News

Elon Musk’s satellite internet provider Starlink has begun undercutting traditional broadband providers in the UK after rolling out aggressive price cuts, intensifying competition in Britain’s fixed-line market. Starlink is now offering high-speed broadband for as little as £35 a month in selected parts of the UK, down from a previous entry-level price of £55. The move places the satellite service below comparable packages from BT, which charges around £40 a month, and Virgin Media O2,...

Octopus Energy has been named Britain’s Most Admired Company 2025, becoming the youngest business ever to win the prestigious accolade. The UK’s largest energy supplier took the top prize at a ceremony held at the London Stock Exchange, beating long-established corporate heavyweights that in some cases have been operating for more than a century. In addition to the overall title, Octopus collected six gold sector awards and two silver sector awards, underlining the scale of...

Canada is actively reshaping its global trade and investment strategy in response to continued US trade tariffs, with investors and policymakers increasingly turning their attention towards Europe and China rather than waiting for a reversal in Washington. According to leading audit, tax and business advisory firm Blick Rothenberg, uncertainty created by US trade policy is accelerating a strategic shift in Canadian capital flows and diplomatic priorities. Melissa Thomas, a director at the firm, said Canadian...

A pair of former Dyson engineers have raised millions of pounds to bring a battery-powered electric boiler to market, positioning it as a lower-cost, lower-disruption alternative to heat pumps for millions of UK homes. Wiltshire-based Luthmore was founded in 2022 by Craig Wilkinson and Martin Gutkowski, both ex-Dyson engineers who previously worked together on projects including the vacuum maker’s abandoned electric car programme. Their ambition is to replace gas combi boilers in small and medium-sized...

Britain’s heavy reliance on China for net zero technologies such as batteries could put as many as 90,000 manufacturing jobs at risk in the event of a major supply chain shock, according to a new report. Analysis by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) warns that a severe disruption to battery component supplies, lasting as little as a year, could cripple the UK’s automotive industry, sharply reducing electric vehicle production and threatening factory jobs...

The government is to roll out a new £1bn-a-year support scheme designed to give people on low incomes direct access to emergency cash when they face sudden financial shocks. The Crisis and Resilience Fund, which launches in April, will run for an initial three years and replace the temporary Household Support Fund that has been extended repeatedly since its introduction during the pandemic in 2021. Under the new scheme, individuals will be able to apply...