Awful April: brace for a wave of stealth tax rises March 31, 2026 April is upon us and the new tax year will usher in a range of tax hikes, despite the absence of any headline rate rises, with frozen thresholds, shrinking allowances and tighter reliefs set to hit families, workers and savers. The harsh impact will also be felt as Brits are hit with a wave of [...]
Energy price cap set to jump as consumers brace for soaring bills March 31, 2026 The Ofgem energy price cap is expected to leap by 18 per cent after June as households brace for the impact of spiralling oil and gas prices. Energy consultancy firm Cornwall Insight has forecast the average annual energy bill to be set by the regulator Ofgem at £1,929 in July. It would represent a £288 [...]
Britain’s most AI-exposed sectors foot biggest tax bill March 31, 2026 The UK sectors most exposed to artificial AI are concentrated in the same parts of the economy that generate the bulk of tax revenues, according to government and industry data. A 2026 assessment from the UK government shows AI is most applicable to tasks involving data processing, analysis and routine cognitive work, activities concentrated in [...]
Is Rachel Reeves actually to blame for the ‘Truss crash’? March 26, 2026 After years of blaming the 'Truss crash' on tax cuts, Rachel Reeves has finally gestured to the real problem – her own instinct to overspend, writes Tom Harwood.
Four ways to help the HENRYs March 26, 2026 High Earners, Not Rich Yet are being hammered by tax, housing and childcare costs. Here’s how to fix the system so HENRYs don’t just participate in the workforce, but also prosper, says Louis Coke The acronym ‘HENRY’ has been around for a while, and the problem that it encompasses is only getting bigger and bigger [...]
If Reeves wants Britain to lead in AI, she must offer tax incentives March 25, 2026 The government is aware of the levers it’s able to pull to compete on AI: planning, electricity connections, visas, higher education policy, direct subsidies. But where’s tax? Asks Tim Sarson A couple of weeks ago one of those mini news stories came along, the sort that is so neatly zeitgeisty that it demands further consideration. [...]
Rocco Forte: Inheritance tax grab has endangered my family firm March 25, 2026 With luxury outposts across Europe, and plans to expand to the Gulf, Rocco Forte Hotels has become one of Britain’s most successful hospitality exports. But after being hit by a wave of damaging policies – including a potentially existential inheritance tax crackdown – he tells Ali Lyon, he is more disillusioned with Britain now, than [...]
HMRC rejects nearly half of digital tax exemptions March 24, 2026 HMRC has rejected almost half of applications from taxpayers seeking exemption from Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax. Figures obtained via a Freedom of Information (FoI) request by Saffery show that as of February 2026 more than 1,600 people had applied for exemption on the grounds of “digital exclusion”. Of those, 855 applications were [...]
Small businesses ‘dismayed’ at HMRC plan to tighten tax rules March 23, 2026 Small businesses are “dismayed” at the prospect of tax rules being tightened under new proposals set out by HMRC. The rules, which are subject to a consultation, would require close companies, which are defined as firms controlled by five or fewer individuals, to provide HMRC with details of all transactions between the company and its [...]
The UK founder exodus is not just about tax – it’s about tone March 23, 2026 Minus tax, the UK still has the fundamentals to nurture entrepreneurs, but it's presenting itself as a wimpish place to work, writes Sean Bannister.