Rumoured changes to inheritance tax gifting spark concern for middle-class August 15, 2025 Reeves is looking at measures to increase revenue from inheritance tax by tightening gift rules, a move that may disproportionately affect the middle class.
Rachel Reeves to raise ‘stealth and sin’ taxes to cover black hole August 15, 2025 Rachel Reeves is set to hit British consumers with extra “sin taxes”, leading forecasters have predicted, which are widely seen as regressive taxes that could hit people on lower income. The Chancellor faces having to raise £20bn in taxes at this year’s Autumn Budget to restore her “already paltry” margin of £9.9bn in headroom, according [...]
Thames Water’s cash crunch intensifies as bailout rumours swirl August 15, 2025 Thames Water faces a race against time to avoid collapse even after securing a short-term cash injection. The UK’s largest water company is set to run out of money as soon as September 2026 should it fail to secure a financial lifeline in the form of a recapitalisation deal. The utility company said the second [...]
Inheritance tax crackdown will not spark family farm firesale, study finds August 14, 2025 Most farmers will be able to shoulder the inheritance tax bill foisted on them by the Treasury at last autumn’s Budget without having to sell their family farm, according to a fresh analysis which also proposed new ways the reforms could be “better targeted.” The paper, from independent tax think tank the Centre for the [...]
Business investment falls as alarm bells rung on low productivity August 14, 2025 Business investment fell by four per cent in the second quarter of the year despite moderate growth of 0.3 per cent, official data has shown, as top economists are ringing alarm bells on low productivity levels across the UK economy. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said there was a dramatic fall in investment compared [...]
PensionBee gathers momentum in the UK and US August 14, 2025 Retirement savings app Pensionbee maintained strong momentum in the first half of the year, expanding its UK reach while laying foundations for US growth. The London-listed fintech reported a revenue jump to £18.9m, up from £15.4m a year earlier. The firm improved its adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) basis to £2.9m. [...]
Training investment has dropped by £10.9bn since apprenticeship levy introduced August 14, 2025 Investment in training has dropped by £10.9bn since the apprenticeship levy was introduced in 2017, fresh analysis has shown, with calls growing for Labour to speed up its overhaul of skills programmes. In a new report by the Fabian Society, which is affiliated to the Labour Party, the government has been warned that the apprenticeship [...]
UK economy grows faster than expected in June August 14, 2025 The UK economy grew 0.4 per cent in June, official data has shown, in an unexpected turnaround following months of tariff and tax uncertainty. In the second quarter, GDP rose by 0.3 per cent after declining in both April and May. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the UK services sector, which makes up [...]
Employers say university degrees ‘not essential’ in results day boost August 14, 2025 The majority of employers believe university degrees are not essential for success in entry-level roles as A-level students are brimming with confidence despite a tough jobs market, fresh polling has suggested. In a boost for young people not attending university after results day, a survey by the jobs platform Indeed has suggested that 68 per [...]
Mark Kleinman: Thames Water’s fate now sounds like a dripping timebomb August 14, 2025 Mark Kleinman is Sky News’ City Editor and the man who gets the Square Mile talking in his weekly City PM column Thames Water’s fate now sounds like a dripping timebomb There are few more irritating sounds than that of a dripping tap you cannot fix. That, writ large, is the headache facing the Labour government as it [...]
