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Almost a third of UK businesses are urging the government to reduce post-Brexit regulations and red tape to support British trade, according to a survey conducted by Santander. The survey reveals that while there is a growing sense of optimism among small to medium-sized businesses, many are calling for action to ease the burdens imposed…

The UK’s hospitality sector is facing a potential £900 million financial blow when business rates relief expires in spring 2024, prompting urgent calls for reform. Industry leaders have warned that without action from Chancellor Rachel Reeves in the upcoming budget, business rates will quadruple when relief ends on 31 March, costing the sector an additional…

A record number of UK businesses are facing significant financial distress, underlining the precarious state of the economy as Chancellor Rachel Reeves prepares to unveil her first budget on 30 October. A report by Begbies Traynor, the insolvency specialists, revealed that 632,756 companies were at substantial risk of failure in the three months leading up…

The UK tech industry is on edge as speculation mounts over potential changes to Capital Gains Tax (CGT) in the upcoming Autumn Budget. Leading audit and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg has expressed concerns that such changes could have a detrimental impact on the fintech ecosystem, a key driver of the UK’s global tech reputation. Simon…

UK retail sales rose unexpectedly in September, defying analyst predictions of a contraction, as consumers increased spending on technology despite impending tax rises and economic uncertainties. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), retail transactions grew by 0.3% in September, building on a strong 1% increase in August. Analysts had forecast a 0.4% decline…

Hollywood director Alex Proyas, known for his work on the 2004 sci-fi film I, Robot, has accused Elon Musk of copying design elements from the movie for Tesla’s latest products. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Proyas shared side-by-side images of his film’s robots and futuristic vehicles next to Musk’s Tesla Optimus robot and…

UK inflation has dropped to its lowest level since April 2021, slipping below the Bank of England’s 2% target for the first time in years. The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows annual inflation at 1.7% in September, down from 2.2% in August, a figure far lower than City analysts’ predictions…

New polling suggests that over half of Britons (52%) support increasing taxes on online gambling, with many prioritising a hike in gambling duties over other taxes such as income tax, VAT, and fuel duties. This comes as the Social Market Foundation (SMF) releases a report advocating for a significant increase in Remote Gaming Duty from…

Labour’s shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is being urged to reform inheritance and capital gains taxes to help address the UK’s growing fiscal deficit, with proposals from think tank Demos outlining potential changes that could raise up to £2.6 billion annually. Research by Demos suggests a new banded inheritance tax system, which could bring in £16…

Growing concerns about tax increases have led nearly 30% of business owners in the UK to accelerate plans to sell their companies, according to new analysis from wealth management firm Evelyn Partners. The survey, conducted among 500 business owners with turnovers of at least £5 million, found that 29% of respondents had sped up their…

The UK economy returned to growth in August, expanding by 0.2% after two months of stagnation, according to official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This growth was in line with economists’ expectations, following 0% growth recorded in June and July. The ONS data showed that the economy also grew by 0.2% over…

Angela Rayner, Deputy Prime Minister, is set to grant an additional 9 million UK workers the right to sue their employers for unfair dismissal from the first day of their employment, as part of a sweeping overhaul of workers’ rights. Currently, employees must be with a company for two years before they qualify for these…

eBay is set to ban the sale of e-bikes and their batteries by private individuals in the UK from 31 October, citing rising concerns over battery fires. From this date, only “eligible business sellers” will be permitted to list these items, though the company has not yet clarified the specific criteria for eligibility. E-bikes, which…

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to introduce significant tax cuts for electric car, heat pump, and biofuel manufacturers to accelerate the UK’s path to net zero. The business group is advocating for slashing the corporation tax rate for companies involved in these sectors to 10%, down from the current…

The cost to UK taxpayers for subsidising Southeastern, one of Britain’s largest rail operators, has soared to £415 million in the year to March, according to the latest corporate filings. This figure is more than three times the subsidy the company received before the Covid-19 pandemic, despite fare rises and increased passenger numbers. Southeastern, which…