4 h. ago ‘Madness’ to increase welfare spending in Budget, says AO World boss

Chief executive John Roberts urged the Chancellor to cut spending and ‘make some difficult decisions’.

Economics

15 h. ago Fury at 5m Brits paid NOT to work – as Reeves’s Budget will make 10m pensioners pay income tax

FIVE million people are now on benefits with no requirement to work — as Rachel Reeves gets ready to hike taxes to pay for even more welfare spending. The revelation ahead of tomorrow’s Budget sparked claims that Britain is in the grips of a welfare “crisis”. While benefits spiral, it emerged 10 million pensioners could...

Economics

21 h. ago Premier League giants on red alert as Vinicius Jr opens door to shock transfer

Vinicius Jr’s relationship with Spanish giants Real Madrid appears to be growing increasingly strained by the week and a move away from the Bernabeu cannot be ruled out

Events

24 h. ago Deadly airstrikes and a military buildup: how the US pressure campaign against Venezuela has unfolded in the Caribbean

US has used claims of a ‘war on drugs’ to justify its attacks, which have resulted in 83 deaths that the UN has called extrajudicial executionsAmid growing tensions between Washington and Caracas, the US has gathered its largest military presence in the Caribbean since the 1989 invasion of Panama.Donald Trump’s administration has steadily increased pressure on Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of running the “Cartel of the Suns” drug-trafficking organization, and placing a $50m bounty on his head. Continue reading...

Events

29 h. ago Veteran retail boss says Budget timing 'could not be worse' for struggling sector

Monsoon Accessorize founder’s criticism came as he revealed as return to profits despite ‘many headwinds’

Economics

29 h. ago Veteran retail boss says Budget timing 'could not worse' for struggling sector

Monsoon Accessorize founder’s criticism came as he revealed as return to profits despite ‘many headwinds’

Economics

39 h. ago Reeves to launch crackdown on benefit fraud alongside lifting two

Move aims to bring in extra £1.2bn of savings as government seeks to head off criticism over welfare spendingYou be the chancellor: play our budget gameRachel Reeves will launch a fresh crackdown on benefit fraud at the same time as lifting the two-child limit for universal credit at a cost of £3bn, as ministers seek to head off criticism over rising welfare spending in the budget.The chancellor has made the decision to scrap the two-child limit in full, a move that will be welcomed by Labour MPs who have long highlighted its effect on increasing child poverty.Freezing income tax thresholds for an extra two years to 2030, bringing more people into higher tax bands as wages rise.Making salary sacrifice schemes less generous, including those for pension contributions.A pay-per-mile scheme on electric cars to help fill the tax gap from petrol duty as more people opt for green vehicles.Bringing in higher tax on the most expensive properties, including a surcharge on the highest-value ho...

Politics

45 h. ago When police step back: The mental health decisions that are costing lives

The 'Right Care Right Person' scheme is aimed at reducing the amount of time police spend responding to mental health and welfare calls. But coroners have raised concerns about how it's being applied

Society

1 week ago Reeves' 'sums of anarchy' in 'most chaotic Budget ever': How you could still pay £750 more on £50,000 salary even without an income tax hike

The Treasury has made clear that income tax rates will not be increased on November 26, despite weeks of heavy hints about the first rise for 50 years.

Economics

1 week ago World still on track for catastrophic 2.6C temperature rise, report finds

Fossil fuel emissions have hit a record high while many nations have done too little to avert deadly global heatingThe world is still on track for a catastrophic 2.6C increase in temperature as countries have not made sufficiently strong climate pledges, while emissions from fossil fuels have hit a record high, two major reports have found.Despite their promises, governments’ new emission-cutting plans submitted for the Cop30 climate talks taking place in Brazil have done little to avert dangerous global heating for the fourth consecutive year, according to the Climate Action Tracker update. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago London pubs boss urges Reeves to spare struggling sector from more Budget punishment

Fuller’s boss said the pub chain faced an £8m increase in costs as a result of last year’s Budget

Economics

1 week ago 'We can't tax ourselves to victory': Fuller's boss pleads for Chancellor to spare pubs in Budget

Simon Emeny, executive chairman of Fuller's, said he was 'frustrated' by the lack of clarity and wants Reeves to avoid imposing 'further punitive financial measures' in this month's Autumn Budget .

Economics

1 week ago ‘There’s fire all around us, this is it’ – This is climate breakdown

Working with jaguars in Brazil’s Pantanal was a huge source of joy. But the wildfires are getting worse. This is Abbie’s storyLocation Pantanal, BrazilDisaster Wildfires, a number of yearsAbbie Martin splits her time between captaining a boat in the Virgin Islands and doing research in Brazil’s Pantanal, a region that includes the world’s largest tropical wetland and where she founded the Jaguar Identification Project. Fires in the Pantanal have reached new extremes, killing at least 17 million vertebrate animals and burning 27% of the vegetation cover in 2020. Climate breakdown made the Pantanal drier between 2001-21, increasing the occurrence of above-average fires in the region. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Jet2 boss urges Chancellor against raising travel tax ahead of Budget

Exclusive: ‘People want to be looked after, forget about daily life, and just relax,’ says CEO Steve Heapy

Economics

2 w. ago Budget tax hikes could see food prices soar, major supermarket boss warns

Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts says shoppers are being ‘cautious’ ahead of the announcement later this month

Economics

2 w. ago Sainsbury’s boss warns Budget tax hikes could send food prices higher

Chief executive Simon Roberts said the sector has already been hit with higher taxes and costs which have fuelled inflation.

Economics

3 w. ago Slash spending instead of hiking taxes, Kemi Badenoch says as she tears into Chancellor's 'waffle bomb' pre

Kemi Badenoch delivered a brutal response after Chancellor Rachel Reeves effectively confirmed she will increase the burden again at the Budget.

Economics

3 w. ago Ryanair boss warns of UK flights cuts and fare increases ahead of budget

Michael O'Leary hinted that airlines could move their operations to countries with lower business taxes

Events

3 w. ago Slash spending instead of hiking taxes, Kemi Badenoch says as she slams Chancellor's 'waffle bomb' pre

Kemi Badenoch delivered a brutal response after Chancellor Rachel Reeves effectively confirmed she will increase the burden again at the Budget.

Economics

3 w. ago 'Please don't hit us again': Cinema chain boss pleads with Chancellor ahead of Budget tax blizzard

Tim Richards, of Vue, warned of a 'difficult operating environment' as firms face grapple with high energy costs, the increase in the minimum wage and the Chancellor's national insurance tax raid.

Economics