Brits spend £5bn to avoid ads on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and Spotify May 19, 2025 Brits are spending a staggering £5bn a year just to avoid ads on leading streaming services, according to a new report. In a bid to keep binge-watching and playlist-streaming interruption-free, a new Finder report found that over 31m UK adults now pay for premium, ad free subscriptions across Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney +, and Spotify. [...]
UK retail investors flock to gold amid market uncertainty May 19, 2025 UK retail investors are flocking to gold amid increased uncertainty over tariff policy and an uptick in capital gains tax, from which the precious metal is exempt. Almost six in 10 investors surveyed by Charles Schwab UK (58 per cent) think that gold will increase in value over the next year, the highest number of [...]
Firms delay tax payments as costs soar May 19, 2025 Unpaid business tax liabilities are averaging as much as £28bn a month this year, official data has revealed, suggesting firms are struggling to keep up with mounting costs. Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ £40bn tax hikes last autumn, including rises to employers’ national insurance contributions, were designed to lift the public finances and reduce borrowing. But new [...]
M&S attack exposes long term cyber fallout for UK firms May 19, 2025 The long tail of cyber attacks is becoming clearer, and more costly, for UK businesses. New data from Hiscox revealed the long term brand and commercial damage from breaches has more than doubled in the past year, underscoring the mounting risks in an AI-driven threat landscape. In its latest cyber readiness report, Hiscox found that [...]
Uber ready to go driverless in the UK May 19, 2025 Uber has declared itself “ready to go” with driverless taxi services in the UK, saying it could roll out the technology immediately if regulators give the green light. Andrew Macdonald, the taxi giant’s senior vice president of mobility, told the BBC the company is prepared to deploy robotaxis as soon as the “regulatory environment is [...]
Microsoft is past its glory days says UK fund manager May 19, 2025 Liontrust’s global innovation fund team made a striking call that bucks the conventional wisdom of leading tech stocks by saying that Microsoft, one of the world’s most valuable firms, may no longer be a long-term winner. Storm Uru and Clare Pleydell-Bouverie, co-managers of Liontrust’s Innovation Fund, have told City AM they no longer hold any [...]
Visa for the ‘super rich’ won’t bring back non-doms, MPs say May 19, 2025 The government has floated a new “investor visa” in an attempt to stop the flight of millionaires from the UK, with plans in the early stages of development. The visa would reward those who invest heavily into the UK – particularly in strategically important areas such as AI and clean energy – with a route [...]
AI triggers biggest financial services skills crunch in 15 years May 19, 2025 The UK financial services sector is facing its most significant technology skills shortage in over 15 years, driven by the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence. According to the latest Harvey Nash digital leadership report, AI has surged from the seventh to the most scarce technology skill in just 18 months – a 260 per cent [...]
Wealth managers must get ready for the great wealth transfer May 19, 2025 With the UK on the verge of a historic great wealth transfer, wealth managers must get ahead now, writes Rhodri Preece.
Labour to back use of ChatGPT and AI in schools May 19, 2025 The UK will back international guidelines on using generative AI such as ChatGPT in schools, the Education Secretary is set to announce. In a speech to the Education World Forum in London on Monday, Bridget Phillipson will aim to put Britain at the forefront of a “revolution” in education technology. As well as funding efforts [...]