In what may be seen by some as an about turn, the Chancellor George Osborne announced yesterday (January 16) that he is in favour of an above-inflation rise in the minimum wage from the current level of £6.31 for adults aged 21 and above. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: January 2014
All Change!
The Switch Guarantee, which is the new current account switching service, saw a 17 per cent increase year-on-year in customers switching banks during the last quarter of 2013. Continue reading
Penalties For Employers Paying Less Than The Minimum Wage
Employers who fail to pay workers the minimum wage could face fines of up to £20,000 in new plans announced by the Government, who are working closely with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on the issue. Continue reading
Positive Indicators For UK
According to the latest leading indicators and tendencies survey from the Office for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), economic growth is firming in the UK, Japan and the US. Continue reading
Boost To Small Business Through Tax Cuts
Figures out last week revealed that the introduction of the Employment Allowance in April and the Government’s pledge to cut employers’ National Insurance contributions (NICs) will save nearly £5.5 billion per year for employers by the end of the Parliament, the equivalent of around £200 per employee. Continue reading
Christmas Boost For Online Sales
Christmas 2013 saw a record amount of online shopping, with close to one in five non-food items being bought online in December, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Continue reading
Import/Export Gap Narrows In November
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the gap between imports and exports of goods in the UK narrowed in November from £9.7bn to £9.4bn. Continue reading
Retailers Suffer Around New Year
According to the latest figures, retailers had a challenging December, with most reporting lower sales than expected, particularly in the fashion industry, although homeware saw something of a boost, with consumer demand for decorations and tableware on the rise. Continue reading
Growth To Accelerate
According to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), UK economic growth will accelerate faster than first thought in 2014, with key indicators for the economy now higher than before the start of the financial crisis. Continue reading
Lending To SMEs Finally On The Rise
Financial commentators have welcomed last week’s data from the Bank of England showing that, although lending to businesses fell overall in November, net lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) rose by £140m after four consecutive months of falls. Continue reading