Inheritance tax changes are coming – how should you prepare? February 4, 2025 Speculation is mounting that the government may charge inheritance tax on pensions and extend the seven-year gifting rule. So how can you make sure you can pass on wealth to the next generation? Duncan Bailey explains The Budget has given businesses and individuals much to consider with announcements made around spending, national insurance contributions for [...]
FCA has the same ‘red flags’ as the Post Office, MPs say in fresh attack February 3, 2025 A parliamentary group on fairer finance has reignited its row with the Financial conduct Authority (FCA) today, comparing the watchdog to the Post Office and accusing bosses of engaging with criticism in a “disappointing, defensive and dismissive” way. In a new report, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Investment Fraud and Fairer Financial Service, which counts [...]
Royal Mail allowed to ditch Second Class Saturday deliveries January 30, 2025 This morning, regulator Ofcom has said it is proposing to scrap Second Class letter deliveries on Saturdays and reduce the service to alternate weekdays while lowering Royal Mail’s delivery targets. In a statement published this morning, titled ‘Protecting the postal service for the future,’ Ofcom said Royal Mail’s universal service agreement “urgently needs reform to [...]
Asda ditches Aldi and Lidl price match promise just a year after launch January 29, 2025 Asda has axed its price-matching scheme with Aldi and Lidl in a bid to stop “dancing to the tune of the discounters”, according to reports. The Leeds-based firm, which in January 2024 became the first of the UK’s ‘big four’ to offer the scheme, said it wanted to focus on “its own great Asda prices, [...]
Over 100 Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland branches to close January 29, 2025 More than 100 Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland high street branches are to close, it has been announced. Lloyds Banking Group has confirmed it will shut 136 more high street branches as it accelerates plans to cut costs and digitise. It will close 61 Lloyds, 61 Halifax and 14 Bank of Scotland branches between [...]
Immigration to lift population by 5m and boost the economy January 28, 2025 Based on current trends, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests the population will hit 72.5m by mid-2032, over seven per cent higher than in 2022.
CMA to “brainstorm” growth ideas with business groups as pressure mounts January 27, 2025 The competition watchdog is set to be grilled by some of the UK’s biggest business bodies tomorrow as it looks to shore up confidence following the ousting of its chair by ministers last week. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which has faced anger from both the government and private sector over what has been [...]
‘Consent or pay’ cookie models allowed across UK websites January 23, 2025 The use of “consent or pay” cookie models is now acceptable for UK websites, as long as data protection laws are met, says information watchdog. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has announced that the UK’s top 1,000 websites will be brought into compliance over cookie policies. Under this, it has produced guidance on using ‘consent [...]
Bank of England policymaker: ‘Dragons of market discipline are alive and well’ January 23, 2025 "There have been spikes in yields in a number of individual countries in recent years, including the UK, that indicate the dragons of market discipline are alive and well," she said.
Bridgewater founder Ray Dalio: UK economy at risk of ‘debt death spiral’ January 21, 2025 Ray Dalio, founder of hedge fund Bridgewater Capital, warned that the UK economy was at risk of a “debt death spiral” following the recent bout of bond market instability. In an interview with the Financial Times, Dalio warned that the government faced the prospect of having to borrow more and more from financial markets in [...]