Business

Eight companies are under formal investigation by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over concerns about online pricing tactics, marking the regulator’s first major enforcement action under its strengthened consumer protection powers. The firms — StubHub, Viagogo, AA Driving School, BSM Driving School, Gold’s Gym, Wayfair, Appliances Direct and Marks Electrical — are being examined as part of a wide-ranging review into how businesses display and structure online prices. The CMA is also writing...

Customers of UK banks and building societies will soon benefit from a major increase to the amount of money protected if their bank fails, after regulators confirmed that the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) deposit limit will rise from £85,000 to £120,000. The change, announced by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), marks the largest uplift since 2017 and reflects updated inflation data and industry feedback. It will take effect in December, with customers automatically covered...

Carbon3.ai, the UK’s leading sovereign AI infrastructure company, has announced a £1 billion investment to build the country’s first nationwide network of fully sovereign, sustainable AI-ready data centres — a move expected to reshape the UK’s digital resilience, national security and long-term competitiveness in artificial intelligence. The ambitious programme will convert legacy industrial and energy sites into a network of high-performance, low-carbon compute hubs, all designed, owned and operated exclusively within the UK. This ensures...

The UK’s corporate register is expected to shrink significantly over the next year as new identity verification rules for company directors and beneficial owners come into force on Tuesday, according to specialists in corporate transparency and financial crime. From 18 November, all new directors and persons with significant control (PSCs) must verify their identity with Companies House before they can form or run a company. Existing directors and PSCs will be phased into the system...

If you live in an older home, chances are you’ve heard of a back boiler. These were popular heating systems installed behind fireplaces. They provided hot water and heating by burning gas or solid fuel. But today, back boilers are outdated, inefficient, and even unsafe. So, if you still have one, you might be thinking about replacing it. But how much does it cost to replace a back boiler? The answer isn’t simple. Several factors...

Stepping away from a successful career in technology to pursue a long-held creative ambition is no small leap, yet that is precisely what Sarah Haran did. Today, she heads the British luxury accessories brand that bears her name, celebrated for workmanship, colour and a modular design concept that gives customers “one bag, endless looks”. From her studio to the atelier in Istanbul where each piece is crafted by hand from Italian leather, Haran has created...

Pub operators and hospitality leaders have warned that Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ expected tax raid on gaming machines could inflict serious damage on an industry already battling soaring costs, staff shortages and fragile consumer confidence. With speculation mounting that the Chancellor will sharply increase Machine Gaming Duty (MGD) in the November 26 Budget, trade bodies say the move risks pulling away one of the last remaining revenue supports for thousands of community pubs. Fruit machines have...

Female entrepreneurs across the UK are working longer hours, taking on second jobs and facing renewed financial strain as economic pressures mount, according to a major new study from Tide and everywoman. The Female Business Owners Index 2025 reveals that 39 per cent of women founders say this year has been harder than 2024, with falling consumer spending, inflation and political uncertainty continuing to squeeze margins and stall growth. Despite the tough trading environment, the...

UK businesses are preparing for renewed uncertainty as the Employment Rights Bill (ERB) returns to the House of Lords today, with new research suggesting confidence in a swift resolution is almost non-existent. A survey by compliance firm VinciWorks has found that just 3 per cent of senior HR, compliance and business leaders believe the Lords will retreat from their opposition to key provisions in the legislation, including day-one employment rights and proposed changes to trade...

A British man jailed in the United States for hacking the Twitter accounts of high-profile figures including Barack Obama and Jeff Bezos has been ordered to hand over £4.1 million in cryptocurrency linked to his crimes. Joseph James O’Connor, 26, was sentenced in the US last year after admitting to his role in a sophisticated cyberattack that saw him gain access to dozens of celebrity and corporate Twitter accounts. He used the compromised profiles to...