Cliff-edge warning: Fewer than 10 per cent of Brits to achieve a comfortable retirement Personal Finance Large numbers of Brits are at risk of facing a retirement ‘cliff edge’ as people fail to save enough to achieve a moderate or comfortable retirement. For someone living on their own, a comfortable lifestyle would require an annual income of £45,400, a level only nine per cent of Brits are on track to hit, [...]
Mortgage approvals jump to 15-month high despite Iran war chaos Property Mortgage approvals made a surprise jump to a 15-month high in April, despite continued signs that the economic chaos caused by the Iran war is shaking confidence in the property market. Net mortgage approvals jumped three per cent to 65,900 in April, above the six-month average of around 63,100, according to Bank of England data. [...]
Weather or not to stock – AI aims to shelter UK business from the classic (wet) British summer Tech A chilly spring, a sluggish UK economy and hard-pressed household budgets at a time of rising interest rates have combined to put a national talking point – the weather – into the spotlight in the City. Seasonal trends, or the lack of them, can make or break trading at retailers and hospitality companies. Disruption from [...]
Premier League Predictions: Manchester City and Arsenal maintain title challenge, misery for Manchester United, and can Tottenham see off Leeds? May 8, 2026 It is week 36 in the Premier League, and most teams have just three games left to either finish in a blaze of glory or salvage something from a sorry campaign. There are still issues to resolve at the top and bottom of the table, while in the middle lie a host of clubs still [...]
Brands, think you’ve missed out on the London Marathon? Think again April 25, 2026 It’s that time of the year again. Everyone is posting on their social media about long runs and training plans as the London Marathon rolls into town. It’s a once-a-year (or potentially twice) opportunity for brands to get involved in a day that many will remember for a lifetime. Brands often assume that if they’re [...]
Constitution Hill flat racing switch helps horse racing attendances surge April 20, 2026 Former Champion Hurdle winner Constitution Hill’s shift to the flat has been cited for an increase in horse racing attendances across the UK. Nearly 700,000 people attended a British racecourse in the first quarter of 2026, up nearly five per cent on last year and up on 2024. With hard numbers fueled by a huge [...]
Iran war takes familiar toll on Britain’s punch-drunk farmers April 17, 2026 The Iran war has left farmers facing another round of brutal cost rises. With the scars wrought by the cost-of-living crisis only just beginning to heal, many are warning that something will have to give. The bucolic West Suffolk estate managed by farmer Andrew Blenkiron does not, on appearances, look like a scene ravaged by [...]
IMF slaps UK with biggest growth downgrade of any G7 country April 14, 2026 The UK economy has suffered the biggest growth forecast downgrade of any country in the G7 in the International Monetary Fund’s spring economic outlook report, dealing a blow to Chancellor Rachel Reeves as she struggles to overcome setbacks sparked by the Iran war. Growth this year was revised down by 0.5 percentage points as trade [...]
From jet fuel to fertiliser – economic pain is heading West April 6, 2026 A quiet Easter Sunday was abruptly punctured when US President Donald Trump unleashed a brutal, expletive-filled ultimatum to the Iranian regime. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Tuesday will be power plant day, and bridge day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. “There will be nothing like it!!! Open the f***in’ strait [...]
Britain is still paying a heavy price for Covid lockdowns March 31, 2026 Six years on from the first lockdown, Britain hasn’t returned to its pre-Covid path – instead becoming a high-tax, low-growth less free nation, says Alex Pugh A little over six years ago, 27m people watched UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tell them to “stay home” to tackle the spread of coronavirus. Johnson said you should [...]