Weekend Read: Job market tension threatens to derail Britain’s economic recovery July 17, 2021 The UK labour market is roaring back to life. After months of being shuttered due to Covid, businesses are finally welcoming customers back through their doors – and ramping up hiring to cope with soaring demand. Companies added 356,000 workers to payrolls over the last month. Total weekly hours worked has reached its highest level [...]
Seventy per cent of FTSE 350 companies have no female exec board members July 15, 2021 The pandemic has set back gender parity prospects for top jobs by four years, according to a new report. Seventy percent of companies on the FTSE 350 have no female executives on their main board and will lag behind men until 2036 amid the pandemic. There has been a sudden slow rise for female appointments [...]
Aviva warns government on building safety hit to UK property market July 14, 2021 Aviva warns the government that institutional investors could be scared away from the UK residential property market because of its new safety proposals for high-rise buildings, prompted by Grenfell. The UK insurer asked the government to consider how its new “Building Safety Bill” would financially affect their owners last year in a letter in November [...]
London homes: Pandemic panic-buying property leads to homeowner regrets July 13, 2021 London property: Pandemic panic-buying property leads to homeowner regrets
Pandemic rethink: Nearly half of all UK workers are less career-focused July 12, 2021 With freedom day fast approaching, all attention is on workers returning to the office and the nature of flexible working options. Since working from home, due to Covid-related restrictions, 50 per cent of people experienced difficulty with disassociating their work lives with their home lives, according to insurance giant Aviva. The company’s study found that [...]
Post-pandemic flexible working a must for burnt-out workers July 12, 2021 Over two thirds of workers want more flexible working post-pandemic, as just under half can’t switch off from work. A new study from Aviva shows that 44 per cent of workers feel they can’t switch off from work. As a result of always-on working, 40 per cent are now concerned about burn out. While both [...]
Action group agrees settlement with Hiscox over business interruption cover June 28, 2021 Members of the Hiscox Action Group have reached a settlement with the insurer relating to business interruption losses suffered as a result of Covid-led lockdowns. The action group said the settlement is in line with the Supreme Court judgment on business interruption clauses, and that both parties were satisfied with the outcome. Both Hiscox and [...]
Homeowners could still sue for damages amid leasehold ground rent reforms June 24, 2021 Even though Persimmon Homes and Aviva have agreed to change the way they operate in regard to leaseholds and ground rent charges, homeowners could still be entitled to compensation, according to legal experts. Following a recent investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), house builder Persimmon will allow its leaseholders to buy the freehold [...]
Blackstone sweetens buyout offer for property developer St Modwen by £50m June 24, 2021 Private equity firm Blackstone has offered to pay £50m more for property developer St Modwen, bringing its total takeover offer to £1.25bn. The 560 pence per share cash offer for St Modwen is the final offer, the companies said today, adding that Blackstone could make another proposal if another suitor for St Modwen emerged. Last [...]
Persimmon and Aviva agree to make leasehold payments fairer for homeowners after CMA probe June 23, 2021 Following an investigation by the UK’s markets watchdog, housebuilder Persimmon and financial services group Aviva have agreed to overhaul their leasehold contracts to make payments fairer for homeowners. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation into Persimonn’s leaseholds pushed the housebuilder to cap the price of freehold at £2,000 in its Right to Buy scheme [...]