More than 100 business and charity leaders have signed an open letter calling on ministers to “lead the country’s transition toward a shorter working week”, amid a growing row over the future of the four-day week in local government.
Category: News
Stay informed with the latest UK self-employed news, small-business policy changes, tax updates and freelancer market trends.
Number of pensioners caught in 60% tax trap doubles
The number of pensioners paying a punishing 60 per cent income tax rate has more than doubled in just three years, as frozen tax thresholds drag tens of thousands more older savers into higher tax bands.
Paul Raymond’s granddaughters receive £23m as Soho Estates profits surge
Fawn and India Rose James, the granddaughters of late property and publishing magnate Paul Raymond, have received £23 million in dividends from the family’s billion-pound Soho property empire following another record year of rental income.
Organised crime gangs dumping millions of tonnes of waste in British countryside
House of Lords inquiry warns large-scale fly-tipping costs the UK £1bn a year
SpudBros blasted for ‘bullying’ small UK business in name dispute
Viral TikTok potato sellers face backlash after Portsmouth trader says he was threatened with legal action over similar name
‘Ridiculous’ to blame OBR for Budget mess, says Hunt
Former chancellor accuses Reeves of ‘shrinking the economy’ with record tax rises as productivity downgrade deepens Budget crisis
Aston Martin losses surge 800% as Trump tariffs and China slowdown hit luxury carmaker
British marque blames US trade war, weak Chinese demand and cyber disruption across auto industry for sharp quarterly slump
Mahmood admits Home Office ‘not fit for purpose’ amid crises and staff exodus
The new home secretary Shabana Mahmood has admitted that the Home Office is “not yet fit for purpose” and has repeatedly failed to rise to the scale of multiple crises — from illegal migration to asylum accommodation and internal leadership churn.
BT weighs move into low-cost mobile market as Revolut and Monzo eye launches
BT is exploring plans to launch a low-cost mobile brand to compete with fintech entrants such as Revolut and Monzo, as virtual operators gain market share in the UK’s telecoms sector.
Global stock markets surge to record highs as Apple hits $4 trillion valuation
Apple becomes the world’s first $4 trillion company as the FTSE 100 and Wall Street indices hit record highs amid investor optimism and expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut.
UK secures £8bn Typhoon fighter jet deal with Turkey in major export breakthrough
The UK has signed an £8bn deal to supply Turkey with 20 Typhoon fighter jets — the largest UK defence export in nearly two decades, safeguarding thousands of jobs and strengthening NATO ties.
Pressure mounts on LinkedIn to close account of jailed stalker Sam Wall
LinkedIn is under growing pressure to shut down the account of convicted stalker Sam Wall, who was jailed for more than two years for a “deliberate and calculated” campaign of harassment against prominent entrepreneurs — yet remains active on the platform.
Companies that donated to Labour awarded £138m in government contracts, report claims
A new analysis by the Autonomy Institute has found that companies donating to Labour were awarded £138m in government contracts during the party’s first year in power, reviving concerns about the influence of political donations on public spending.
Welsh government body hit with £14.6m IR35 tax bill after compliance errors
Natural Resources Wales has paid more than £14m to HMRC following an IR35 investigation into its historic use of contractors, prompting renewed warnings over the risks of non-compliance with the UK’s off-payroll working rules.
Senior staff expansion drives £29m rise in HMRC wage bill
New research has revealed that HMRC’s annual pay bill has surged by more than £29m in the past year, as the tax authority expands its senior workforce despite government pressure to curb public-sector spending.
