Tech and talent at risk as Reeves eyes tax hikes in November budget October 7, 2025 Britain’s tech sector is bracing for impact as fears grow that Labour’s upcoming Budget could drive investors, and their capital, out of the country. Brent Hoberman, co-founder of Lastminute.com and a prominent supporter of UK start-ups through Founders Forum and Firstminute Capital, warned that venture capital (VC) funds are actively considering relocation to Europe if [...]
Capital gains tax raid should have ‘health warning’, Labour warned October 6, 2025 Labour risks stunting growth and discouraging investment if it pursues further capital gains hikes, tax advisers have warned, as reforms proposed by top think tanks were pushed back on by industry figures. Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer have talked up the prospects of attracting investment in the UK and making the wider tax system fairer [...]
Wealth managers warn against kneejerk reactions to Budget speculation October 1, 2025 Investors are being urged not to make any kneejerk pension decisions which could lead to irreversible consequences, as the Budget rumour mill begins to stir up financial worries. Wealth manager Rathbones has warned that fears over pension tax changes have caused another surge of premature withdrawals of the 25 per cent tax free lump sum. [...]
Starmer refuses to rule out VAT rise September 28, 2025 Prime Minister Keir Starmer has refused to rule out any potential rises to VAT as he reinforced his commitment to Labour’s manifesto pledges in a new interview. In an interview with BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, after being pressed on potential changes to VAT, Starmer said: “The manifesto stands. We made commitment in that manifesto and the [...]
Budget: Tax hikes loom for Britain’s wealthiest September 25, 2025 Wealthy Brits are bracing themselves for a raft of tax rises in the looming Autumn Budget, prompting many to scramble to protect their wealth. According to the latest Saltus wealth index, nearly 80 per cent of high net work wealthy individuals (HNWIs) expect Labour to impose further tax rises in the next 12 months. While [...]
‘Cash cow’ inheritance tax receipts edge higher as further changes loom September 19, 2025 Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts are on course for a record breaking year, as an increasing number of Brits brace themselves for further potential tax changes. According to the latest HMRC data, IHT receipts hit £3.7bn in the first five months of the 2025/26 tax year, continuing their two decade long upward trend. This is also [...]
Parents’ secrecy on inheritance plans leaves children facing unexpected tax burdens September 15, 2025 Parents are choosing not to tell their children about their inheritance plans, leaving them at risk of being slapped with unexpected tax bills, new research has found. According to investment manager Charles Stanley, more than a third of Brits have an alarming lack of knowledge of how their parents plan to pass down wealth, despite [...]
Rayner scandal piles pressure on HMRC as tax surveillance force swells September 9, 2025 HMRC has increased the number of staff trained to physically monitor suspected tax evaders, as pressure mounts over Angela Rayner’s £40,000 stamp duty scandal. Official figures, obtained via Freedom of Information (FOI) and shared with Morning Wire, show that 337 staff are now trained in covert surveillance, up from 171 people two years ago, in [...]
Thousands face fines after HMRC misses CGT update August 29, 2025 Tax experts have warned that “tens of thousands” of people could fall foul of penalties this year after tech issues left HMRC’s online filing system unable to properly reflect the recent changes to capital gains tax as implemented in Rachel Reeves’ first budget last year. The chancellor’s Autumn Budget increased CGT rates on disposals of [...]
Torsten Bell: Who is the mastermind behind the 2025 Autumn Budget? August 28, 2025 When parliamentary candidates were revealed ahead of last year’s elections, Torsten Bell was one of the better-known names on Labour’s list. With his glaringly wonkish CV and swaggering way of talking up esoteric economic policies, he seemed primed to one day leave his mark on a Budget. According to the New Statesman, his opportunity to [...]