [...]
UK living standards have worsened since Labour took power, voters say May 12, 2025 Nearly half of UK voters believe that living standards have deteriorated over the last 12 months, a new poll has suggested. The Labour government is approaching a full year in office in a matter of weeks after an electoral campaign in which it promised to boost people’s personal finances. But a new poll by Freshwater [...]
Fund managers fear for the future of the London Stock Exchange May 12, 2025 Leading fund managers are warning that sentiment towards the London Stock Exchange is drastically low following a meeting with Downing Street to discuss the issue. Nick Lawson, chief executive of investment group Ocean Wall, described UK equity markets as being at “rock bottom” following a meeting with Varun Chandra, the government’s special adviser on business. [...]
Quooker: Labour’s policies are hitting our growth May 12, 2025 The boss of instant hot water tap brand Quooker has branded the Labour government “less helpful than helpful” as its decisions are dampening confidence and curtailing investment. UK managing director Stephen Johnson has revealed that rising costs, low consumer confidence and a shrinking kitchen market are making expansion increasingly difficult despite Quooker seeing another 10 [...]
UK employer confidence falls to pandemic-era low May 12, 2025 Confidence among UK employers has fallen to lows seen only during the coronavirus pandemic as economic uncertainty over tariffs pile on top of rising costs for businesses. The number of UK employers expecting to increase headcounts over the next three months fell to the lowest outside of the pandemic, the latest survey of more than [...]
Rachel Reeves plans ISA review May 10, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is planning to launch a review of the ISA market in the coming weeks amid City calls to cap the amount that can be held tax-free in cash. The Treasury will kick-off a consultation to get a feel for views across the City of London on how to reform the ISA regime, [...]
This is why the UK’s tech tax still riles Washington May 9, 2025 The UK and US have trumped a new trade framework aimed at unlocking growth between the two allies, but one key irritant remains notably unresolved: Britain’s tech tax or Digital Services Tax (DST). The two per cent levy, introduced in 2020 under Boris Johnson, continues to rankle American officials, particularly because it disproportionately affects the [...]
Analysis: What is in the US-UK trade deal and what does it mean? May 8, 2025 The US administration has offered the UK its first trade deal since President Trump turned global trade on its head last month. The UK government will see the deal as a win, at least symbolically, while Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey hailed news of a trade deal as “excellent”. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said reducing [...]
Bolt: Uber rival appoints first UK boss May 8, 2025 Bolt, the Estonian ride-hailing platform, has appointed a new UK boss in a sign of its intention to double down on its second biggest market. Kimberly Hurd will join as the company’s first senior general manager for the UK, following stints in the fintech sector and at the Indian food delivery app Zomato. Top of [...]
What the Bank of England’s interest rate cut means for your mortgage May 8, 2025 The Bank of England has reduced rates by 0.25 percentage points to 4.25 per cent in a hotly anticipated cut that will leave homeowners with big decisions for their mortgage deals. The reduced cost for banks to borrow money will have broad implications for the mortgage market, as banks lower interest rates on loans. Major [...]