Competition watchdog secures £47m in overdraft refunds from major banks May 28, 2020 The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has secured £47m in refunds for consumers from banks which failed to properly warn them about overdraft charges in the last two years. Customers with personal current accounts must receive a text alert warning of fees before banks charge them for an unarranged overdraft. Today, the CMA announced that [...]
Nearly half of closed UK businesses are unsure when they will reopen May 28, 2020 Almost half of businesses that shutdown because of the coronavirus pandemic are unsure when they will reopen, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The UK is attempting to reopen its economy with shops allowed to reopen on 15 June having been closed in March when the pandemic was raging. About one [...]
More than 70 travel bosses sign letter calling for end to quarantine May 28, 2020 More than 70 bosses of travel companies have signed a letter calling on the government to scrap a planned 14-day quarantine for arrivals from overseas. From 8 June travellers arriving from abroad will be asked to quarantine for 14 days or risk paying a £1,000 fine to help stop the spread of coronavirus.. Holiday and [...]
Employers asked to pay staff wages while they self-isolate under test-and-trace plan May 28, 2020 Employers should pay the wages of any staff told to self-isolate under England’s new coronavirus test-and-trace system, Health secretary Matt Hancock said today. The programme is a key plank in the government’s strategy to lift lockdown and restart the economy. From today, contacts of people who test positive for coronavirus will be asked to quarantine [...]
Coronavirus: UK’s test and trace programme launches today May 28, 2020 The UK’s test-and-trace programme, which is intended to drive down the number of coronavirus cases, launches today. Britain abandoned tracing coronavirus cases in March as the virus took hold in the UK and community transmission became widespread. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised to deliver a “world class” system of testing, tracking cases and tracing [...]
Coronavirus deaths jump to 412 after bank holiday weekend lag May 27, 2020 Coronavirus-related deaths in the UK jumped to 412 today after falling earlier in the week following the bank holiday. The Department of Health said 37,460 people have died with coronavirus in total as of 5pm on 26 May, up 412 on the previous day. Yesterday, the Department of Health said 134 people had died with [...]
Small businesses borrow £18bn in three weeks under Bounce Back Loan Scheme May 27, 2020 Small and medium-sized businesses have borrowed more than £18bn under the government’s Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) in its first three weeks of operation. The BBLS was introduced by chancellor Rishi Sunk after criticism that the existing Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) was not being made accessible to many businesses by the banks administering [...]
British Land falls to £1.1bn loss as coronavirus pandemic hits rent payments May 27, 2020 British Land today said its full year results were hit by a slowdown in rent payments in March due to coronavirus and a subsequent fall in the value of its office and retail portfolio. The retail giant posted a loss of £1.1bn in the year to 31 March, with underlying profit for the year falling [...]
Government backtracks on review of lockdown fines for childcare reasons May 27, 2020 The government has backtracked on suggestions it may review fines for breaching the coronavirus lockdown where people said they were travelling for childcare-related purposes. At yesterday’s coronavirus briefing, health secretary Matt Hancock was asked by a member of the public if the government would commit to reviewing lockdown fines where someone was travelling for childcare, [...]
UK grocery sales surge at record level after two months of lockdown May 27, 2020 UK grocery sales rose 14.3 per cent during the 12 weeks to 17 May, the fastest rate since comparable records began in 1994, as Britons adapted to the national lockdown, data from market researcher Kantar showed today. The UK has been in lockdown since 23 March though restrictions are being gradually eased. Of Britain’s big [...]