Boxing Day trains: Cancellations leave football fans and shoppers facing chaos December 26, 2022 Shoppers hoping for a Boxing Day bargain could face traffic jams as rail strikes see train services brought to a halt. Thousands of people planning to travel by train have been forced to make alternative plans amid continued industrial action. Hundreds of departures usually run on December 26 after the Christmas Day shutdown. But Network [...]
Insulating our leaky homes now would be a sensible investment for this Conservative government to make December 26, 2022 As Rishi Sunak stood in Downing Street after becoming prime minister, he made a major promise. “The government I lead will not leave the next generation, your children and grandchildren, with a debt to settle that we were too weak to pay ourselves”, he said. That’s why the recent announcement from the Chancellor to make [...]
The Christmas Day Quiz: City A.M. tests out your grey matter December 24, 2022 It’s the Christmas Quiz you’ve been waiting for! Each year City A.M. publishes Deloitte’s economics team’s festive brainteasers, produced as part of their regular Monday briefing. Grab a pen – the answers are at the bottom, and come packed with plenty of extra details… 1. The nineteenth century Scottish historian and philosopher Thomas Carlyle dubbed [...]
Commuter misery: Regulated rail fares to rise by up to 5.9 per cent from next spring December 22, 2022 Rail fares in England are set to surge as much as 5.9 per cent from spring next year, after calls for a fare freeze have fallen on deaf ears. Regulated fares will go up from 5 March, with the Department for Transport calling this “the biggest-ever government intervention” in prices for train tickets. However, campaigners [...]
As winter tightens its grip, businesses can’t afford to ignore the disability pay gap a second longer December 22, 2022 If a job description had mentioned that you would have had to work the final 54 days of this year unpaid, you would have likely turned it down. But this is the reality that people with disabilities in the UK have been facing in 2022. The disability pay gap works out to the equivalent of [...]
Campaigners warn hiking rail fares could push people away from train travel December 21, 2022 Even a below inflation increase in rail fares could put people off travelling by train altogether, according to campaigners. Norman Baker, director of external affairs at advocacy group Campaign for Better Transport, told City A.M. that any increase to ticket prices will come “as a further blow to long-suffering passengers” after months “of cancellations and [...]
Brits untroubled by rising mortgage rates as property transactions rise December 21, 2022 Monthly property transactions have increased across the UK and returned to pre-pandemic levels despite the ongoing cost of living crisis. Today, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) published statistics indicating that monthly property transactions in the UK above £40,000 have increased consecutively over the past nine months. Frances McDonald, research analyst at Savills said: “In light [...]
Best London areas to live: From schools to roads and care, this is where council tax takes you the furthest December 21, 2022 As the cost of living crisis rages, energy bills are rising and inflation is biting harder than ever, the council tax rebate scheme was introduced to lift some burden off Brits’ shoulders. However, with it still a significant cost, where in London and across the UK are residents getting the most in return for their council tax? [...]
Ambulance workers strike TODAY as Health Sec says unions ‘inflicting harm on patients’ December 21, 2022 Ambulance workers across a number of unions are walking out today over pay and conditions, as health secretary Steve Barclay condemned the strike as “inflicting harm on patients”. The emergency workers in the Unison, Unite and GMB unions will down tools across the country, with the government calling in the Army to ensure the country doesn’t [...]
Sadiq Khan to run for third term as London mayor in 2024 election December 20, 2022 Sadiq Khan will seek a third term as London mayor, after being selected as Labour’s candidate for the 2024 election. Khan, who would be the first London mayor to win three elections if victorious in 2024, said it would be a “very tough election” and that “there’s still so much more to do.” There have [...]