Spring Budget 2024: Jeremy Hunt to cut national insurance rather than income tax as rate windfall fails to materialise March 5, 2024 The Chancellor has repeatedly stressed his determination to bring down the tax burden, which is on course to rise to record levels no matter what Hunt announces in the Budget.
Treasury has no way of recording value for money on borrowing, MPs find March 5, 2024 Government borrowing has ballooned since the early 2000s as a result of a succession of crises, rising from around £300bn in 2003 to as much as £2.5trn last year.
Companies House launches ‘urgent review’ over 800 ‘erroneous’ filings made by one account March 5, 2024 Companies House has launched an "urgent review" after the government-owned corporate register saw one account file 800 "erroneous" forms on 190 companies, raising fears over a sophisticated fraud targeted at banks.
London is crying out for more homes –here’s how the next mayor can build them March 5, 2024 It will take a young couple on a normal income 30 years to save a deposit to buy the average property in London, but there is a way to change that, writes Sam Richards London is in a housing crisis. The boom the city has experienced over the past three decades has seen the number [...]
Bank of England had 28 ‘major’ compliance breaches in a year but ‘good progress’ made March 4, 2024 The public spending watchdog has found dozens of "major" compliance breaches at the Bank of England over the course of a year, despite it taking steps to address shortcomings.
The hidden infrastructure holding back the housing market March 4, 2024 Politicians of all stripes are promising to help more people onto the housing ladder, but behind the headline-grabbing policies, the elephant in the room is whether the mortgage and conveyancing market can cope with a spike in transactions, says Joe Pepper The housing market will be a key battleground in the forthcoming election, and we [...]
More misery for retail as footfall slips to lowest level since pandemic on wet weather and strikes March 1, 2024 Unpredictable British weather has yet again been blamed for hurting trade on UK high streets. According to a report by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), footfall recorded in February slumped to the lowest since the pandemic, falling 9.3 per cent against a 2.3 per cent decline the prior month. Some 23mm of rain fell across [...]
Clare Lombardelli appointed deputy governor at the Bank of England February 29, 2024 Clare Lombardelli has been appointed as the next deputy governor for monetary policy at the Bank of England, replacing Ben Broadbent.
Mortgage approvals rise to highest level in a year – but UK housing market rebound unlikely to last February 29, 2024 The figures show that the housing market is steadily rebounding from the impact of higher interest rates.
Coventry Building Society sees profit boost from rate hikes as Co-op Bank merger talks continue February 29, 2024 Higher interest rates have boosted Coventry Building Society's annual profits as the lender continues to negotiate a potential merger with the Co-op Bank.