Motor finance drags FOS complaints to highest since PPI scandal July 2, 2025 The motor finance row has dragged complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) to the highest level since the PPI scandal. Consumers lodged 305,726 complaints with the FOS in the year ending March 31 2025, which edged towards highs of 388,392 in year ending March 2019. Complaints regarding motor finance led the spike at 73,328. [...]
Reeves on growth ‘hell slide’ after welfare U-turn as rebels call for wealth tax July 2, 2025 Rachel Reeves faces a “hell slide” in her ambition to balance economic growth with her “iron clad” fiscal rules following Labour’s U-turn on welfare. The Chancellor had hoped government plans for welfare reform would shed £5bn in spending as they targeted restrictions on personal independence payments (PIP) and limited the sickness-related element of universal credit. The [...]
Welfare: Starmer’s authority shattered as Reeves faces £5bn headache July 2, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer has suffered a devastating hit to his authority whilst a £5bn spending headache looms for Rachel Reeves following the government’s u-turn to avoid a catastrophic defeat of its welfare bill. Just days away from his one year anniversary in Downing Street, the PM faced the most substantial backbench rebellion of his premiership [...]
Superdrug shrugs off Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes to create over 600 jobs July 2, 2025 Superdrug has created more than 600 jobs despite tax hikes introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves putting “pressure” on its margins. The high street chain upped its headcount from 13,845 to 14,479 in 2024, new accounts filed with Companies House have revealed. The increase comes after Superdrug also created more than 400 jobs in 2023. The [...]
Financial advisers sound alarm on lack of support for SMEs July 2, 2025 Financial advisers have raised concern about the lack of support for small businesses in government policy as firms feel the pinch of economic pressures. Over half of advisers surveyed by alternative lender Thincats branded government policy as unsupportive of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) whilst just six per cent said it was supportive. Small businesses [...]
To find out who’s to blame for economic uncertainty, reeves should look in the mirror July 2, 2025 Household spending is down £50bn since last year. It’s hardly surprising there’s so much uncertainty in the economy given the relentless negativity of the Chancellor herself, says Paul Ormerod Households in Britain are still saving large chunks of their incomes. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirmed this week that the percentage of income saved [...]
We will all pay the price for Starmer’s weakness on welfare July 2, 2025 Keir Starmer is a weak Prime Minister and parliament has proved it can’t condone any reduction in public spending. This will end very badly, says Simon Clarke The collapse of Labour’s plans for welfare reform marks the end of its first year in government – and perhaps the end of any kind of serious reforming [...]
Starmer abandons key welfare reforms July 1, 2025 Keir Starmer has suffered a crushing blow to his authority after rebel Labour MPs forced him to effectively abandon his flagship welfare reform proposals after chaotic scenes in the House of Commons. Just 90 minutes before the vote, and several hours into a heated debate, the government announced it was pulling a key measure of [...]
National Wealth Fund boss calls for public finance consolidation July 1, 2025 The boss of Labour’s National Wealth Fund has urged the government to remain open to consolidation of public finance institutions in a bid to ease confusion for the private sector. In a hearing on Tuesday, the chief executive of the National Wealth Fund (NWF) John Flint told MPs he would “encourage” the Treasury “not to [...]
How to solve the UK’s non-dom conundrum July 1, 2025 After industry experts poured cold water on Reform’s ‘Britannia Card’, and amid rumours the Chancellor is examining options to row back on elements of her non-dom reforms, Ali Lyon asks what policies might be on the table – and whether they will work. As Nigel Farage stepped up to a mundane-looking podium in a stuffy [...]
