London Report: GDP figures and housing prices reveal recovery October 20, 2013 GROSS domestic product (GDP) figures due on Friday are expected to reveal the UK’s solid recovery prospects, coupled with further good news from Nationwide and Rightmove housing figures earlier in the week. Analysts predict further improvement in the economy, with third quarter GDP expected to rise. “We expect GDP to rise 0.8 per cent quarter-on-quarter. [...]
We need to judge policies by good outcomes not just on good intentions November 11, 2013 OVER the past week, two aspects of our public debate have become noticeable. First, many judge policies by their intentions, not their effects. This often leads to policymaking that seeks fairness, but actually eliminates opportunity. The second is that unequal outcomes are often just assumed to indicate institutional bias or injustice. Both result in do-gooders [...]
Welfare reforms rolled out in London today October 28, 2013 THE GOVERNMENT’S flagship benefits reforms will be introduced in part of London from today – the first time that the scheme has been implemented in the capital. New jobseekers in Hammersmith will now receive Universal Credit, a new benefit that combines six existing payments into one package. Ministers hope that the policy – which sees [...]
Big six forced to compete in new energy auction November 18, 2013 CUSTOMERS are grouping together to switch energy suppliers in time for an auction of energy deals tomorrow, as part of a government-backed initiative to force the big six to compete on price. The nationwide schemes are being managed by 77 local authorities, including 23 London boroughs. “Switching is one of the best ways that people [...]
House prices continue to rise on Help to Buy scheme August 30, 2013 House prices are up again in August, by 0.6 per cent. That's in line with analyst predictions, and slightly lower than last month's 0.9 per cent growth (release). Nationwide's figures are provided on a seasonally adjusted basis, while nominal average house prices have actually dropped slightly, down from £170,825 to £170,514. £311 isn't a discount [...]
London Report: House prices set to show strong recovery signs September 22, 2013 HOUSE price data set to be released this week is likely to show a strong month-on-month rise for September, pushing the annual increase to a three-year high. The boost, shown in Nationwide data, reflects stronger consumer confidence and a higher employment rate, but is also likely to highlight the dangers of a possible house price [...]
Npower sells gas and electricity accounts to growing Telecom Plus November 20, 2013 Npower has sold its Electricity Plus and Gas Plus subsidiaries to Telecom Plus, the latter said in a statement this morning. In a separate statement, Telecom Plus announced it's seen "significant acceleration" in organic growth, with adjusted profit before tax up 10.1 per cent to £13.7m. Growth and increased customer numbers were seen on the [...]
London Report: Water firms to show how well profits flowing November 24, 2013 THE FTSE 100’s latest female executive, Liv Garfield, will get an idea of what she’ll face when she joins Severn Trent next year as her new employer announces interim results, along with Pennon and United Utilities. The three, who have been called on by regulators to stop planned price hikes, are expected to have increased [...]
Relief for landlords as Clegg blocks plan to start immigration checks October 10, 2013 MOST landlords will not be held responsible for checking whether their tenants are legally allowed to reside in the UK, it was confirmed yesterday, after Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg blocked the plan. Conservative home secretary Theresa May had hoped to introduce the scheme next year but it will now only go ahead in one pilot area, [...]
Solve the capital’s hidden transport crisis by bridging the Thames Chasm January 6, 2014 SOMETIMES a crisis doesn’t seem like a crisis because it is the status quo and people just take it for granted. For London, a case in point is the Thames Chasm – the acute shortage of road crossings of the River Thames east of Tower Bridge. The inability to get across the East Thames is [...]