The sleep conundrum: The UK’s other health crisis March 16, 2020 The UK population is facing a new sort of crisis — and no, this is not Covid-19, but the sleep conundrum. With two thirds of the UK working population struggling with poor sleep, research from Rand reveals that UK employers are losing up to £40bn and over 200,000 working days per year. While this is no [...]
A levelling up agenda cannot afford to overlook the UK’s beating financial heart March 16, 2020 With the strong and unpredictable economic headwinds of 2020, last week’s Budget came at a critical juncture. All eyes were on the new chancellor, in particular on what the Budget might propose to alleviate some of the short-term Covid-19 shocks to the economy. Efforts to support households and businesses, particularly SMEs, through the Covid-19 outbreak [...]
Andrew Bailey takes over with Bank of England battling coronavirus recession March 16, 2020 Andrew Bailey is no stranger to a tough job. But the incoming Bank of England governor, who takes up his new role as Mark Carney steps down tomorrow, could never have anticipated the size of the challenge that awaits him at Threadneedle Street. Bailey’s time at the Financial Conduct Authority began in the wake of [...]
Coronavirus: Pandemic heaps uncertainty on house price growth March 16, 2020 The UK’s coronavirus outbreak has heaped uncertainty on London’s housing market, which had started to rally following the Conservative general election victory. The price of property coming to market in the capital surged 5.1 per cent year on year last month to an average of £638,826, the highest annual rate of growth since May 2016. [...]
UK distillery numbers jump as craft gin popularity booms March 16, 2020 The number of distilleries in the UK has surged as craft gin continues to grow in popularity, according to the latest research. Distilleries jumped 20 per cent to 246 over the last year, up from 205 the previous year, as the UK gin industry toasted a nine per cent increase in export sales to £672m [...]
Business on the brink: Airlines, hospitality and train operators in line for state support March 16, 2020 The existential threat to business posed by the Covid-19 pandemic became crystal clear this weekend as a host of industries warned of a potentially fatal cash crunch in the coming weeks. The aviation industry led calls for targeted government support, with train operators struggling with lower passenger numbers and the hospitality industry not far behind. [...]
Government launches consulation on new transport solutions March 16, 2020 The government has today launched a consultation on the UK’s transport laws in an attempt to make the country’s journeys “greener, easier and smarter” through new technology. The review will be accompanied by £90m in funding for three new “Future Transport Zones” where new modes of transport will be trialled. The three zones will be [...]
UK litigation funders boost assets to £1.9bn March 16, 2020 UK litigation funders increased assets to £1.9bn in 2019, an increase of 46 per cent on the previous year. Analysis of the balance sheets of the UK’s top 15 litigation funders by law firm RPC found a jump in asset value from £1.3bn in 2017-18 to £1.9bn last year. Assets held by litigation funders have [...]
UK advertising exports jump to record-breaking £7.9bn March 16, 2020 International trade in British advertising services jumped 15 per cent year on year to hit a record £7.9bn in 2018, new figures have revealed. The sharp growth was significantly ahead of overall UK service exports, which rose by roughly two per cent, while the UK’s balance of payments surplus for advertising was Europe’s largest. The [...]
UK immigration no longer ‘top of mind’ issue, says new report March 16, 2020 Immigration is no longer a “top of the mind” issue for Britons, according to new research. A report from think tank British Future found immigration ranked as the ninth most important issues for voters, with 41 per cent saying they rated the issue as “very important”. The pro-immigration think tank said this was in contrast [...]
