Property and the Spring Statement: Is anything going to change? March 24, 2025 Labour faces some tough choices with its Spring Statement: after increasing business taxes and public spending last autumn, the government now has to grapple with unhappy companies and a maxed-out credit card. The last budget was a mixed bag for the property market: there was widespread concern amongst landlords that the government would hike up [...]
Small businesses at ‘breaking point’ ahead of Spring Statement March 24, 2025 Small businesses are at “breaking point” just days ahead of Rachel Reeves‘ Spring Statement, an insurance boss has warned. Almost one in five small business owners have said they will be forced out of business within a year due to bleak economic conditions, according to data from Simply Business. As many fear the increasing costs [...]
Reeves told to use Spring Statement to fix ‘unintended consequences’ of Budget March 24, 2025 Rachel Reeves must use the Spring Statement to fix the “unintended consequences” of her Autumn Budget, the boss of a tax services firm has said. Tom Shave, President of the Europe and Asia-Pacific division at Ryan, has urged the Chancellor to use Wednesday’s update to provide businesses under economic pressure necessary support. Shave anticipated Reeves’ [...]
Mixed bag of PMI data as services grow but manufacturing slumps March 24, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has received mixed signals about the state of the UK economy ahead of her Spring Statement as S&P Global’s purchasing managers’ index (PMI) pointed to an upturn in services while manufacturing declined again. The Spring Statement will be delivered on Wednesday as global trade war tensions escalate and worries over incoming tax [...]
Average price of pint to surge above £5 due to April cost hikes, say beer bosses March 24, 2025 The average price of a pint of beer is set to surge past £5 for the first time due to cost hikes hitting the sector next month, according to industry bosses. Pub sector chiefs have warned that prices for customers will have to increase in order to help keep venues running in the face of [...]
Rachel Reeves urged to prioritise public spending in UK spring statement March 23, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is being urged to prioritise “vital” funding for public services and reject the “failed approach of austerity” as she prepares to give a key statement on the economy. Reeves will deliver her spring statement on Wednesday, updating the Commons on the Government’s plans for the economy. But amid concerns that public spending [...]
Chancellor’s £40bn tax raid blamed for manufacturing slump March 21, 2025 Manufacturing has seen a faster fall in output at the beginning of this year as Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ £40bn tax raid means businesses are “conserving funds”, research by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) suggests. The sector is seen as crucial to the Labour government’s growth plans as it pushes for a rise in technology [...]
Lloyd’s reinsurer secures landmark Ukraine reinsurance facility March 21, 2025 MS Amlin, a Lloyd's reinsurer, has secured a reinsurance scheme that could provide up to €1bn (£830m) in annual coverage for Ukraine SMEs
OBR growth forecast ‘will be halved’ March 21, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ hopes for growth are set to be shattered as another forecaster looks to downgrade expectations. The Bank of England halved its growth forecasts from 1.5 per cent to 0.75 per cent in February while the OECD recently dropped predictions the UK would expand by 1.7 per cent. Now The Telegraph is reporting [...]
Wetherspoons: Pub group hikes dividend despite cost warning March 21, 2025 Pub giant J D Wetherspoon has reported a dip in profits in its half-year results despite an uplift in sales, while chairman Tim Martin warned that rising labour costs and tax disparities are set to hit the pub industry hard. Its share price fell more than seven per cent in early trades. Like-for-like sales rose [...]