Latest news and industry insights

A new website has been launched by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) offering practical guidance and support on the changes that the Employment Rights Act will introduce and what they can do to get ready.

A leading think tank has criticised the fiscal rules that the Chancellor uses to determine the government’s tax and spending plans. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has suggested that reducing complex finances to a pass‑or‑fail number misses the bigger picture.

With just a few weeks to go until the beginning of a new tax year, a new round of tax changes take effect from April 2026. While many people won’t see a big difference in their day-to-day tax position, there are some areas worth having on the radar.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced a set of proposed commitments from Apple and Google that could make it easier for UK businesses that rely on app stores to reach their customers.

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) has launched a new weekly podcast series, ‘DBS discussions: Safeguarding in Focus,’ aimed at employers, HR teams and anyone working in safeguarding.

HM Revenue & Customs has started using GOV.UK One Login for taxpayers signing up to its digital services for the first time.

HMRC has estimated that around a million people missed the 31 January 2026 Self Assessment tax return filing deadline.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced a set of proposed measures aimed at increasing fairness, transparency and choice for businesses and consumers using Google’s search services in the UK.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published its latest monitoring report on fuel prices, highlighting increases in both pump prices and retailer margins.

The government has announced its plan to introduce a new digital ID scheme, which will become the standard way to complete Right to Work checks by the end of the current Parliament.

Amazon is set to close all 19 of its UK Amazon Fresh grocery stores less than five years after launching the till-free sites in London. Five of the stores may be converted into Whole Foods outlets, another grocery brand owned by Amazon.

Cyber incidents continue to feature in the news headlines, with airports now joining large UK retailers and manufacturers in experiencing serious disruption to supply chains and services.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, hosted US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at Downing Street recently for a joint industry roundtable. The meeting reaffirmed the close ties between London and New York as leading global financial centres and announced the creation of a new Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported last week that the annual inflation rate for August 2025 was 3.8%, unchanged from July.

From April, people drawing the state pension may see an increase of more than £500 a year, thanks to the government’s triple lock guarantee. The policy means the pension rises each year by whichever is higher: 2.5%, inflation, or average wage growth.

Small businesses looking to expand premises could soon find it easier following new government commitments to make business rates fairer. An interim report from the Treasury says that the Chancellor will examine ways to tackle “cliff edges” in the system - sudden jumps in rates that can discourage investment.