Business

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered her second Budget, unveiling a wide-ranging package of tax, spending and regulatory measures shaped by weeks of leaks — and an accidental early publication of the OBR’s official forecasts. Here is a comprehensive overview of the main changes affecting households, businesses and the wider economy. Personal taxation Reeves confirmed that income tax and National Insurance thresholds will be frozen until 2031, extending the existing freeze by an additional three years....

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has described the accidental early publication of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s report as “deeply disappointing”, after the market-sensitive document appeared online ahead of her Budget statement. Opening her remarks in the Commons, Reeves said the OBR had already taken “full responsibility” for the error. She stressed the government’s progress over the past 16 months in “rebuilding the economy”, citing new trade agreements and reforms to fiscal rules. The OBR, while independent,...

Electric vehicle owners will be required to pay a new 3p-per-mile tax from 2028, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed today in the Autumn Budget — marking the UK’s first dedicated mileage charge for zero-emission cars. The measure is designed to offset the sharp decline in fuel duty revenue, which has fallen year-on-year as more motorists switch from petrol and diesel to electric alternatives. The Treasury argues that long-term changes are needed to protect public finances as...

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is facing mounting calls to resign from frustrated business owners after a series of leaks ahead of this week’s Budget – drawing comparisons with Labour Chancellor Hugh Dalton, who quit in 1947 after briefing a journalist moments before delivering his statement. The criticism intensified after the Office for Budget Responsibility accidentally published its full economic forecast online hours before Reeves’ speech. The OBR has apologised, but the premature release revealed that GDP...

Monitoring website traffic is crucial to knowing the interaction of your audience with the content, spotting the areas where you can grow, and making the necessary improvements. Google Analytics has been the main tool of choice for website analysis and monitoring for many years, but it is not the only available option. Let’s learn what other ways you can use to track your data. Why Look Beyond Google Analytics? Google Analytics provides comprehensive insights, but...

There was a time – not so long ago, though it already feels sepia-tinted – when London was the sort of place that tourists arrived in with stars in their eyes and left with shopping bags cutting off circulation at the fingers. Harrods bags, Selfridges bags, Mulberry bags, the bright yellow of Fortnum’s peeking out of a suitcase being sat on in a hotel lobby. Europe’s favourite grown-up playground; Manhattan’s chic transatlantic sibling; Tokyo’s idea...

Sir Richard Branson has announced the death of his wife, Joan Branson, sharing a heartfelt tribute on Instagram confirming she has passed away after their 50 years together. The Virgin founder described Joan as his “best friend” and “guiding light”, paying tribute to her role at the centre of the Branson family. “Heartbroken to share that Joan, my wife and partner for 50 years, has passed away,” he wrote. “She was the most wonderful mum...

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has urged Labour MPs to rally behind her “fair and progressive” Budget, warning that while not every measure would be universally popular, the package must be backed in full to deliver the government’s economic agenda. Addressing a tense meeting of the parliamentary Labour Party after two weeks of leadership speculation, Reeves told MPs that “politics is a team sport” and insisted the Budget would contain policies they could sell confidently to constituents....

Currency traders are increasing their bets against sterling ahead of Wednesday’s Budget, fearing that Rachel Reeves’ tax and spending plans could further weaken the UK’s already fragile economic outlook. Data from CME Group shows trading volumes in put options — contracts that profit from a fall in the pound — have outpaced bullish call options by more than four to one over the past week. The surge suggests investors are bracing for a Budget that...

Artificial intelligence and robotics could automate more than half of all work carried out in the United States — with existing technology — according to a new report from the McKinsey Global Institute. The research finds that 57% of US work hours could be automated today if organisations redesigned workflows around the capabilities of AI agents and robots. The analysis suggests that nearly half of American jobs sit within occupations facing significant disruption from automation....