Lloyds finance chief calls for ‘pro-growth’ Budget amid fears of bank tax raid October 23, 2024 Lloyds Banking Group’s finance chief has suggested tax rises on UK banks could hinder lending and investment as the sector braces for a possible raid in the government’s maiden Budget next week. Speaking after Lloyds’ third quarter results this morning, William Chalmers said banks are already among Britain’s biggest taxpayers and the FTSE 100 group [...]
The walls are closing in on the Chancellor October 23, 2024 With just one week to go until the Budget (arguably one of the most consequential in recent memory) economists, investors, analysts (and most certainly journalists) are scouring everything from tea leaves to official data for indications of what exactly the Chancellor is going to say next Wednesday. Most people agree that her choices are limited [...]
Premier League: Non-dom tax changes could be ‘own goal’ for No11 October 22, 2024 The Premier League could face an exodus of high-profile players if the government continues plans to eliminate the non-dom tax status in the upcoming Budget, experts have warned. Changes to the way tax is paid on overseas earnings could prove “an own goal” if they cause players to leave the English top flight when they [...]
Jeremy Hunt: Upping employer NI would be an ‘absolute disaster’ for economy October 22, 2024 Increasing employer national insurance contributions in the Budget would be an “absolute disaster” for Britain economically, Jeremy Hunt has warned. “I’m really worried that Labour is going to trash an economy, which has better growth prospects than it has for many years,” the shadow Chancellor told the Financial Times in an interview. On the prospect [...]
Autumn Budget: Which taxes will Rachel Reeves hike? October 22, 2024 With the Autumn Budget set to be delivered in just a few days, speculation about which taxes Chancellor Rachel Reeves will opt to raise has reached fever pitch. On entering No 11 Downing Street, Reeves commissioned the Treasury to conduct a thorough spending audit, which she claimed unearthed a “fiscal black hole” of £22bn, paving [...]
Wetherspoons and Pizza Pilgrims bosses call for business rates relief ahead of budget October 21, 2024 Hundreds of UK hospitality groups and pubs have called for permanent action on business rates relief ahead of the Autumn Budget. In an open letter to Rachel Reeves, the hospitality bosses called for permanent action with the extension and lowering of business rates relief for the sector. It included 170 signatures from various high street [...]
Rachel Reeves could borrow £80bn over next five years, lenders say October 20, 2024 Rachel Reeves could borrow an extra £80bn to fund the government's ambitious spending plans for infrastructure and green energy, according to lenders.
National Insurance hike will be ‘difficult’ for businesses, warns CBI boss October 15, 2024 Increasing employers’ National Insurance contributions will make it “harder for businesses to create the jobs and the growth” needed to “help fund our public services”, the boss of one of the UK’s largest business groups has warned. Speaking a day after Keir Starmer refused to rule out hiking National Insurance contributions paid by businesses, Rain [...]
Robert Walters blames Budget uncertainty for slump in UK fees October 15, 2024 Recruiter Robert Walters has posted a slump in net fee income as economic and political uncertainty dragged on hiring in the UK and Europe.
Ministers refuse to rule out hike to employer national insurance rate October 14, 2024 The Chancellor and business secretary have again refused to rule out a hike employers’ National Insurance (NI) contributions in the upcoming Budget when speaking on the sidelines of the government’s investment summit today. Speaking exclusively to Morning Wire on the question of whether Labour would increase employers’ NI, Jonathan Reynolds stressed: “I think the manifesto [...]