Coronavirus: Milan among cities quarantined in mass Italian lockdown March 9, 2020 Italy took the extraordinary step yesterday of quarantining 16m people in one of the country’s most prosperous regions as it ramped up its battle to halt the spread of Coronavirus. All 10m people from the region of Lombardy, including Italy’s financial capital Milan, have been placed into lockdown until 3 April, along with cities including Venice, Padua, Modena, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia and [...]
UK small businesses gloomy about coronavirus and Brexit March 9, 2020 Worries over the impact of Brexit and coronavirus mean more than 70 per cent of the UK’s small and medium-sized businesses do not expect the country’s economy to grow during the rest of 2020, according to new survey data. The pessimism about growth means firms 57 per cent of firms are unlikely to invest in [...]
Mobile networks reach compromise over rural mast-sharing plans March 8, 2020 The UK’s mobile networks have signed off on a deal to banish so-called signal not spots in rural areas, despite squabbling over how to split the costs of the venture. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to unveil the £1bn agreement in the Budget on Wednesday as part of a plan to improve 4G coverage across [...]
London broadband firm G Network eyes bumper funding boost March 8, 2020 London full-fibre broadband firm G Network is said to be seeking a huge funding boost as network providers race to roll out superfast internet connections across the UK. G Network, which targets affluent central London postcodes including Mayfair, Marylebone and Chelsea, has reportedly hired bankers from Rothschild to locate new funds over the coming months. [...]
Coronavirus: Number of UK cases rises to 273 March 8, 2020 The number of cases of coronavirus in the UK has risen to 273, the Department of Health and Social Care has announced, up from 209 yesterday. In a tweet, it said that 23,513 people have been tested for the virus so far, with two of those who tested positive having died so far. London has [...]
Number 10 mulls over tax on over-40s to cover social care costs March 8, 2020 Plans are being considered by the government to implement a new tax on over-40s to help fund their own old age care. The new plan, reportedly being pushed by health secretary Matt Hancock, would see workers over the age of 40 pay 2.5 per cent of their income to pay for their future old age [...]
Treasury to move a fifth of staff to northern ‘economic campus’, says Rishi Sunak March 8, 2020 The Treasury will move one-fifth of its entire staff to the North of England as a part of the government’s plans to “level up” parts of the country. Chancellor Rishi Sunak made the announcement this morning, after ongoing speculation there would a decentralisation of power away from Whitehall and to the regions. Sunak also announced [...]
Coronavirus: Government prepared to give NHS ‘whatever it needs’ March 8, 2020 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said the Treasury is prepared to give the NHS “whatever it needs” to combat the spread of coronavirus. Speaking just days before his first budget, Sunak gave his assurances that the government were prepared to spend as much money as necessary to stop the virus spreading further. It comes after concerns [...]
Budget 2020: Chancellor Rishi Sunak to scrap ‘tampon tax’ March 6, 2020 The so-called tampon tax is set to be abolished in next week’s Budget. A zero rate of VAT will apply to women’s sanitary products from the start of next year. The UK has been obliged to pay the EU VAT Directive since 1973 and the tampon tax is currently five per cent. MPs voted against [...]
What will Rishi Sunak’s Budget mean for personal taxes? March 6, 2020 With a commitment to leave rates for income tax, national insurance and VAT unchanged, the new Chancellor may be looking for other areas to raise tax in March’s Budget – possibly in capital gains tax and inheritance tax. In addition, the Conservative Party manifesto contained commitments to “review and reform” entrepreneurs’ relief (ER) as well [...]