Tech sector needs a ‘shot in the arm’ to make UK’s Silicon Valley dreams come true, industry says February 20, 2023 Britain’s ambition to create its own Silicon Valley is achievable but only if the government implements a long-term strategy to boost domestic and foreign confidence in the country’s tech sector, industry experts have warned. Last month, business secretary Grant Shapps set out plans to create a “Silicon Valley with a British edge”. Trade association techUK [...]
House prices rose just £14 last month as Bank of England rate hikes chill demand February 20, 2023 UK house prices rose by just £14 last month indicating possible buyers are turning their noses up at sellers slapping huge tickets on their homes, new figures out today reveal. The average asking price for a home in the UK came in at £362,452, making last month’s increase the smallest between January and February since [...]
Third of London restaurants worried they can’t afford energy bills, new data reveals February 16, 2023 A third of London restaurants are concerned they may be unable to pay their bills if energy prices keep rising, according to a new study by Uswitch for Business. In the capital, restaurants are currently operating at an average capacity of 54 per cent – six per cent lower than the UK average – with [...]
Hunt urged to transform ringfencing regime which puts UK at ‘disadvantage internationally’ February 15, 2023 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has been urged to reform the ringfencing regime “as quickly as possible” as UK Finance submitted proposals ahead of the Spring budget. In a list of proposals submitted today, UK Finance, the industry body, said “the current ringfencing regime puts the UK at a disadvantage internationally, as well as trapping liquidity and [...]
Thames Water risks £500m shortfall after April bill hike as vulnerable customers fall behind on payments February 14, 2023 Hundreds of thousands of Thames Water's customers risk falling behind on their bills when prices rise in April, according to Outra.
Inflation erodes UK real pay rapidly despite record wage increases as 137,000 Brits return to workforce February 14, 2023 UK take home pay is falling at one of the fastest paces since records began over two decades ago despite wage growth racing ahead at the quickest rate outside the pandemic, official figures out today reveal. Real pay fell 4.3 per cent over the three months to December last year when using the consumer price [...]
Water industry pledges to invest its way out of sewage crisis despite missing spending targets last year February 13, 2023 The government must hold firm with plans to clamp down on sewage spills in the water industry, warns a leading environmental group.
UK firms cut back on hiring as rising costs hit business optimism February 13, 2023 British firms have begun cutting back on hiring as services businesses suffered a hit from the UK’s cost-of-living crisis, new research from BDO shows. Hiring has fallen to its lowest levels since December 2021, following a sharp drop in business output over the previous year, data from BDO’s business trends report shows. UK business output [...]
Make childcare cheaper to tackle UK’s talent crunch, business lobby says February 12, 2023 The UK government should make childcare more affordable to help ease the country’s labour shortages, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has said. In the upcoming Spring Budget, UK chancellor Jeremy Hunt should set out plans to help “cash strapped” parents pay for childcare, the business lobby group said. It warned talent shortages are holding [...]
CBI: Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak must use budget to prevent recession and bolster UK economy February 9, 2023 Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak need to use the spring budget to stimulate growth to prevent the UK tipping into a recession this year, the country’s biggest business group has urged today. The chancellor and prime minister should at the 15 March statement soothe the impact of a sharp rise in the UK’s profit tax [...]