Retail sales volumes fell by 1.2% in July after the wet weather hit summer clothing sales and the cost of living weighed on food shoppers. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said it was a particularly bad month for supermarkets. “The summer washout combined with the increased cost of living meant sluggish sales for both […]
There are “genuine grounds for hope” that at least parts of Wilko will be taken over, according to the GMB union. National secretary Andy Prendergast said he had met PwC, the firm overseeing the sale of the retailer. He confirmed there had been expressions of interest in the business, adding that talks with potential buyers […]
Rising interest rates have begun to bite UK companies, with a majority of businesses reporting the weakest output levels in eight months, according to a survey. A monthly business tracker, compiled by Lloyds, found that 13 of 14 sectors said they had suffered from falling new orders last month, citing high inflation and climbing borrowing […]
The banking sector is being warned it faces penalties if it does not secure free access to cash for the UK population, including businesses, following waves of branch closures over more than a decade. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is to be given powers to fine banks that fail to provide free access to cash, […]
The proportion of top A-level grades is down on last year but still remains above pre-pandemic levels. A* and A grades were awarded to 27.2% of students, compared to 36.4% last year, 44.7% in 2021 and 38.5% in 2020. But the number is up by 1.8% compared to pre-pandemic levels, when 25.4% of A-level entries […]
Nearly 30% of people find it difficult to afford essentials – like groceries, broadband and insurance – despite most people shopping around for better prices, a think-tank reveals today. The Social Market Foundation (SMF) said the research showed the limits of the “Martin Lewis effect”, where shoppers use better consumer information to get better deals. […]
Scotland’s finances are “improving at a faster rate” than the UK as a whole, a key ally of First Minister Humza Yousaf has insisted, despite new figures showing spending north of the border continues to exceed the amount raised in revenue. Public spending in Scotland amounted to £106.6bn in 2022-23 – up by £9.3bn (9.5%) […]
Up to 15,000 shops could disappear from the UK’s high streets by the end of 2025, a new report has warned, as more and more consumers choose to online over in-store shopping. Data from the Local Data Company showed that between 2018 and 2022, over 41,000 stores opened and 79,000 stores closed, resulting in 37,700 […]
HMRC has been criticised for spending just 6.5% of its £6.8bn annual budget on preventing specific areas of tax evasion, avoidance and non-compliance in 2022/23. In HMRC’s annual report for 2022/23 the tax office revealed that it invested £451m in addressing “specific areas of tax evasion, avoidance and non-compliance”. This equates to only 6.5% of the […]
Budget supermarket chain Aldi has unveiled plans to expand its workforce creating over 1,700 new job opportunities in its regional distribution centres across the country. These positions will include both full-time and part-time roles, offering salaries of up to £53,000 per year. This recruitment drive aligns with Aldi’s plan to open approximately one new store […]