Families facing ‘groundhog year’ in 2023 as living standards to be squeezed December 30, 2022 Families are facing a “groundhog year” as further squeezes on living standards take place in 2023, a think-tank has warned. While the year ahead may offer economic policymakers some relief, with signs inflation will ease and interest rates peak lower than feared, family finances face a repeat of 2022’s squeeze as the cost-of-living crisis deepens, [...]
2023 set to be just as ‘horrendous’ as 2022 with falling pay and soaring energy bills December 30, 2022 Next year looks set to be just as “horrendous” for many families’ living standards as this year, as they are hit with falling pay and soaring energy, tax and mortgage bills, a think tank has warned. Households face a cost-of-living “groundhog year” with disposable incomes plummeting even further than in 2022, which saw the biggest [...]
House price growth falls for fourth consecutive month, worst run since 2008 December 30, 2022 House prices have plummeted for the fourth consecutive month by 2.8 per cent in December, the worst run since the financial crisis of 2008. Nationwide’s latest House Price Index shows this month proved to be another sharp slow down in growth down from 4.4 per cent in November. House prices fell by 0.1 per cent [...]
Government ‘sabotaging’ efforts to resolve strike waves, new TUC boss claims December 29, 2022 The new general secretary of the TUC has accused the Government of “sabotaging” efforts to resolve the wave of strikes continuing to sweep across the country. Paul Nowak takes over the job amid the biggest outbreak of industrial unrest in a generation, with leaders of health, rail, civil service, teaching and postal unions increasingly angry [...]
Govt accused of ‘rank double standards’ as civil servants paid £30m in vouchers December 29, 2022 The Government has been accused of “rank double standards” after giving almost £30 million in high-street vouchers to civil servants amid a pay freeze prompted by the cost-of-living crisis. Sixteen Whitehall departments in 2021-22 paid out a combined total of £29.57 million to staff in the form of ‘reward and recognition’ vouchers, a third more [...]
EXCL – Majestic Wine’s CEO John Colley on why 2022 will go down as the year of fizz December 29, 2022 Two years ago Majestic Wine went private, under the ownership of Fortress Investment. As a private entity, the company has enjoyed two years of transformation and the results have not gone unnoticed in the City: record growth and record sales. The Watford-based wine giant also opened a number of new branches and undertook a turn-around plan whilst [...]
The year in City A.M. front pages December 28, 2022 As 2022 comes to a close, we look back on how the turbulent last 12 months were reported on from our very own newsroom. It would be fair to say the last year has been a tumultuous one. It started with the ending of pandemic restrictions and the onset of a cost of living crisis. [...]
Three Christmas TV shows to watch before New Year’s Eve December 28, 2022 After days of eating, eating, then eating some more, nobody wants to think about what to watch. Which is why we’ve found three unmissable Christmas TV shows to put on while you’re in your food coma. No decision making, no scrolling, just watch these three and thank us later. Betwixmas – the odd No Man’s [...]
Driving examiners launch five-day strike December 28, 2022 Driving examiners will launch a five-day strike on Wednesday as part of escalating industrial action by civil servants in a dispute over pay, jobs and pensions. Members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) in 71 test centres in eastern England and the Midlands will walk out. They are employed by the Driver and [...]
Boxing Day footfall bounce for retail as West End chief calls for recovery help December 27, 2022 Retail destinations across the country reaped the rewards of a Christmas without Covid restrictions as Boxing Day sales enticed shoppers out of their houses. However, business leaders noted footfall was still below 2019 levels and called on the government to help accelerate retail’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic as it grapples with an economic downturn. [...]