News Archive

New Tool To Make It Easier And Faster For Public To Access Essential Government Services Online

GOV.UK Forms, a new tool for faster, more accessible online government forms, will be rolled out nationwide after successful trials showed major time savings and improved efficiency.   GOV.UK Forms to be rolled out across government, making it faster and easier for the public to fill out forms such as applying for emergency travel documents.  

Business Ready To Support UK With £500m Investment Following Chancellor's First Budget

US firm confirms £500m investment in biomedical research, supporting government's plan to attract private investment and grow the UK economy.   New biomedical hubs will create over 2000 new jobs and boost scientific discoveries which will save lives.  

The Economics Of Small Business - Richard Murphy

Small businesses do not work as microeconomic theory suggests.  They don't maximise profit.  

King And William's Private Estates ‘raking In Millions From Cash-strapped Public Services'

King Charles and Prince William are secretly raking in millions of pounds from cash-strapped government departments, schools, the armed forces and even the NHS, a new investigation claims.   The latest Channel 4 Dispatches inquiry asserts that while the monarch and heir to the throne's respective private estates - the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, which generate £50 million a year - are not funded by the taxpayer, each receives ‘extensive' amounts of money from public services.  

Is Rachel Reeves' Budget Bad - Or Good - For Business?

The Institute for Government examines how the budget affects business.   How might the budget's incentives and investments determine the future course of the economy? Business has been ‘hit' with tax rises, notably a hike in employers' national insurance contributions.  

Growth At The Heart Of Foreign Secretary's Visit To Nigeria And South Africa

Foreign Secretary David Lammy visits Nigeria and South Africa.   Economic growth to underpin work in both Nigeria and South Africa, as Foreign Secretary agrees to develop a new UK-South Africa Growth Plan and a new Strategic Partnership with Nigeria.  

Diesel And Petrol Cars Hit in Budget

First-year rates, zero-emission cars will pay the lowest, at £10, until 2029-30, to encourage drivers to buy a non-polluting vehicle.   Cars emitting between one and 50 grams of CO2 per kilometre, including hybrid vehicles, will increase from £10 to £110 for 2025-26, while cars emitting more than 76 grams of CO2 per kilometre will see the rate double.  

Budget Moves Car Tax Up For Electric Cars

Electric cars first registered on or after 1 April 2025: will pay the lowest rate of tax (first year rate), currently £10.   From the second year on, the standard rate kicks in and owners will need to pay £190 a year - the same rate petrol and diesel owners pay today (if they have a car first registered after 1 April 2017).  

What You Need To Know About The Autumn Budget 2024

On 30 October, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves delivered her first Budget in Parliament.  Here are 5 things to know.  

865,000 Employers Will Pay No NICs Next Year

To repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to increase funding for public services, the government is taking the difficult decision to increase the rate of employer NICs by 1.2 percentage points to 15%.  The per‑employee threshold at which employers start to pay National Insurance will be reduced from £9,100 per year to £5,000 per year.