Small businesses have criticised proposals that will require them to file accounts with Companies House. The Government has announced plans that will see small firms report profits and losses like larger companies, despite previous assurances against increased disclosure. The Federation of Small Businesses argues that these changes will increase costs for new ventures and make starting a business more complicated, while Sally Baker, corporate reporting director at the ICAEW, said that elements of the plan would “undoubtedly result in additional costs for some companies.” MP Blair McDougall says officials have listened to stakeholders’ concerns and notes that while firms will be required to file their accounts, they can opt out of making the information public.

While hiring is down 24% compared with pre-pandemic levels, Janine Chamberlin, the head of LinkedIn UK, says the slowdown is driven mainly by wider economic conditions rather than AI replacing jobs. She argued that while AI is influencing some restructuring, particularly in tech, the biggest factor is the macroeconomic climate in recent years. Ms Chamberlin added that while “headlines would suggest that AI is coming for everyone’s jobs… actually, the roles that are most exposed to AI are not the roles that are falling or declining the fastest.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has proposed raising the VAT threshold for sole traders from £90,000 to £150,000. He argues this change would support “alarm clock Britain” and help 320,000 small businesses avoid the 20% tax. While concerns have been raised about funding the estimated £2bn annual cost, Reform UK said it plans to finance the cuts through savings, including welfare reforms and reductions in foreign aid. Mr Farage also announced that Reform would reverse recent changes that force sole traders with incomes of over £50,000 to file financial information to HMRC four times a year.

Vinod Khosla, founder of venture capital firm Khosla Ventures, suggests that AI will drastically reduce labour demand, necessitating reforms of the tax system.

The UK real estate sector is experiencing a significant rise in insolvencies, with 762 firms failing this year, a 60% increase from 2025. This includes estate agents, landowners, and management companies, with the sector coming under pressure from high finance costs and economic uncertainty. Dominic Curran, head of communications at Real Estate UK, warned of a “perfect storm of anti-development conditions.”

The National Audit Office has warned that UK households owed more than £7bn in water, broadband and energy bills by March 2025, with the total likely to have increased since then. The spending watchdog says that despite support being available, many people struggling with debt are unaware of options such as repayment plans, discounted social tariffs and the Priority Services Register.

The Government is considering exemptions on planned tariffs for foreign steel after domestic manufacturers raised concerns about increased costs. In March, the Government announced a doubling of tariffs to 50% and a reduction in quotas in an attempt to save UK producers. Gareth Stace, director of UK Steel, emphasised the need for a balance between protecting manufacturing and addressing EU tariff threats.

The World Cup is set to be the biggest betting event of all time, with financial services firm Macquarie predicting that more than $50bn (£37.4bn) in bets will be placed. This marks a significant rise from the $35bn seen during the 2022 tournament. Analysts say the increase will be driven by an expansion in the number of teams from 32 to 48, resulting in over 100 matches compared with 64 in 2022.