First-time buyers could see huge tax hit under rumored Budget change October 28, 2024 First-time buyers could see huge tax hit under changes rumored to be included in the Autumn budget. It has been rumoured that Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves will rule out any changes to stamp duty land tax in the Budget. Stamp duty land tax currently applies to homes costing over £250,000, but in March [...]
Jeremy Hunt accuses OBR of making a ‘political intervention’ over Labour’s blackhole review October 28, 2024 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has used the supposed existence of the £22bn blackhole as a justification to hike taxes in Wednesday's Budget.
House prices rising slowly but 2024 still a ‘bumper year’ October 28, 2024 2024 is set to be a “bumper year” for house sales thanks to rising real incomes and lower mortgage rates, according to Zoopla’s latest house price index. The level of new sales has increased to its highest level since late 2020, the survey showed. There are 306,000 homes currently working through the buying process, 26 [...]
Labour’s pro-business boasts ring hollow October 28, 2024 Rachel Reeves once vowed that if Labour won they “would be the most pro-business government this country has ever seen”. With just two days to go until the Budget, that pre-election pledge appears to be in the gutter. Reassuring the business community was an essential part of Labour’s pitch for power, but almost everything they’ve [...]
Back to the 80s: Why we need to start celebrating business October 28, 2024 When Bernard Fairman founded Foresight Group, Britain had a favourable tax and regulatory environment and a culture that encouraged entrepreneurialism – and the economy boomed as a result Growing the economy is the “first mission” of the new government, with much of what Sir Keir Starmer wants to do over the next decade being reliant [...]
A Budget for stability must mean less is more October 27, 2024 As it prepares for its first Budget, it’s critical the government considers something important but quite dull: practicality If you’d attended the government’s International Investment Summit last week and your bingo card had the words ‘regulation’, ‘stability’ and ‘growth’ on it, you’d have been over the moon. Yes, both the Prime Minister and Chancellor were [...]
Investor sentiment split by age as older generation’s views sour October 25, 2024 Investor sentiment has split by age over the last six months, with young people’s confidence in investment increasing significantly as the older generation remains sceptical. While the desire to save and invest has jumped by double digits among 18-34 year olds, those aged 35-54 have increased by just a few percent, while for the oldest [...]
Budget 2024: Warning pubs and breweries could face extra £310m bill October 25, 2024 Pubs and breweries could face an extra £310m bill after the Budget, an industry lobby group has warned. The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has warned Chancellor Rachel Reeves that a hike in business rates and beer duty could leave Britain’s drinking spots struggling. Additional costs could stifle growth and threaten jobs, with some [...]
UK suffering from ‘vibecession’ ahead of the Budget, PwC says October 24, 2024 The firm's latest consumer sentiment survey dipped to -8 at the end of September, its lowest point this year.
Budget uncertainty sends economic activity down to lowest level in almost a year October 24, 2024 Uncertainty surrounding the Budget knocked economic activity in October, according to a closely watched business survey, as firms delayed decisions in the face of possible tax changes.