The UK unemployment rate has risen to 5.1 per cent, its highest level since January 2021, as fresh data pointed to a further cooling in the labour market and slowing wage growth. Figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the jobless rate increased from 5 per cent in the three months to September to 5.1 per cent in the three months to October, in line with expectations from City economists and the...
First-time buyers, the self-employed and older borrowers could soon find it easier to secure a mortgage under a package of reforms proposed by the Financial Conduct Authority, as the regulator moves to modernise lending rules to reflect changing working lives and demographics. The FCA said it plans to simplify mortgage regulations and loosen restrictions on lenders to allow more flexible products, better suited to people with irregular incomes, later-life borrowing needs and non-traditional career paths....
Ben Courson is a mental health advocate, speaker, and author known for connecting spirituality and philosophical thought with emotional wellness. Through his work, he’s helped many people find meaning in their struggles and taught them how to build lives of purpose and peace. Courson’s exploration of veganism isn’t just about food. It’s about healing, integrity, and creating space for compassion—in the mind, body, and soul. He once shared, “I didn’t become vegan overnight. It started...
True luxury never raises its voice. It greets guests quietly. Texture, temperature, spacing, and light speak first. The welcome begins before a word is exchanged. Eyes adjust. Movement slows. Pressure drops. Every surface signals precision. Every detail deserves its place. Exclusive events depend on silence between the notes. They leave no clutter, no guesswork. The experience unfolds without effort. Staff move with grace. Lighting flatters the room. Sound is tailored, not filled. Every element earns...
UK homeowners are increasingly using equity release to strengthen household finances, with mortgage repayment now the leading reason for taking out new plans, according to new first-party analysis from Key Group. The analysis, based on more than 1,000 Key Group customer cases agreed between Q2 2024 and Q1 2025 (data to 31 March 2025), points to a decisive change in how later-life homeowners are using property wealth. Over the period, the share of new plans...
Ronald Moy has spent more than twenty years serving the people of Escondido, California, as a funeral director known for his compassion, precision, and calm leadership. Born and raised in the same community, his path into the profession began early, sweeping floors at his grandfather’s small mortuary. Those quiet lessons in empathy and respect shaped the way he approaches his work today. After earning a degree in psychology from California State University San Marcos, with...
BGF has completed a £16.6 million minority investment in Workbooks, the mid-market software platform positioning itself as a practical alternative to traditional CRM systems by bringing sales, marketing, customer support and commercial operations into a single, integrated solution. Workbooks serves hundreds of customers across the UK and the US, spanning a broad range of sectors. The platform has gained traction among mid-sized organisations looking to avoid the complexity, cost and fragmented add-ons often associated with...
The government’s £283 million investment to train the next generation of builders, coders and engineers has been met with a sceptical response from business leaders, who have warned that the funding is “too little, too late” to address the UK’s mounting economic and housing challenges. Ministers say the funding will help more young people gain the skills needed to meet growing demand for homegrown workers, particularly in construction, as the government pushes ahead with its...
Every January, millions of people resolve to get healthier. They join gyms, hire trainers, and put themselves in environments engineered for progress. The formula is obvious: the right expertise, the right structure, and the right people make improvements inevitable. Yet when it comes to our businesses, the engines that employ people and shape industries, we often operate in isolation. We grind away alone, convinced that needing input is somehow an admission of weakness. And after...
Five Welsh entrepreneurs have been recognised for outstanding progress after completing the Business Wales Start-Up Accelerator, with the latest cohort underlining how intensive, targeted support can turn early-stage ideas into investment-ready businesses. The award winners completed the ten-week accelerator programme and were recognised across five categories, reflecting both the breadth and quality of entrepreneurial talent emerging across Wales. Collectively, the cohort demonstrated strong momentum in moving from concept to customer, validating propositions and building clear...
