News Team
Plans to roll out gigabit broadband to every home in the UK have been regarded as highly ambitious, but is the decision to reduce the target to 85pc the right call? Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced last week, as part of a broader spending review, that the erstwhile plans for 100% coverage of gigabit broadband by … Read more
PM Boris Johnson’s strategy is to pursue high levels of spending in order to stimulate a strong recovery, despite warnings from Chancellor Rishi Sunak over the budget deficit. Although it has been a terrible year so far, with more than 54,000 deaths from Covid-19, the latest economic forecasts, due out on Wednesday, will show the … Read more
The process of accreditation is discouraging builders and installers from joining the home grants scheme to improve the energy efficiency of homes in England. Tradesmen are failing to sign up to the Government’s plan to insulate draughty homes, leaving thousands of households unable to apply for the £3bn green home grants. The scheme, offering up … Read more
SEISS, aka the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, was extended last week to provide ongoing support, although those working for themselves have been warned of the tax implications of the scheme. SEISS was implemented earlier in the year as the impact of the coronavirus, especially of the lockdown, began to be felt by the self-employed. Initially … Read more
As England prepares to enter a second lockdown on Thursday, Michael Gove, Minister for the Cabinet Office, has hinted that the self-employed could be given additional financial support. The support would last for the duration of the new national lockdown and comes after the furlough scheme, which had been due to end in October, was … Read more
A majority of SME housebuilders have forecast lower growth due to the pandemic, a new survey by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and Close Brothers Property Finance reveals. Overall, 65pc of SME housebuilders have forecast subdued growth. 39pc of these predict business will fall by 10-50pc, while 26pc expect a reduction in the region of … Read more
Banks could start charging for basic services if interest rates turn negative, the boss of Virgin Money has warned. CEO David Duffy said, to test which services customers would be willing to pay for, banks would make ‘slow and incremental’ changes over the next three to five years. He added that although a decision will … Read more
On Friday, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced an expansion of the job support scheme to protect workers and firms forced to close during coronavirus lockdowns this winter. The development comes against a background of slowing economic growth, new government restrictions and increasing job losses as the first furlough scheme is about to come to an end, … Read more
The hospitality industry feels it has been left high and dry by No 10, as takings plunge following the imposition of a counterproductive curfew. Sales at pubs, bars and restaurants fell by more than one third compared to the same period last year after a 10pm coronavirus curfew was implemented across most of the UK, … Read more
A policymaker at the Bank of England has upheld the possible use of negative interest rates, which could lower the cost of borrowing to below zero. As countries are forced to use extreme measures to keep their economies afloat in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the Bank of England has signalled that it may … Read more