Early estimates for December 2025 indicate that the number of payrolled employees was 30.2 million, which is a fall of 0.6% from December 2024; this is equivalent to 184,000 fewer employees. The largest increase was in the health and social work sector, with a rise of 37,000 employees; the largest decrease was in the wholesale and retail sector, with a fall of 72,000 employees.
The UK economy has been falling further behind its former peers but could be on the brink of a turnaround, emphasising the need for the Government to ramp up rather than run-down its economic growth strategy, according to major new Resolution Foundation research published on Monday 19 January 2026. As the Chancellor joins other heads of state at Davos, the report Mountain Climbing takes stock of the UK economy and the scale of the challenge it faces.
President Donald Trump's insistence that the U.S. will acquire Greenland "whether they like it or not" is just the latest chapter in a codependent and often complicated relationship between America and the Arctic's largest island - one that stretches back more than a century but has recently been on the rocks.
Zahid Afzal fraudulently obtained three £50,000 Bounce Back Loans for his mobile phone companies after they had already received £52,500 legitimately. He falsely declared his companies had not received previous Bounce Back Loans, inflated turnover figures for one of the companies, and transferred significant amounts to his personal accounts.
Maps of the Council's gritting routes by priority and policy are available online at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting. The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time.
Nearly 500 employers fined over £10 million for failing to pay the National Minimum Wage. Nearly 500 employers fined over £10 million for failing to pay the National Minimum Wage.
The latest Business Conditions indicators in Scotland point to a continuing subdued environment for firms at the end of 2025 and into early 2026. The report shows Scotland suffered with weak activity, rising costs, and persistent demand challenges.
The future of many of Donald Trump's tariffs are up in the air, with the Supreme Court expected to hand down a ruling on the administration's global trade barriers any day now. But the question of whether a policy is legal or constitutional - which the justices are entertaining now - isn't the same as whether it's wise.
Explanation of what the EU might do against the Trump Tariff threats. France and Germany are leading the way..
The funding will go towards UK research and development projects that help deliver net zero aviation by 2050. up to £43 million will be allocated to green aviation projects, paving the way for airport expansion and supporting highly skilled jobs.
In recent years, a growing number of wealthy donor countries have reduced their foreign aid budgets, marking one of the most significant contractions in global development finance in over two decades. These decisions reflect domestic fiscal pressures, rising defence and security spending, and shifting political priorities in donor states.
Ministers to highlight government focus on stability and certainty in a volatile world. Chancellor and Business Secretary arrive at World Economic Forum Annual Meetings today (20 January) to showcase Britain's strengths to investors and CEOs.
Second phase of Women's Health Plan backed by over £2.4 million to tackle gynaecological waiting times. New plans to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 and transform gynaecology services—ending long waits—have been published as part of the second phase of the Women's Health Plan.
British entrepreneurs, workers and communities will benefit from a sweeping package of growth measures, as the Government acts to invest in key growth sectors and slash red tape to help businesses scale up. British Business Bank makes largest ever direct investment into a private company - Octopus Energy spinoff Kraken Technologies – alongside £100m in fund investments for Life Sciences and Deep Tech Major - key Industrial Strategy sectors.
The Caithness Area Committee has on Monday 19 January 2026 approved four applications submitted to the Community Regeneration Fund (CRF), securing significant investment to support local projects that will benefit communities across the north. A total of £258,898 has been awarded to initiatives that align with the fund's priorities of increasing community resilience, tackling poverty and inequality, addressing rural depopulation, supporting economic recovery, and contributing to climate action.
A new once-in-a-generation plan to overhaul the water system in England and protect households from disruption has been unveiled today (Tuesday 20 January 2026). A new once-in-a-generation plan to overhaul the water system and protect households from disruption has been unveiled today (Tuesday 20 January).
Trump's tariff threat over Greenland will impact small UK businesses disproportionately, warns the international delivery expert Parcelhero. It says the consequences of Trump’s threat to impose new tariffs on UK exports if Britain continues to oppose his Greenland takeover plan will be extremely serious for SME exporters.
Bold new strategy will grow education exports to £40bn a year by 2030, supporting UK jobs and investment. As part of the Government's plan for national renewal, education is being turbocharged as a major engine of UK economic growth, as ministers set out a new International Education Strategy to export the country’s world-class education and skills offer worldwide.
For food and drink producers in Caithness—particularly those involved in whisky, other spirits, beverages, and fish—the case for market diversification is both economic and structural. These industries are capital-intensive, exposed to regulatory change, and highly sensitive to trade barriers such as tariffs, customs delays, and certification requirements.
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has announced the appointment of five new UK Trade Envoys. The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has today [February 20] announced the appointment of five new UK Trade Envoys.
