Borrowing a line made famous by Hugh Grant in Love Actually, Britain has long seen itself as a small country with outsized greatness, the home of Shakespeare and Churchill, the Beatles and Bond. But more than two decades on, and amid economic uncertainty and shifting global power, the question remains: is Britain still a great […]
Is Britain Still a Great Country? The Numbers Behind the National Debate Read More »
Apart from that strange, suspended week between Boxing Day and New Year, when no one quite knows what day it is, modern life rarely feels calm. Even so, many of us cling to the belief that things will soon ease: next month, after the deadline, once life “settles down”. In reality, it rarely does. Tasks
Stress in 2026: Why Doing the Hardest Thing First Can Help Read More »
Energy prices for most households in the UK are expected to drop by 8% from April 2026, reducing the average annual bill by £138 to £1,620, according to forecasts from energy consultancy Cornwall Insight. The reduction is attributed to the government’s decision to shift certain green levies from bills to taxation and to scrap a
UK Energy Bills Set to Fall by £138 in April After Green Tax Changes Read More »
As the UK enters 2026, understanding the global backdrop is essential to judging the country’s economic prospects. The international environment points to modest growth and low inflation, but rising competition in export markets, elevated debt levels, and geopolitical tensions add layers of risk and uncertainty. Financial market volatility may intensify, and policy unpredictability will persist.
What Lies Ahead for Britain in 2026: Growth, Inflation, and Global Uncertainty Read More »
The UK government borrowed more than forecast in November, underlining the fragile state of the public finances ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s autumn budget, according to official figures. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed public sector net borrowing, the gap between spending and income stood at £11.7bn last month. Although this was
UK Borrows £11.7bn in November, Exceeding City Forecasts Read More »
As families gather this Christmas, many are considering trips away as a way to create lasting memories. But paying for holidays for grown-up children or extended family could, in some cases, count as a gift for inheritance tax (IHT) purposes. With plans to bring unused private pension savings into the IHT net from April 2027,
Christmas Holidays Could Count as Gifts for Inheritance Tax Purposes Read More »
The Local Government Association (LGA) and campaigners are urging swift action to tackle the exploitation of vulnerable individuals through ‘patient brokering’ in England’s drug and alcohol treatment services. Patient brokering occurs when individuals or organisations receive financial incentives to refer patients to specific private addiction rehabilitation centres, regardless of whether the placement meets the patient’s
Urgent Action Needed to Stop Patient Brokering in Drug, Alcohol Treatment Read More »
Millions of home workers are set to lose a major financial perk after Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that tax relief for work from home expenses will be removed from next April. The change means employees will no longer be able to reclaim the cost of extra heating, electricity or broadband used while working remotely.
Home Workers Hit as Labour Scraps Tax Relief for Remote Staff Read More »
Millions of low and middle income workers are expected to lose hundreds of pounds in take home pay following Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s decision to freeze income tax thresholds. New analysis from the Resolution Foundation suggests that people earning under £35,000 a year could see between £150 and £200 a year taken from their pay
Millions on Under £35,000 to Lose Hundreds as Tax Threshold Freeze Takes Effect Read More »
Sir Sadiq Khan has been accused of showing disrespect to rape victims after previously suggesting he was unaware of grooming gangs operating in London. Scotland Yard is now reviewing nine thousand historic cases of child sexual exploitation that were reported and closed between January 1, 2010 and March 31 this year. The reassessment forms part
Nine Thousand Child Exploitation Cases Reopened as Khan Faces Backlash Read More »
