UK bank bosses and John Healey set for tax showdown October 5, 2026 When banking lobbyists geared up for an offensive ahead of the 2025 Budget, a tax cut barely made the wishlist. Modest in their ambitions, advocates were preparing to settle for anything that didn’t see their already eye-wateringly high tax bill rise. That is until, City AM understands, officials advised them to make a cut a [...]
UK services sector marks two years of job losses October 5, 2026 The UK’s dominant services sector has suffered two years of continuous job losses despite moderate growth against the backdrop of intense trading disruption and high borrowing costs, new data has indicated. Researchers at S&P Global said a fall in employment over September across services firms meant the sector had now suffered two consecutive years of [...]
Jonathan Reynolds weighs Chinese EV tariffs after sales soar October 5, 2026 Jonathan Reynolds is reportedly weighing up whether to impose tariffs on Chinese EVs as the business secretary grapples with a surge in imports. Ministers are concerned that Chinese carmakers are “dumping” subsidised vehicles into the UK, the Times reported, and are considering adopting the 45 per cent tariff levied on Chinese cars by the EU. [...]
Employers play a bigger role in pensions than imagined October 5, 2026 Every link in the pension chain – from trustees to consultants to employers – has a part to play, writes Lady Mayor Susan Langley For many UK savers, their pension pot will become their single largest asset, bigger than their home. Yet too often the industry loses savers from the conversation entirely between the moment [...]
Startup success is rare enough in the UK without any more taxes October 5, 2026 If our rare startup successes are taxed further, more of our spinouts will end up sold early to foreign buyers and we risk losing their IP.
Beware the politician who promises he is different October 5, 2026 Andy Burnham has battered home that he is different, an outsider, but distinction comes from actions, not 'honest conversations'.
Badenoch says triple lock pension is ‘right policy’ as new Tory blueprint announced October 4, 2026 Kemi Badenoch has defended the triple lock pension as the “right policy” ahead of the Conservatives’ party conference this weekend. Badenoch said the triple lock, which is widely condemned as “unsustainable” across the political spectrum, ensured pensioners who had “contributed” were properly rewarded. The triple lock pension ensures that the state pension rises by whichever [...]
Chinese car sales top 300,000 in Britain this year as European rivals lose ground October 2, 2026 More than 300,000 Chinese cars have been sold in the UK so far this year, setting a fresh record as European rivals lose ground. Chinese carmakers made up five of the top 25-performing brands in the first nine months of the year, data from The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has revealed, accounting [...]
Price pressures hit firms amid uncertain outlook and fears of interest rate hikes October 2, 2026 Firms’ inflation expectations for the next 12 months rose higher, according to closely watched Bank of England survey, the results of which could pile pressure on policymakers to raise interest rates. The Bank’s monthly survey of firms’ price expectations, the Decision Makers’ Panel, showed price expectations becoming more jittery as costs from the energy price [...]
National Audit Office launches review into Capita’s handling of civil service pension scheme October 2, 2026 Capita has said the public spending watchdog has launched a review into its administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme, after admitting its performance “remains below” the standards expected. The National Audit Office (NAO) has launched a further formal review into the London-listed outsourcer’s handling of the scheme, building on the watchdog’s initial June 2025 [...]