Morrisons to cut sick pay for unvaccinated staff amid rising costs September 10, 2021 Morrisons, the fourth biggest UK supermarket, will cut sick pay for unvaccinated employees who need to self-isolate in a bid to limit the “biblical costs” of the pandemic, according to reports. The news comes as the supermarket readies itself to be auctioned off next month and after it reported a slide in interim profit before [...]
Which companies can help Europe achieve its “Fit for 55” plans? September 10, 2021 Last month, the European Commission released its “Fit for 55” proposals. These set out how the European Union should reach its legally-binding target to cut net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 55% below 1990 levels by 2030. That target will be an important milestone on the road to reach net zero emissions by 2050. The [...]
Exports slump in July as UK explores non-EU markets – CityAM : CityAM September 10, 2021 Total exports fell by 1.0 per cent in July, down by £0.3bn, driven by a £0.9bn drop in goods and services delivered to the EU. Falling EU exports were in part offset by a healthy increase of £0.7bn in export value to non-EU markets, up by 5 per cent compared to the previous month. Overall, [...]
Lloyd’s chief: City firms owe it to younger employees to get back to office September 10, 2021 The City of London has a duty to get employees back to the office so that younger staff don’t miss out on career development and learning from their seniors, the Lloyd’s of London chief executive has said. John Neal, who heads up the insurance giant, called for more people to return to the Square Mile [...]
More traffic looms over cities if rail fails to win back commuters hearts September 10, 2021 Cities like London could be struck by more traffic jams and business closures if train commuting fails to meet pre-pandemic levels, the rail industry has warned. Train commuting is at just 33 per cent of 2019 levels, according to the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), with some commuters opting for cars instead. Commuters were deterred from [...]
Covid recovery sluggish as UK GDP climbs just 0.1 per cent in July : CityAM September 10, 2021 The UK economy grew just 0.1 per cent in July as the post-Covid recovery continued to slow. New official figures released this morning showed a significant fall from June’s 1 per cent growth. The economy remains 2.1 per cent below its pre-pandemic peak in February 2020. Read more: Government borrowing smashes expectations but debt-to-GDP highest [...]
Estimating figures: The new normal for tax September 10, 2021 ICAS has sent in its response to HMRC’s consultation on Basis Period reform, but what does it all mean for professional partnerships, seasonal businesses and others brought within the changes? And is there a wider application to the corporate sector? Priming the sat nav with the correct address for the final destination is a useful precaution even [...]
IFS: Tax hikes will not provide enough funds for NHS September 10, 2021 A leading economic think tank has warned the government’s decision to launch a tax assault will not raise enough funds for the NHS in the long run, in brand new research published today. The Institute for Fiscal Studies said ongoing cost pressures stemming from dealing with the long-term health implications of the Covid crisis will [...]
Quo vadis, Georgia? The UK and EU have a cautious path to tread with its diplomatic ties September 10, 2021 The last year or two in Georgian politics have thrown up several disturbing events. None are more perplexing than the nations’ decision to engage in a cooperation agreement with the Belarusian KGB last month. While Western countries ramped up sanctions against the regime in Minsk, Georgia’s move was at odds with its aspirations for EU [...]
The furlough scheme protected our economy but now it has to come to an end September 10, 2021 Around nine million jobs were furloughed at the height of the first lockdown in spring 2020 – almost a third of the entire workforce. While the furlough scheme has not been able to protect every job, unemployment during the pandemic could well have numbered in the millions without it – as happened in countries, like [...]
