Explainer-in-brief: Job-cutting government takes aim at civil service May 16, 2022 Boris Johnson is considering reducing the number of civil servants by more than 90,000, reaching an even lower level than what was planned pre-Brexit. Formal discussions will start next week, and will likely intensify tensions between ministers and civil servants. Relations have been strained recently, worsened by the row on working from home sparked by [...]
Ofgem proposes price cap shake-up which could see energy bills rise four times a year May 16, 2022 Energy users could see their household bills fall faster, with Ofgem one step closer to a major revamp of the consumer price cap.
Made.com slashes 2022 outlook amid ‘tough trading environment’ May 16, 2022 Lifestyle brand Made.com lowered its expectations for the rest of 2022, with both gross sales and revenue expected to drop 15 per cent and seven per cent respectively.
Nightclubs warn of ‘tragedy’ without government intervention into bouncer shortage May 16, 2022 Nightclubs have warned of a “tragedy where lives are lost” unless the government intervenes to ameliorate a shortage of bouncers. Late-night venues are “running out of time” as a busy summer season approaches, bosses at the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) and UK Door Security Association cautioned. Nightclubs are eagerly awaiting their first full summer [...]
Bank of England independence must remain no matter the political weather May 16, 2022 When Gordon Brown summoned then-governor of the Bank of England Eddie George to his office at the Treasury in 1997, the man in charge at Threadneedle Street was accompanied by a young civil servant – one Andrew Bailey. At that meeting, George – and presumably Bailey – were surprised to be told that the newly [...]
London’s housing supply is not fit for purpose, and we need a bit of bravery to fix it May 16, 2022 The housing market in London is extremely hard to navigate. Students looking for a flat to rent with two or three friends often have to give up on the idea of a living room for reasons of price. Older couples who might want to relocate after the kids have moved out often don’t, because there’s [...]
Road tax ‘fairer and more popular than fuel duty’ May 15, 2022 SMF calls for fuel duty to overhauled, and suggest a levy based on miles driven, which would be 'fairer' and more 'popular'.
Capital gains tax receipts increase £5bn in two years: Is its future aligned with income tax? May 15, 2022 The amount of Capital Gains Tax collected by the government has shot up by more than £5bn in the past two years, according to official figures from HMRC. Rising from £9.8bn in 2019/20 to £14.9bn in 2021/22, the huge increase comes after changes to the tax and rising house prices. The increase in Capital Gains [...]
City boss pays staff in gold to beat inflation: ‘Makes no sense to pay them in pounds’ May 15, 2022 Staff at a financial services firm in the City of London have been offered the possibility to get paid in gold rather than pounds and pence — to help them keep ahead of inflation. TallyMoney CEO Cameron Parry is understood to be the first employer in the country to trial a gold payroll, though other [...]
Ministers postpone junk food advertising and ‘buy one get one free’ curbs amid cost of living crunch May 14, 2022 As the cost of living crunch sets in, ministers have delayed their plans to ban multi-deal buys on junk food in its quest to clamp down on childhood obesity.