Stealth income tax hike will hit millions of over 60s April 16, 2025 Millions more Brits, including a significant percentage of over 60s, will be dragged into paying income tax in the coming months as Rachel Reeves squeezes the spending powers of lower earners with a freeze on tax bands. Official data suggests that around 11m Brits will begin paying the basic rate of income tax by 2028. [...]
Mitie Group warns of £50m NIC knock as it unveils share buyback April 16, 2025 The scale of the knock British businesses are set to take from the government’s tax raid was laid bare today after facilities management firm Mitie Group warned of an eye-watering £50m hit from hikes to National Insurance Contributions (NICs). The London-listed group’s latest estimate for the cost of rising NICs was slightly less than a [...]
Inflation eases in March amid looming Bank decision April 16, 2025 Inflation remained stubbornly high at 2.6 per cent in March, official data has shown, leaving Bank of England policymakers with a difficult decision to make on interest rates early next month. The year-on-year increase in consumer price inflation (CPI) was lower than the 2.7 per cent figure forecast in a Bloomberg poll of economists. The [...]
Big Four vs Watchdog: Giants rack up over £154m in fines April 16, 2025 The accountancy regulator has handed over £154m in fines to the Big Four firms over the last five years for audit failures
Inflation expected to ease slightly in March amid uncertain future April 15, 2025 Inflation in the month to March is expected to remain well above the Bank of England’s target rate of two per cent, putting policymakers in an awkward position ahead of a potential interest rate cut in May. A Bloomberg poll of economists said that consumer price inflation (CPI) on a year-on-year basis will hit 2.7 [...]
UK employers cut jobs as tax hikes bite April 15, 2025 High wage growth persisted in the three months to February, official data has shown, but a rapid drop in payrolled employment pointed to concerning trends in the labour market. Annual growth in average weekly earnings excluding bonuses hit 5.9 per cent, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Tuesday. But separate tax data showed [...]
Halfords: Sales jump but retailer warns tariffs could hit supply chain April 15, 2025 Motoring and cycling specialist Halfords has reported an uptick in sales but warned US President Donald Trump’s tariffs could push up costs across its supply chain. The retailer and services provider told markets this morning that sales grew 2.3 per cent in the year to March 28. Its share price rose more than 13 per [...]
‘State of despondency’ as tax raid sets up ‘harrowing year’ for firms April 15, 2025 Business leaders’ worries over Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes have plunged corporate confidence into “ominous territory”, a leading business association has warned. The Chancellor launched a multi-billion pound tax raid on British businesses in the Budget last October, and a new report has suggested that the impact of the hikes is continuing to weigh on [...]
Financial Conduct Authority: Lenders ‘unclear’ on bereavement policy April 14, 2025 Lenders “can improve” their treatment of bereaved customers, the Financial Conduct Authority has said. The City watchdog has published a framework outlining good and poor practice to help firms “provide the right support” to consumers who are facing difficult times. The FCA said the introduction of the Consumer Duty in July 2023 has helped provide [...]
RSA set to rebrand as Intact Insurance April 14, 2025 Four years after its acquisition, the long-established insurer RSA is set to rebrand to match its Canadian owner by the end of this year