July Budget 2015: Are you an entrepreneur, an apprentice or a single parent? What does George Osborne’s statement mean for you? July 8, 2015 THE SINGLE PARENT Catherine Gannon, 51Managing partner at law firm Gannons Gannons Commercial Law continues to do well, with profits and earnings up on last year. Catherine is commercially savvy and has restructured the business from an LLP to a limited company, illustrating that she is a smart operator in a segmented legal [...]
July Budget 2015: Every key policy announced today July 8, 2015 George Osborne revealed the first Budget of the government, including policy changes on everything from pensions and inheritance tax to bank levies and the Northern Powerhouse. Here we round up all the essential points from the Red Box. 1. A surplus will be reached by 2019 Osborne pledged to reduce the deficit by [...]
Insurers’ rugby sponsorship puts a premium on giving staff kicks July 6, 2015 Admiral’s deal with Welsh Rugby Union breaks mould by putting employees first A recurring theme for the businesses sponsoring teams at this year’s Rugby World Cup is the increased exposure their brand can expect to receive from the international tournament. Yet directors at car insurance specialist Admiral will be just as concerned with [...]
My vision as City minister: I want UK finance to be the world’s most competitive June 30, 2015 During my two decades in the financial services industry, I always enjoyed the important annual events that bring the industry together. It was great to be back at The City UK’s conference yesterday, speaking this time in my new job as the government minister responsible for financial services policy. I’m proud of the [...]
The parking permit postcode lottery – and why Birmingham and Manchester trump London by £300 June 11, 2015 Living in a city and owning a car was always going to be an expensive pursuit – but it turns out the gap between what councils charge residents to park varies wildly. A study by Churchill Car Insurance has found that while some districts charge nothing for their residents to park, in other areas, it [...]
Car manufacturer Renault offers RCI Banque bank account for UK savers June 8, 2015 Car manufacturer Renault’s finance arm is launching savings accounts in the UK for the first time, diversifying its funding base. Motor companies often run finance businesses to fund customers’ purchases of their cars, as well as related insurance products. But offering a wider range of services is not as common. RCI Banque, as the unit [...]
Laptops, cars and jewellery: The 10 things we can’t live without in 2015 June 8, 2015 Gadgets and sentimental jewellery, these are the things we just can’t live without in the modern age – a far cry from what mattered most to Brits 125 years ago. The laptop is our most crucial item today while the humble sewing machine was the essential thing we couldn't do without back in the 1890s [...]
DVLA changes to complicate car hire rules: Counterpart driving licences are being abolished and renters must register online June 2, 2015 Hiring a car abroad can be a hassle – with costs, paperwork, forward planning and strange roads to be taken into consideration. But alongside cutting costs, drivers should also be aware of the DVLA’s changes around driving licences. The burden of carrying a paper counterpart driving licence when hiring a car abroad will be [...]
Investec Comment: Why the future is bright for SME finance May 10, 2015 NO ONE needs to be told that it’s been a difficult few years for small businesses seeking finance, and economic recovery has done little to change this picture. The Bank of England’s latest Trends in Lending report found that the annual rate of growth in the stock of lending to small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) [...]
Bloodhound SSC race car stops by Willis: 1,000mph supersonic dream machine is City’s star attraction April 27, 2015 Something shiny caught The Capitalist’s eye near the iconic Lloyd’s building yesterday. Redefining the notion of a flashy car, most passing insurance workers on their lunch breaks could only look on adoringly and weep at the £20m price-tag. Designed to set a new land-speed record of 800 miles per hour on the vast, smooth plains [...]