44 h. ago Ice given access to Medicaid data in move critics call a privacy betrayal

Officials let Ice access health data to locate migrants, alarming experts who warn of civil rights and health risksMedicaid officials have reportedly made an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) to allow agents to examine a database of Americans’ personal information – including home addresses, social security numbers and ethnicities.The data sharing agreement will allow Ice to find “the location of aliens”, according to an agreement obtained by the Associated Press. Medicaid is the nation’s single largest health insurer, providing coverage for 79 million low-income, disabled and elderly people. Continue reading...

Politics

50 h. ago New State Pension payment delays for older people due to retire this year

The first State Pension payment might also be higher or lower than expected even with full National Insurance contributions.

Economics

51 h. ago UK payrolls down by 178,000 over last year; Bundesbank chief defends central bank independence after Trump’s attacks on Powell – business live

UK company payrolls have fallen by 178,000 in last year, pushing unemployment rate to four-year highAnalysis: The rise in unemployment shows the UK jobs market is cooling, but it is not collapsingDeutsche Bank’s chief UK economist Sanjay Raja agrees that the UK’s labour market is continuing to cool, with both payrolls and vacancies down.Raja explains:Redundancies remain elevated with the May data showing a 114k increase in the three months to May – its highest level in three months. Jobs demand remains weak as hiring plans are near a standstill.This will continue to see unemployment rise – but we think this will be a slow grind higher as opposed to a whipsaw higher. For the MPC, despite the bump higher in inflation, the loosening in labour market should give the BoE reason to proceed with a gradual dial down of restrictive policy.The fallout in the labour market from the hikes in National Insurance Contributions and the minimum wage is not as big as previously thought. Even so, as p...

Economics

53 h. ago London has worst unemployment rate in UK after massive hospitality jobs shake

ONS figures show the number of employees in London shows a fall of 1.8% in the year to May, more than any other region

Politics

54 h. ago The rise in unemployment shows the UK jobs market is cooling, but it is not collapsing

Despite the latest poor data, wage growth remains resilient and there are ‘signs of confidence returning’UK unemployment rises as jobs market ‘weakens’Business live – latest updatesAnaemic economic growth, rising inflation, and a worsening outlook in the jobs market. If the inheritance from the Conservatives had been bad, the situation a year in to the new Labour government do not look much better.The latest figures show unemployment nudged up to 4.7% in May, hitting the highest level in four years, while wage growth slowed for a third consecutive month, and employers cut back on hiring. Continue reading...

Politics

54 h. ago Rise in unemployment shows UK jobs market is cooling, but it is not collapsing

Despite latest poor data wage growth remains resilient, and there are ‘signs of confidence returning’UK unemployment rises as jobs market ‘weakens’Business live – latest updatesAnaemic economic growth, rising inflation, and a worsening outlook in the jobs market. If the inheritance from the Conservatives had been bad, the situation a year in to the new Labour government does not look much better.The latest figures show unemployment nudged up to 4.7% in May, hitting the highest level in four years, while wage growth slowed for a third consecutive month, and employers cut back on hiring. Continue reading...

Politics

54 h. ago Jaguar Land Rover to axe 500 UK management jobs as Trump tariffs fallout dents sales

British carmaker to offer voluntary redundancy to managers after 15.1% sales drop in three months to JuneUK unemployment rises as jobs market ‘weakens’Business live – latest updatesJaguar Land Rover has said it will axe up to 500 management jobs in the UK, after the carmaker reported a plunge in sales linked to Donald Trump’s tariffs.The British luxury car manufacturer said about 1.5% of its staff in the UK would be affected by the job cuts as part of a voluntary redundancy round for managers. JLR, which is owned by India’s Tata Motors, employs 33,000 people in the UK. Continue reading...

Politics

56 h. ago Unemployment rate rises to highest level since the pandemic as jobs market cools

Weaker than expected figures suggest that an interest rate cut is “nailed on” for next month

Events

4 d. ago New call to scrap tax and National Insurance deductions on overtime for emergency service workers

Nearly 6,000 people have signed an online petition calling for the UK Government to make the change.

Economics

5 d. ago Reeves says protections remain for ‘working people’ amid wealth tax speculation

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the manifesto commitment not to increase income tax, national insurance and VAT still stood.

Economics

5 d. ago Bank of England governor says jobs slowdown could prompt rate cut; European markets fall after Trump tariff threat – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as Andrew Bailey insists: “I think the path [for interest rates] is down”.Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 30% on European Union imports from next month is weighing on European stock markets this morning.Most of Europe’s markets have dropped at the start of trading, pulling the pan-European Stoxx 600 index down by 0.6%.Inadvertently or otherwise the President is testing the market’s patience. At a time when investors had seemingly brushed aside the likelihood of the base line of tariffs settling at 10%, the new pronouncements suggest a level of between 15% and 20% being the norm, with additionally punitive numbers on the likes of Canada at 35% adding to the uncertainty.The so-called “TACO” trade will therefore be tested again, with markets drifting in the US on Friday and futures currently suggesting a similar fall today. In addition, and as the new 1 August extension approaches, nerves are likely to jangle. Continue readi...

Economics

5 d. ago Bank of England could make cuts to interest rates if jobs market slows down, Bailey says

Businesses are ‘adjusting employment’ as a result of Rachel Reeves’ decision to raise national insurance contributions for firms, governor says

Economics

5 d. ago Bank of England could cut base rate if jobs market continues to slow – Bailey

Businesses are ‘adjusting employment’ as a result of Rachel Reeves’ decision to raise national insurance contributions for firms, the governor said.

Economics

7 d. ago After the economy shrinks again, summer rate cut 'looks inevitable'

Experts said that, combined with signs of a deteriorating jobs market, it would add further pressure on the Bank of England to cut interest rates.

Economics

9 d. ago PageGroup sees jobs market remain under pressure amid tariff uncertainty

The recruiter saw gross profit drop 13.1% in the second quarter – down 10.5% with currency movements stripped out.

Economics

1 week ago Starmer opens the door for stealth tax extension as he tries to balance books

During a fiery PMQs, the prime minister ruled out increases to income tax, VAT and national insurance but could not answer questions on wealth taxes or a freeze on tax thresholds

Events

1 week ago Labour Left's £120BILLION tax menu: MPs tell Reeves to hike NICs again, target banks and hammer shareholders to fund 'unsustainable' spending splurge

Keir Starmer has urged to raise up to £120billion from Brits by increasing national insurance again, targeting banks and hammering shareholders.

Economics

1 week ago Starmer opens the door for wealth tax raid as he ducks questions at PMQs

During a fiery PMQs, the prime minister ruled out increases to income tax, VAT and national insurance but could not answer questions on wealth taxes or a freeze on tax thresholds

Economics

1 week ago Major retailer to create 400 jobs by opening 10 new stores in huge boost to market

In a major boost to the job market, Tesco's planned €40million investment is a significant move to expand the retailer's operations in the Republic of Ireland with 10 new stores

Politics

1 week ago Brits issued state pension warning as they could be 'financially unsustainable by 2036'

The state pension will become structurally reliant on reserves from the National Insurance investment fund in the next 15 years, according to the Adam Smith Institute (ASI)

Events