Levelling up does not require cutting down February 10, 2020 Towards the end of last year, this column suggested that 2020 “could be the year when the voice of the provinces is heard more clearly than the roar of the metropolis”. We recognised that the seizure by the Tories of scores of formerly safe Labour seats would mean a recalibration of Conservative priorities, indeed — [...]
Sajid Javid weighing up tax raid on high earners February 8, 2020 Sajid Javid is considering a tax raid on higher earners in his March budgets to help fund Boris Johnson’s plan to “level up” the economy. The chancellor is said to be committed to making the tax system “fair and efficient”. Insiders have told the Financial Times, Javid is weighing up reforms that would hit the [...]
What’s the easiest way to send funds back to the UK? February 7, 2020 Home is where the heart is, which is why many expats choose to send money back to the UK even with a new life abroad. There are many reasons why you may need to repatriate funds, such as property maintenance, pension payments, or helping out with school fees. It might be that after enjoying the [...]
The taxman cometh: 6 tips to help you complete self-assessment tax return January 29, 2020 This Friday marks the end of a process that many have found divisive, emotionally draining, expensive, and time-consuming. No, I’m not talking about Brexit. Friday 31 January is the deadline for completing your self-assessment tax return — the bane of existence for freelancers, the self-employed, and anyone who earns extra income outside their basic salary. [...]
Entrepreneur tax relief to be scaled back in Budget January 27, 2020 The government will reportedly scale back a tax break for entrepreneurs amid concerns it is overly generous to the wealthy. A senior cabinet minister told The Financial Times that the Chancellor Sajid Javid is drawing up plans to curb the tax break. The Conservatives’ general election manifesto outlined plans to review and reform the relief. [...]
Boohoo hikes guidance after ‘record’ quarter January 14, 2020 Boohoo raised its full-year guidance this morning as it reported record trading during the final quarter of last year. The online fashion retailer’s shares jumped more than five per cent after it announced group revenue in the four months to 31 December was £473.7m, an increase of 44 per cent compared to the same period [...]
Labour isn’t even trying to make its slapdash sums add up December 3, 2019 General Elections are always an uncomfortable period for those of us who like our facts straight and our figures honest. All too often, politicians of all stripes seem to be treating the Liberal Democrats’ infamous bar charts not as a scandal, but an inspiration. Even by modern standards, however, there is something rather special about [...]
General election 2019: Council taxes likely to rise more under Tories, says IFS December 2, 2019 Council tax rates are likely to rise more under a Conservative government than a Labour one, in order to cover local government costs, the Institute for Fiscal Studies has warned. The Tories have not allocated enough funding to meet local government requirements, even with a four per cent rise in council tax. Read more: Both [...]
UBS wealth arm pessimistic about UK earnings in 2020 November 28, 2019 UBS Global Wealth Management (GWM) has said it expects earnings growth for UK equities to flatline in 2020, regardless of which party wins the upcoming General Election. Analysts at the Swiss banking giant’s wealth arm said that if the Tory party wins and pushes through a Brexit deal, the benefits will be limited by fresh [...]
Labour policies could cause run on sterling, says think tank Cebr November 25, 2019 A Labour government could cause a run on the pound due to market fears over the party’s stewardship of the economy, a leading economic think tank has said. Douglas McWilliams, director of the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), called Labour’s plans to raise £83bn a year through higher taxes by 2023-24 “improbable”. Read [...]