It’s strange to think that someone who has worked as an investment banker and is now the Chancellor under a Tory Government would turn out to be such a softy. Unfortunately, what he is doing by extending this scheme until September is causing more harm than good. This scheme is a costly […]Read More

Research released today reveals how the UK job market outlook for the year ahead compares to other countries in Europe, the US and Canada, and offers insight into how the coronavirus pandemic will affect the way employers hire and train candidates for the future. Despite a challenging year, the research – conducted among 3,100 recruiters […]Read More

The rules around contactless payments are to be changed in The Budget today with the limit raised to £100, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said. Speaking to the Evening Standard, Mr Sunak said: “London’s retail sector is famous across the world, with Oxford Street, Covent Garden and Westfield seen as global destinations for shopping. “As […]Read More

UK spending on films, music and gaming increased to a record high last year, driven by increased demand for streaming during Covid-19 lockdowns. Retail entertainment spend increased 18 per cent to a record £9.3bn in 2020, marking the eight successive year of growth in the sector and the fastest growth rate ever recorded. The […]Read More

UK house prices bounced back in February despite the imminent end of the stamp duty holiday, fuelled by changing housing preferences in the Covid-19 pandemic, and some buyers betting that the tax saving will be extended. The average price of a home rose by 0.7% to £231,068, the highest on record, more than reversing […]Read More

Chocoholics turned to online shopping during the Covid-19 pandemic, helping Hotel Chocolat increase sales and profits despite the high street lockdowns. The Cambridgeshire-based company said it had achieved sales growth in the UK as well as in its key new markets – Japan and the US – even while stores and cafes were closed […]Read More

The Treasury has pushed responsibility for ensuring access to cash on to the financial regulator, which is likely to increase fears that a lack of action will result in cash machine deserts. Rishi Sunak said that the matter was best handled by the Financial Conduct Authority in a letter sent to Anneliese Dodds, the […]Read More

Chancellor Rishi Sunak will set out the government’s tax and spending plans on Wednesday afternoon, and rumours are rife about what giveaways and cuts lie in wait. However, he has also announced a number of his plans ahead of the speech. Here is what we know already: 1. More help for workers As the […]Read More