House sales fall by 16 per cent amid increase in mortgage rates – as industry looks at shoots of recovery September 29, 2023 The number of house sales fell by 16 per cent in August compared with the same month a year earlier, according to provisional HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) figures. An estimated 87,010 home sales took place across the UK last month, which was 16 per cent lower than in August 2022 but 1% higher than [...]
Rishi Sunak poised to limit new 20mph zones after Uxbridge ULEZ by-election September 29, 2023 Rishi Sunak is preparing to curb English councils from introducing new 20mph speed limits, according to reports. The Prime Minister will unveil the measure as part of a Plan for Motorists at the Tory conference in Manchester, according to several newspapers. He is reportedly planning to limit the power of local authorities to impose new [...]
Weekend travel chaos with overtime ban by train drivers today before Saturday’s strike September 29, 2023 Train drivers will ban overtime on Friday ahead of two days of strikes which will cause fresh travel chaos for passengers. Members of Aslef at 16 train operators in England are embroiled in a long-running dispute over pay, with no sign of a breakthrough. The drivers will strike on Saturday and again next Wednesday, coinciding [...]
Ofgem’s energy price cap to fall – amid concerns households will pay 13 per cent more than last winter September 29, 2023 A fall in Ofgem’s energy price cap takes effect this weekend amid concerns households could still end up paying around 13% more than last winter. The regulator announced in August that the cap on a unit of gas and electricity would reduce the average bill from £2,074 to £1,923 for the three months from October [...]
The end of the nightclub? Shocking report shows they’ve almost halved in past decade September 29, 2023 The number of nightclubs has almost halved in the past decade – including a 30 per cent fall since the start of the pandemic, a new study suggests. The impact of Covid, coupled with changing consumer habits have led to a sharp drop in the popularity of Britain’s nightclubs, according to a report. Research company [...]
US SEC nearing settlement with Wall Street firms over Whatsapp probe September 28, 2023 The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is finalizing settlements with around two dozen Wall Street firms to resolve investigations into record-keeping lapses.
Ryanair boss O’Leary cuts flight due to Boeing plane delivery delays September 28, 2023 Ryanair announced it has cut its winter flight schedule due to delays in the delivery of new Boeing 737 planes. It will reduce the number of aircraft it planned to base at several airports across Europe, including East Midlands Airport and Dublin Airport. The airline said it was due to receive 27 new Boeing aircraft [...]
The Spectator’s UK profit grows as magazine ‘resilient’ ahead of sale by Telegraph owner September 28, 2023 The Spectator has said its profits in the UK grew last year, as the nearly 200-year-old magazine gears up for a sale. The weekly magazine, which was first published in 1828, said it is a profitable business which has “shown resilience through tough market conditions”. The company reported an increase in its UK earnings before [...]
National Grid: risk of lights going out this winter has fallen September 28, 2023 The risk of the lights going out has fallen ahead of this winter and is almost back to the pre-energy crisis normal, a new report from the National Grid has found. National Grid’s Electricity System Operator (ESO) said on Thursday that it only expects there to be around six minutes between the end of October [...]
426,000 first-time buyers could vanish from property ladder by 2027 September 28, 2023 As many as 426,000 fewer first-time buyers in England could get on the property ladder between this year and 2027 compared with the long-term average, a building society predicts. Leeds Building Society, in partnership with specialist advisers WPI Strategy, analysed first-time buyer affordability between 1982 and 2022, and how the challenges of buying a first [...]