EMPLOYMENT Number of advertised jobs falls to pre-pandemic levels The Times The latest Labour Market Tracker from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation shows the number of advertised jobs in the UK fell to pre-pandemic levels in December 2024. Active job...

REGULATION FCA details ‘polluter pays’ framework FT Adviser The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has set out details of its polluter pay framework, outlining what firms should and should not do to tackle polluting behaviour and meet their redress liabilities. The FCA...

REGULATION FSB urges regulators to boost growth Sky News The Times The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has urged the UK’s key regulators to help deliver economic growth, saying sector watchdogs must “put their shoulders to the wheel on growth alongside business...

OUTLOOK CFO confidence slides Financial Times The Daily Telegraph The Guardian The Independent Business confidence among finance chiefs has reached a two-year low, according to a Deloitte poll. With many respondents attributing the downturn to the October Budget,...

EMPLOYMENT Permanent job vacancies slip City AM The Guardian The UK job market is experiencing significant challenges, with permanent job vacancies declining at the fastest rate since August 2020, according to the latest report from KPMG and the Recruitment and...

TAX Reeves scanning for new tax hikes as economy falters The Daily Telegraph Daily Mail Chancellor Rachel Reeves is preparing for further tax increases following a record £41.5bn tax rise aimed at addressing a £22bn deficit in public finances. Despite her assurance to...

OUTLOOK Construction industry sees slowest growth in six months Daily Mail Britain's construction sector experienced its slowest growth in six months in December, with the S&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) dropping to 53.3 from 55.2 in...

EMPLOYMENT Job cuts surge at UK services firms The Daily Telegraph Daily Mail Daily Mirror The S&P Global UK services PMI survey revealed a score of 51.1 in December, a slight increase from November's 50.8, indicating marginal growth. However, the services sector...

OUTLOOK Nearly a third of businesses will need financial support The Times According to BDO, British businesses are facing significant challenges due to supply chain disruptions and rising costs, with 32% of mid-sized firms indicating they require additional financial...

EMPLOYMENT Minimum wage costs leap to a record high The Times Daily Mail UK businesses employing minimum wage staff will see costs increase by over £2,000 per worker this year, with the tax burden reaching a record high, according to the Centre for Policy Studies. The...