Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride is set to call for a new “Big Bang” in financial regulation. He will argue that a lack of risk-taking and excessive regulation has piled pressure on businesses, stifling growth and investment. Sir Mel will say: “For far too long, regulation after regulation has been quietly piled on top of our businesses, whereby little by little has become much too much – a vast yoke around the shoulders of every business in the land.” Mr Stride also plans to address the level of caution in the City, saying the current approach appears to “manage virtually every possible risk out of the system.” Warning that “more broadly across financial services, if anything hurts consumers, liability has too often been disproportionately shifted onto companies,” he will add: “But that hurts business and in turn all of us more widely.”

The Government plans to impose stricter regulations on financial influencers, or “finfluencers,” under an amendment to the Finance Bill. This amendment, proposed by MP Stella Creasy, aims to define “tax influencer” and hold them accountable for promoting tax-avoidance schemes. Ms Creasy said: “These accounts make money from people clicking on their content but those who follow them can end up with penalties.” Analysis by adviser Almond Financial shows that up to 87% of the advice being shared online may be misleading and Dan Neidle, founder of the Tax Policy Associates think-tank , said: “Almost everything these people say about tax is trash.”

UK businesses are experiencing their lowest hiring optimism in nearly 15 years, according to BDO’s employment index, which held at 93.30 in February. Analysts say rising employment costs and workers’ rights reforms are putting pressure on firms and although the decline in hiring intentions has slowed, BDO’s report suggests that recovery appears unlikely. The services sector has seen a boost, however, with BDO’s output index rising to 98.80, driven by improved sales and customer inquiries. Looking ahead, BDO has warned that the conflict in the Middle East and the threat of further US tariffs could pose a threat to UK businesses. Meanwhile, a report from KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation suggests that demand for permanent hires and temporary workers continued to fall in February. Although permanent staff hires fell again, the decrease was the lowest recorded since March 2023.

Research from Anthropic, the firm behind the Claude chatbot, indicates that AI has not significantly increased unemployment in white-collar jobs since the launch of ChatGPT. However, hiring rates for younger workers in highly exposed roles have declined by approximately 14% compared to 2022. The report suggests that while AI has the potential to automate tasks, its adoption in the economy is gradual, with Anthropic saying: “The gap between theoretical capability and real-world deployment may persist for years.”

Business leaders are urging the Chancellor to abandon plans for a 20% inheritance tax on family firms and farms. In her Budget in 2024, the Chancellor announced changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief that saw family farms and firms facing inheritance tax of 20% on assets worth over £1m from this April – although she later raised the threshold to £2.5m. Campaign group Family Business UK (FBUK) warns that this tax will jeopardise jobs and investment, with chief executive Neil Davy saying: “This is the wrong policy at the wrong time.” A FBUK survey shows that many family businesses are concerned that they will be hit by the tax raid, while a quarter are worried that they will not still be family-owned in a decade. James Reed, chairman and chief executive of recruitment firm Reed, said: “Family businesses are the backbone of our economy and generally excellent employers, so there is a good reason that for decades it has been possible to pass them safely from generation to generation.” He added: “The changes to the way they are taxed coming into effect in April put all that at risk. Great British companies will be broken up and sold off to foreign owners and private equity.”

Middle-earning investors are facing a “triple threat” of higher taxes, with analysis suggesting a worker earning £50,000 will pay £2,873 more in 2026 than in 2024 due to frozen income tax thresholds, higher capital gains tax and rising dividend tax rates. Calculations by Interactive Investor show someone on £35,000 will pay £1,764 more from April, while a £100,000 earner will pay an extra £6,854, assuming a £10,000 capital gain and £2,000 in dividends. Tax increases introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves include raising capital gains tax on shares, cutting dividend and capital gains allowances, and extending the freeze on income tax thresholds, which pushes more people into higher tax bands as wages rise. Wealth managers say the combined effect has created a “perfect storm” for middle-income investors, although the Treasury argues the measures are necessary and that tax for low and average earners remains historically low.

The UK’s tax burden is set to reach “historic highs,” with the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicting that the rate could hit 37.7% by mid-2027 compared to 32.9% before the pandemic. High earners, particularly in sectors like consulting and tech, have expressed frustration over steep marginal rates and many are opting to reduce their working hours to avoid crossing thresholds that trigger higher taxes. David Miles from the OBR has warned that it is “very difficult to increase the tax take without having some negative effects on incentives somewhere in the system.”

Third-party agencies are profiting from Companies House’s flawed ID checking process for directors. Some firms charge up to £840 for services that should be free. Reports indicate that identity theft has led to innocent individuals being falsely appointed as directors. Since mandatory ID checks began in November, only 3m of the 7m directors have complied. The One Login system has been criticized for its inefficiency, allowing firms to offer costly packages. Companies House says it does not endorse these agents and cannot regulate their fees.

Energy prices have surged amid the conflict in Iran, with the hikes set to have a significant impact on UK businesses. Tina McKenzie from the Federation of Small Businesses has warned that many small firms face a “dangerous moment” amid concern that prices are climbing and could stay elevated. MakeUK highlights that UK electricity costs were already 46% above the global average.

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has warned that removing the UK’s tariff exemption for low-value imports could lead to higher prices and harm small businesses. The Government plans to phase out this exemption by March 2029, following similar moves by the US and EU. Research indicates that 50% of importers would pass increased costs onto consumers. William Bain, head of trade policy at BCC, said: “E-commerce matters greatly to the UK economy… increased costs will feed through into higher prices.”

Oil prices have surged following warnings from Qatar’s energy minister, Saad al-Kaabi, about potential production halts by Gulf exporters. Brent crude oil rose to $89.17 a barrel on Friday, with this 4.4% higher that at the end of trading on Thursday. Warning that if shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted, prices could escalate to $150 a barrel within weeks, Mr al-Kaabi said: “Everybody’s energy price is going to go higher.” He added that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could “bring down the economies of the world.”

Britons are wasting more than £123 a year on unused subscriptions, totalling £1.6bn across nearly 10m unwanted contracts. A study by aiseo.co.uk revealed that auto-renewals are the primary cause of these unnecessary expenses. The analysis shows that approximately 13m people have unintentionally signed up for paid memberships in the past year, leading to £688m in wasted funds. The report highlights that 39% of consumers have lost money by forgetting to cancel free trials. An AI SEO spokesman said: “Small monthly charges slip through the cracks very easily.” Consumers are advised to review bank statements for recurring payments.