Britons aren’t as suspicious of the UK banking sector as they’re made out to be – in fact, customers are happier here than in the rest of the world July 9, 2015 After yesterday's Budget bonanza, here's some more good news for the UK's financial services sector: a new study has shown British customers aren't as suspicious of the financial services sector as they're made out to be. In fact, confidence among consumers in the sector is higher here than in the rest of the world. The [...]
Balfour Beatty share price falls as it issues £150m profit warning July 9, 2015 Maybe that takeover rebuttal wasn't such a good idea? Shares in construction giant Balfour Beatty – which this time last year unceremoniously rejected a merger bid from rival Carillion – fell more than five per cent to 216.4p this morning after it admitted pre-tax profits are likely to be hit by "legacy issues" across its [...]
TfL Tube strike 2015: Citymapper, walking maps and TfL advice – here’s our commuters’ survival kit July 9, 2015 Hit by the Tube strike this morning? Don't panic, says Transport for London (TfL) – although you might have to be flexible about your journey times. That was part of advice issued last night by London's transport authority – suggestions also include looking for alternative routes on the DLR, London Overground and national rail services. [...]
TfL Tube strike 2015: Second day of strike action causes rush hour misery for thousands of London commuters July 9, 2015 Thousands of commuters were facing a morning of delays today, after London Underground drivers went ahead with a 24-hour strike. Read more: This map shows how long it takes to walk between London Underground stations Unions have been at loggerheads with Transport for London (TfL) over the Night Tube, which will run at weekends from September. [...]
July Budget 2015 summary: All the personal finance measures announced by George Osborne during his speech July 8, 2015 Today's Budget may not have included as many measures aimed at pensioners and first-time buyers as last time; today, George Osborne seemed more intent on telling firms that Britain was "open for business". Osborne's headline grabber this time around was inheritance tax and the creation of a family home allowance which will help people "pass on [...]
Return of the Mack: How Barclays chairman John McFarlane earned his reputation as “Mack the Knife” July 8, 2015 John McFarlane has barely been in situ three months as Barclays’ chairman, but this morning he claimed his first scalp: Antony “nicest guy in banking” Jenkins, the man appointed three years ago to bring out Barclays’ cuddly side, will step down at the end of next week. Read more: From the Libor scandal to the [...]
July Budget 2015 – changes to mortgage tax relief: Here’s what to do now if you’re a buy-to-let landlord July 8, 2015 A major shake-up of the buy-to-let housing market could be about to take place, after chancellor George Osborne announced plans to change mortgage tax relief for landlords. In his Budget speech today, the chancellor said the relief will be cut to 20 per cent, from 40 to 45 per cent, in an effort to "level [...]
July Budget 2015: George Osborne cuts corporation tax and bank levy as he tells firms “Britain is open for business” July 8, 2015 George Osborne has made his case for keeping large corporations in the UK after he slashed corporation tax and the bank levy during the first all-Conservative Budget speech since 1996. In a Budget designed to "show the world the UK is open for business", the chancellor cut corporation tax to 18 per cent, as well as [...]
July Budget 2015: From Constantine to Margaret Thatcher – a brief history of Sunday trading hours July 8, 2015 It’s what retailers have been fighting for for generations: when George Osborne takes to the despatch box today, he may finally do what his predecessors couldn’t: scrap the Sunday Trading Act. The idea is that small retailers, who are faced with increased competition from their 24-7 online rivals, will be given a few extra hours [...]
July Budget 2015: Buy-to-let landlords hit as George Osborne restricts mortgage tax relief and hikes rent a room allowance July 8, 2015 George Osborne has cut mortgage interest relief on buy-to-let homes, in an effort to create a "level playing field" between prospective landlords and those buying their homes to live in. Read more: Chancellor slashes corporation tax and bank levy The chancellor said the relief will be cut to the basic rate of income tax, which [...]
