Trump, tariffs and GDP: How do you forecast uncertainty? April 12, 2025 The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), one of the UK’s central forecasters, prepared itself for President Trump’s tariff war – or at least partially. At a presentation after Chancellor Reeves’ Spring Statement, OBR chair Richard Hughes admitted the fiscal watchdog’s central forecast risked being completely undermined by global events. Hughes came up with three possible [...]
Can AI do it better? Why Starmer is right to reimagine the civil service April 11, 2025 What proportion of the civil service's workload could AI handle today? Starmer could revolutionise Whitehall if he's brave enough.
UK firms overpaying billions in corporation tax, research finds April 9, 2025 UK firms overpaid £14.2bn in corporation in the last tax year, according to research by a leading accountancy firm
How could the government reform ISAs? April 4, 2025 The Labour government confirmed plans to make changes to the ISA system at its recent Spring Statement, in a bid to promote a culture of retail investment in the UK. City figures have welcomed the prospect of ISA reforms, which appear likely to be introduced at the next fiscal statement in the Autumn. It remains [...]
67 per cent tax rate will drive the last non-doms away from Britain April 3, 2025 The Finance Bill will create a punitive and arbitrary set of rules for non-doms, under which they could end up paying exorbitant levels of tax, says James Lawson This year’s Spring Statement was a pretty no-nonsense affair – and with good reason. As the war in Ukraine rages on, Trump’s tariffs begin to bite and [...]
How to maximise your pension before the end of the tax year April 2, 2025 As the end of the tax year approaches on April 5, savers have a few days to maximise their pension contributions tax allowance. Private pension contributions are tax-free up to a limit, under a regime that applies to workplace pensions, personal pensions (such as SIPPs) and overseas pension schemes that qualify for UK tax relief. [...]
New plans submitted for Custom House hotel development April 2, 2025 New plans have been submitted for the refurbishment of Custom House after years of hold-ups. The proposals include a 179-bed hotel, spa and restaurant offering, alongside a public access scheme. The Grade I building, on Lower Thames Street in the City of London, was the home of customs and trade for more than 200 years [...]
Cash ISAs fall out of favour as investors flock to Stocks and Shares ISAs April 2, 2025 Cash ISAs are increasingly becoming unpopular with investors, while the number of Stocks and Shares ISAs has surged 57 per cent amid planned reforms to the investment wrapper. An analysis of HMRC data by Investengine revealed that new Cash ISA accounts have fallen seven per cent over the last five years, despite recently announced plans [...]
How to get your personal finances in order before the end of the tax year April 1, 2025 As we enter the final week of the 2024-25 tax year, the good news is that investors still have time to maximise their tax-free allowances to protect their wealth from HMRC. The not-so-good news is that many savers and investors don’t seem to be aware of this, and the clock is now ticking.
Tax paid by companies has nearly doubled in 10 years March 31, 2025 Businesses account for over a quarter of all UK tax receipts, according to new research by Thomson Reuters. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said Labour would become more “pro-business” than previous governments in the run-up to last year’s election. But new data by Thomson Reuters raises questions about the Chancellor’s record in office as companies face an [...]