Britain risks ending the decade with the lowest rates of workforce participation in almost 30 years unless the government takes urgent action to reform childcare and help people with health conditions, according to a leading thinktank.
Category: News
The latest news affecting small and medium sized (SME) businesses in the UK
Jeremy Hunt faces calls for budget giveaways as UK borrows £30bn less than forecast
The UK government spent less than it reaped in from taxpayers last month helping to push yearly borrowing £30bn lower than projected by forecasts, officials figures out today reveal.
UK SME’s more optimistic about their outlook as threat of recession fades
Bosses of small companies are increasingly upbeat about their prospects, according to a survey, adding to evidence that the outlook for the British economy may not be as bad as has been feared.
UK government sees surprise budget surplus in January
The UK government recorded a surprise surplus in its finances in January despite “substantial spending” to help households with energy bills and one-off payments to the EU.
Tax agency stopped from operating by HM Revenue and Customs
A company which charged taxpayers significant sums to make claims for tax refunds has been stopped from operating.
Buy-now pay-later complaints jump as shoppers rely on providers amid cost of living crunch
Shoppers are filing more complaints about buy-now pay-later (BNPL) firms to the UK’s financial complaints body as Brits turn to firms like Klarna and Zilch to fund their spending in the cost of living crisis.
Lloyds Bank profit poised to be retained to set aside millions to cope with cost of living defaults
A build up of reserves to cope with an expected jump in loan defaults and a slow down in the mortgage market is expected to have held back profits at Lloyds Bank last year, results out on Wednesday could show.
‘Greenwashing’ firms face steep new UK fines for misleading claims
When the hydrogen-powered Hyundai Nexo car was launched in the UK in the spring of 2019, it was described as “so beautifully clean” that it “purifies the air as it goes”.
Loss of nearly 15,000 UK retail jobs a ‘brutal start to 2023’
Nearly 15,000 British retail jobs have already been cut since January in a “brutal start to the year” for the high street.
Cost of average UK home rises by just £14
The average cost of a home in the UK rose by only £14 this month as the housing market entered a period of “greater realism” on price.
End of cash? Barclays says record 91 per cent of transactions were contactless last year
Just over nine in 10 (91.2 per cent ) card transactions made last year where paying by contactless would have been an option did use this technology, according to data from Barclays.
UK retail sales’ sluggish new year start as cash-strapped Brits go online to nab deals
UK retail sales remained muted in January following December’s fall, with fuel sales spiking and prices continuing to plummet.
Rishi Sunak travels to Belfast as NI protocol deal is imminent
Rishi Sunak arrived in Belfast on Thursday night, in a sign that a deal on the Northern Ireland protocol is imminent.
RMT announces further national rail strikes
The RMT union has announced further national strikes and wider action on the railways after rejecting offers from both train operators and Network Rail last week.
NatWest profits surge to highest level since 2008 financial crisis
Rising interest rates have propelled annual profits at NatWest to their highest level since the bank’s government rescue during the 2008 financial crisis.
