Have confidence in the Covid-19 vaccine, urges Nadhim Zahawi February 8, 2021 The public can have confidence in the UK’s Covid vaccines, despite worries that the Oxford/AstraZeneca’s jab is minimally effective against the South African variant. Early trials have suggested the AstraZeneca vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, only has limited protection against mild disease caused by the South African variant of Covid-19. Among coronavirus variants [...]
Cheaper rent draws tenants to central London locations February 8, 2021 Lower rents in prime central London locations are grabbing the interest of prospective tenants, suggesting urban living still has strong strength of demand despite the pandemic. The number of new prospective tenants registering in prime central London (PCL) who came from outside the area was 35 per cent between June and December 2020, according [...]
Losses at top 100 restaurant groups rocket 112 per cent to £571m February 8, 2021 Losses at the top 100 UK restaurant groups increased 112 per cent to £517m last year, rising from reported losses of £269m at the end of last month. According to UHY Hacker Young, the losses are expected to continue, as restaurants have been forced to shut again because of the latest coronavirus restrictions. UK Hospitality, [...]
UK business output plummets to nearly year low February 8, 2021 The impact of lockdown restrictions in January caused UK business output to fall at a rate not seen since April 2020. Business output in January 2021 fell by 5.38 points to a near year low, according to consultancy firm BDO, with the service sector driving the decline. Despite business output falling, economic activity was significantly [...]
UK firms will have borrowed more than £60bn by the end of 2021 February 8, 2021 UK firms will have borrowed more than £60bn by the end of the year, having borrowed £35.3bn in 2020, and been forecast to borrow a further £26bn this year, according to the EY Item Club. Following the UK’s third national lockdown, EY predicted that many businesses are unlikely to start making inroads into repaying their [...]
Here comes Govtech: It’s time to digitise government and the public sector February 8, 2021 Boris Johnson’s first telephone call with Joe Biden in the White House reportedly included some joshing over which of them had first used the phrase ‘Build Back Better’. Whether it was the Prime Minister or the President, it is set to be the leitmotif of the global post-Covid recovery. Economies have been devastated, individuals have [...]
UK relaxes repayment terms for Covid Bounce Back Loans February 8, 2021 UK businesses that took out risk-free Covid loans will be given more generous repayment terms, after a recent warning that up to half of the £45bn in borrowing will not be paid back. The Treasury announced today that the 1.4m businesses who have taken out a Bounce Back Loan will be able to pay it [...]
UK supermarket chiefs call for online sales tax on firms like Amazon February 8, 2021 Some of the UK’s largest retailers, including Tesco and Asda, have called for Rishi Sunak to “rebalance the tax base” between online and bricks and mortar retail in an apparent push for a new digital sales levy on firms like Amazon. In a letter to Sunak, 18 chief executives and union bosses said “online retailers [...]
More than 12 million have had first dose of Covid vaccine February 7, 2021 More than 12 million people have had the first dose of a vaccine against Covid-19, the Department of Health and Social Care announced today. As of today, some 12,014,288 people have had a first dose of a vaccine against coronavirus. More than half a million individuals have had a second dose of a coronavirus vaccine, [...]
Labour calls for UK tax cut extensions before 3 March Budget February 7, 2021 Labour is calling for an extension to tax cuts for some of the UK sectors worst affected by the Covid pandemic. Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds today urged Rishi Sunak to extend the current VAT cut, from 20 per cent to five per cent, for retail and hospitality for another six months past March or or [...]
