UK tech faces hiring crunch despite AI visa push Tech Applications from overseas tech workers wanting to move to the UK have dropped significantly, adding to concerns over talent shortages in one of the economy’s faster growing sectors. New data by accountancy firm RSM UK found the number of international workers applying for a UK visa to work in tech dropped 11 per cent from [...]
Brits plump for premium hotels as budget stays suffer hospitality The gap between hotel prices has continued to expand as Brits plump for premium travel over budget options, according to new figures. Average room rates of UK luxury hotels rose from £380.30 to £405.18 in August year on year, and from £136.33 to £141.57 for mid market hotels, data from RSM shows. Room rates in [...]
RSM UK approves merger with US arm, backing partnership over private equity Prof Services Accountancy firm RSM UK has greenlit a merger with its US sister, RSM US, to create a $5bn (£3.75bn) new partnership structure, in the first major transatlantic combination in the accountancy sector. It was reported last October that both firms were in talks, with a focus on the mid-market. On Thursday, after a “near-unanimous vote” [...]
Capital gains tax raid should have ‘health warning’, Labour warned October 6, 2025 Labour risks stunting growth and discouraging investment if it pursues further capital gains hikes, tax advisers have warned, as reforms proposed by top think tanks were pushed back on by industry figures. Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer have talked up the prospects of attracting investment in the UK and making the wider tax system fairer [...]
Hotel demand ‘holds strong’ while staff costs eat into profit October 1, 2025 Demand for UK hotels rose in August, although higher staff costs means that hoteliers saw profit drop. Occupancy increased from 81.4 per cent to 82.1 per cent in August year-on-year, and rose slightly from 84.2 per cent to 84.5 per cent in London, according to RSM and Hotstats. But room rates remained flat as consumers [...]
Mortgage approvals rise for third month in a row September 1, 2025 Mortgage approvals for house purchases edged up in July, the third month in a row that has seen a rise, official data has shown. Money and credit statistics published by the Bank of England showed the housing market remains intact despite fears it might slump ahead of the Autumn Budget. The rise in approvals came [...]
UK retail sales bounce back as Brits enjoyed warmest June on record July 25, 2025 Sales for UK retailers rose last month as Britons enjoyed the warmest June on record, which helped drive sales of food and drink, according to official figures. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said overall retail sales volume rose by 0.9 per cent in June, following a 2.8 per cent fall in May, as consumers [...]
London hotel rates quintuple amid supersonic Oasis demand July 22, 2025 London hotel rates have soared as Oasis fans pour into the capital for a string of shows at Wembley. The average cost of room rates in Wembley jumped to £560 for Friday, 25 July, compared to £114.83 for the following week, according to consulting firm RSM UK. “The impact of this iconic band reforming brings [...]
Rachel Reeves to face fresh blow with sluggish growth data July 8, 2025 The UK economy is expected to have grown by a miserly 0.1 per cent in May, consensus among City economists suggests, undermining Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ commitment to deliver higher growth. The government’s difficult two weeks could get a whole lot worse on Friday morning when the Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes data on GDP [...]
UK retailers respond to Trump tariffs: ‘The timing couldn’t be worse’ April 4, 2025 Retail bodies and tax advisers have warned that Trump’s tariffs come at a dire time for UK retail, saying price rises are “inevitable”. US President Donald Trump announced a 10 per cent tariff on goods from the UK on 2 April, and a range of higher tariffs on many of the countries retailers manufacture goods [...]