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Charlie Nunn, Lloyds Banking Group’s chief executive, has welcomed the government’s decision to intervene in a landmark car finance mis-selling case and expressed hope that it will help bring clarity to an industry under legal and regulatory pressure. His comments follow the Treasury’s announcement that it will seek permission to raise its concerns in a…

HMRC has come under renewed scrutiny after figures showed that over 44,000 callers were abruptly cut off while on hold last year, with some facing wait times of up to 70 minutes. The revelation arrives just as millions of taxpayers prepare to file their returns before the current tax year ends, sparking concerns that phone…

Former England football captain Bryan Robson has succeeded in most of his appeal against HMRC over alleged IR35 breaches relating to his work as a Global Ambassador for Manchester United between 2015/16 and 2020/21. The First-tier Tax Tribunal upheld Robson’s challenge in four of the six disputed tax years, though found that part of his…

Companies that rely heavily on artificial intelligence (AI) to prepare their Research and Development (R&D) tax claims could find their claims rejected by HMRC if the process lacks human oversight. That is the warning from Blick Rothenberg, a leading audit, tax, and business advisory firm. Ele Theochari, a Partner and R&D specialist at the firm,…

As a small business owner building my business from the ground up, I’ve not had the option of hiring full-time staff in the early days of my startup. Instead, interns have played a significant role in helping the business grow. Internships and apprenticeships offer numerous benefits to small businesses (and larger ones too!). After recently…

Britain has recorded its highest number of company closures for two decades, with the final quarter of 2024 seeing 198,046 businesses struck off the official register. The figure, revealed by research firm Beauhurst, surpasses levels last reached in 2021 and in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Henry Whorwood, managing director of research and…

Aston Martin appear to be plotting a record-breaking deal worth an estimated £1 billion to lure Max Verstappen away from Red Bull, signalling an extraordinary shift in Formula One’s financial landscape. Multiple industry insiders suggest Jefferson Slack, Aston Martin’s Managing Director (Commercial and Marketing), has been hinting to prospective sponsors that the four-time world champion…

Dyson has shelved plans for a £100 million technical and research centre in Bristol, opting instead to consolidate its southwest operations at its flagship Malmesbury campus in Wiltshire. The move will see the relocation of 180 staff – previously earmarked for Bristol’s 1 Georges Square – to the company’s main site, which also houses the…

The new year is an excellent opportunity for businesses to review their finances and plan effectively for the months ahead. With the annual increases to the national living and minimum wage and other statutory payments set to take effect in April 2025, its essential to prepare for these changes in advance. National Living and Minimum…

Senior bankers at Lloyds Banking Group risk having their bonuses reduced if they fail to meet new in-office requirements, which mandate being on site at least two days per week. The move, revealed ahead of the 2024 financial year bonus distribution next month, comes as major employers roll back remote working arrangements in a bid…

There’s a certain clairvoyance required of a great satirist, an almost supernatural knack for holding up a mirror to society and forcing us to see the grotesque reflection that lurks behind our glossy veneers. Whilst always being a centrist politically, I have loved the ascorbic, usually left, sometimes far-left that British stand-up comedy brings and…

Britons and overseas visitors may soon find themselves paying a “hotel tax” on every overnight stay, under Treasury proposals designed to shore up the public purse as borrowing costs continue to climb. The potential levy, part of “modelling exercises” carried out by officials, mirrors the tourist taxes in countries such as France, where the nightly…

Sara Davies, the Dragons’ Den entrepreneur, is set to regain control of Crafter’s Companion, the craft supply business she founded, through a fast-tracked pre-pack insolvency deal. The company, which gained international acclaim for its paper craft, art, and sewing products, filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators at the High Court following a fall…

Britain’s benchmark borrowing costs have soared to their highest level since the financial crisis, as investors offload government debt amid persistent inflation fears. The yield on the UK’s 10-year gilt — closely watched as a barometer of future interest payments on public borrowing — reached 4.82 per cent on Wednesday, surpassing the peaks seen in…

Piers Morgan has parted ways with Rupert Murdoch’s media empire in a move set to expand his popular Uncensored show on YouTube, ending months of speculation about his future at News UK. The outspoken broadcaster will now operate independently, having acquired ownership of his Uncensored brand and its 3.6 million-strong subscriber base. Morgan, 59, opted…