Holly Willoughby’s company survives HMRC tax battle November 19, 2025 A media company run by TV presenter Holly Willoughby has survived the latest round of a tax battle with HMRC. Roxy Media was facing a winding-up petition in the Insolvency and Companies Court over a tax debt reported to total £377,000. The petition, a serious statement of intent by a creditor to shut down a [...]
The Debate: Should you use AI for financial guidance? November 19, 2025 Many Brits have turned to AI chatbots for financial guidance, but should they? We get two experts to go head to head in this week's Debate.
Recession fears as insolvencies creep up amid construction woes November 18, 2025 The number of insolvencies crept up in October, official data has shown, amid further pressures on the construction industry and worries that Budget measures may sound the death knell for struggling companies. Data released by the Insolvency Service showed a 1.7 per cent month-on-month rise in insolvencies. On a year-on-year basis, official numbers show insolvencies [...]
Reeves’ Budget tax rumours threaten UK tech November 18, 2025 The UK’s tech sector is facing a critical moment ahead of the Autumn Budget. Rumoured caps on salary sacrifice pensions, alongside potential property and wealth taxes, threaten to hit the very talent and investment needed to drive growth in the sector. At the same time, the country faces a widening tech skills gap, leaving businesses [...]
Treasury ‘buries’ farming report until after Budget in inheritance tax blow November 16, 2025 A government-commissioned review that shows the financial pressures on the farming industry has been “buried” by the Treasury until after the Autumn Budget, Whitehall sources claim. The review which was carried out by a former president of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), Baroness Batters, is understood to lay bare concerns among farmers over Chancellor Rachel [...]
Reeves to put brakes on Cycle to Work scheme in blow to City November 13, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves could slam the brakes on the Cycle to Work scheme at the upcoming Budget in a blow to City commuters, it has been reported. The Chancellor is expected to cut tax benefits on salary sacrifice schemes, including in the buying of expensive bikes, according to a report in the Financial Times. “Cycle [...]
Squint hard enough and you can see signs of the AI bubble bursting November 13, 2025 Is the AI bubble bursting? Naturally, most eyes are on the movements of the world’s biggest tech firms – the OpenAIs, the Microsofts, the Nvidias. These are, after all, where a large share of AI investment has been deployed. But for the earliest tell-tale signs, it’s worth looking a lot further down the food chain. [...]
How money laundering took over our high streets November 13, 2025 American candy stores and vape shops are the new face of financial crime, hiding in plain sight, says Marit Rodevand Walk down almost any British high street today and you’ll see them: neon-lit candy stores selling purportedly “American” sweets, vape shops and barbers with a faded poster of Cristiano Ronaldo taped to the window. Superficially, these [...]
UK must stop treating wealth as an offence November 13, 2025 Wealth creators are not a target, but the UK’s greatest economic fuel. The government won't get anywhere before it recognises it.
Reeves set to bring in US-style whistleblowing pay for HMRC November 10, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to reveal a US-style whistleblower scheme to combat large-scale tax fraud. Later this month, HMRC is expected to launch a reward scheme, according to the Financial Times, which could pay informants as much as 30 per cent of any taxes collected as a result of tip-offs. The new US-style incentive [...]