Use Budget to urgently review UK’s tax system, accountants urge Reeves September 20, 2024 Rachel Reeves should use the Budget next month to urgently review the UK’s tax system, including business rates and VAT, a chartered accountants group has urged. The Chancellor has been called on to set out the government’s plans to reform business rates, VAT and employment status by the end of the year in the fiscal [...]
Government borrowing jumps as threat of tax hikes grows September 20, 2024 The figures come just over a month before Rachel Reeves delivers her first Budget as Chancellor.
Consumer confidence sinks as Brits ‘nervously await’ Budget September 20, 2024 Key future indicators of consumer confidence all sharply fell in September as Brits nervously awaited policy announcements in the Autumn Budget, according to fresh data. GfK’s long-running consumer confidence index fell sharply to -20 in September overall, with all measures – including personal finances, economy and purchase intentions – down month-on-month. “Headline consumer confidence has… [...]
Why launch an AIM VCT now? First in 17 years debuts September 19, 2024 The first venture capital trust focused on the AIM market in 17 years has been launched by Puma, despite fears over the strength of London’s junior market. AIM stocks have not performed well in recent years, with its index falling 40 per cent over the last three years, compared to a 21 rise in the [...]
The departure of the super rich is an early warning siren for the rest of us September 18, 2024 Marcelo Goulart, managing partner at the Zurich-based wealth advisor First Alliance, has been so busy helping his clients leave the UK that he’s had no summer holiday. He tells City A.M. that 80 per cent of his “UK exposed” clients have either left the country or are in the final stages of doing so. He [...]
Natwest chair says he ‘deeply regrets’ time at Petrosaudi after £1.3bn ‘scam of the century’ September 15, 2024 Natwest chairman Rick Haythornthwaite has expressed his regret and sadness for his role at the UK arm of oil company Petrosaudi, which was involved in a £1.37bn “scam of the century” against Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund. Haythornthwaite said he took the role “in good faith” without knowing the existence of the fraud, which channelled money [...]
Retail group calls for ‘rates corrector’ in next Budget September 13, 2024 High business rates and other bills have led to an overtaxing of the retail industry compared to its size in terms of GDP, according to fresh data. The British Retail Consortium found that retail pays 7.4 per cent of all business taxes – £33bn – a share 1.5 times greater than its share of the [...]
Calls grow for Reeves to shield employees’ shares from capital gains tax hike September 12, 2024 Calls are growing for the government to carve out an allowance on capital gains tax for employee share schemes amid fears a sweeping hike could gut the UK of talent and hammer smaller companies’ ability to retain staff.
Tech chiefs warn Chancellor not to undermine growth with tax hike September 11, 2024 A sweeping hike in capital gains tax (CGT) risks “undermining the chancellor’s growth agenda” and could suck talent and investment away from Britain’s start-ups, some of the country’s top fintech bosses have warned. Industry bodies and tech chiefs mounted a co-ordinated push to topple the suggestion of a blanket rise in CGT yesterday as they [...]
Goldman Sachs expects tax hikes of ‘at least’ £20bn in Reeves budget September 10, 2024 Many potential tax reforms have faced criticism for their potential unintended consequences.