Autumn Budget aftermath: Economists warn Hunt piles pressure on ‘squeezed middle’ November 18, 2022 Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement has piled further pressure on the “squeezed middle” according to analysis from the Resolution Foundation that found tax rises would deliver a 3.7 per cent income hit to typical households. The think tank said the uprating of benefits in line with inflation would make a “huge difference to those on low-to-middle [...]
Notes from a future where Britain has solved the housing crisis April 16, 2024 In ten years’ time, high house prices and low supply could be a thing of the past. Kristian Niemietz offers a despatch from that brave new world… The year is 2035 and according to provisional figures released today by the Office for National Statistics it is the tenth year in a row during which house [...]
Week ahead: Bumper week of economic data to jolt the City April 10, 2022 The City will be eyeing a raft of flagship economic announcements this week that will send ripples throughout London’s top indexes. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index registered a strong week last week, gaining 1.75 per cent. The mid-cap domestically-focused FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, shrank [...]
Poverty looms for millions of UK families as energy bills climb by £1200, inflation rises and taxes jump 1.25 per cent in 2022 December 29, 2021 Soaring energy bills, inflation and rising taxes are likely to lead to a ‘cost of living catastrophe’ for millions of UK families, an economic think tank warned this morning. The Resolution Foundation (RF) said from next April families would typically face a £1,200-a-year hit to their incomes as the energy price cap is raised and [...]
Tube and rail strikes THIS WEEK: How will industrial action affect London commuters and hospitality? March 11, 2023 Parts of Britain’s rail network – including London’s underground system – will be closed during next week’s Budget day strikes, bringing the country to a standstill and hitting hospitality hard. Hospitality bosses have warned the impact of the strikes will hit pubs, bars and restaurants hard, with an estimated £2.5bn having already been lost in [...]
Rishi Sunak needs to tell a story if he wants to keep a hold on the economy March 23, 2022 In an interview with the Sunday Times earlier this month, Gordon Brown gave a quote that was both reflective of his past failings and the challenge that lies ahead for Rishi Sunak. “I’m afraid we didn’t win the argument. You learn as you get older, or at least more experienced, that the facts are not [...]
Labour hits out at Boris Johnson for saying UK inflation fears are ‘unfounded’ January 5, 2022 Labour has attacked Boris Johnson for his allegedly complacent attitude on rising UK inflation, with deputy leader Angela Rayner hitting out at the Prime Minister for not easing the cost of living crunch for British families. Rayner, who was filling in today for a Covid-positive Sir Keir Starmer, called out Johnson in Prime Minister’s Questions [...]
Brits bask in Easter weekend sunshine in beer gardens and zoos April 20, 2022 Beaming sunshine and no restrictions on daily life to curb Covid-19 infections prompted Brits to pour into pub gardens, zoos and football grounds over the Easter weekend, fresh research reveals. Temperatures of over 20 degrees notched in many parts of the UK across last weekend led to a boom in spending on some activities that [...]
Inflation crunch to intensify as wave of firms hike prices to survive cost assault February 10, 2022 A cost assault is forcing businesses to hike prices to protect margins in a sign the UK cost of living crisis is set to get worse before it gets better, reveals a new study published today. Around three in four firms are raising prices to weather soaring energy and staffing costs in what is being [...]
Wages continue to surge amid tightening jobs market March 10, 2022 Strong competition for workers amid a tight jobs market is accelerating starting pay at near record highs, reveals a fresh survey published today. A shortage of available workers is driving businesses to hike pay to out muscle competitors from poaching top talent, according to research from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG. Starting [...]