The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) has called on advisers to help voluntarily sign up their clients to the UK Goverment's new Making Tax Digital (MTD) system to avoid issues caused by automatic enrolment. So far, more than 436,000 sole traders and landlords have successfully s
Uk Government
Scotland generated a record £98.3 billion in revenue during 2025-26: an annual increase of £6.3 billion (6.9%), according to the Scottish Government. The revenue per person in Scotland at £17,718 was similar to the UK average of £17,720 in the same year, when revenue from the
Andy Burnham’s ‘missing’ economic advisers signals major risk for UK markets, warns deVere group CEO
Andy Burnham's absent economic advisers are a warning sign for UK investors, according to one of the world's largest independent financial advisory organisations.
London Market Group (LMG) has called on the UK Government to add a "ratcheting mechanism" to prevent complacency in the sector as part of the Financial Services and Markets Bill. The trade body proposed changing clause 17 of the draft bill, currently making its way through the House of Commons, in a
Andy Burnham has suffered a major blow after economic heavyweights who were advising him ahead of the Makerfield by-election decided against joining his government following disagreements over potential wealth taxes. Former Goldman Sachs executive Lord Jim O'Neill was reported to have been in discus
A new analysis from the Resolution Foundation has reignited debate over the future of the State Pension Triple Lock, arguing that the policy is too expensive, ineffective at tackling poverty, and unsustainable for the public finances. The briefing, published this week, notes that the State Pension i
The UK government has commissioned an independent review to examine the real-world impact of bank branch closures and determine whether legislative intervention is required to protect access to physical services. Led by Richard Lloyd OBE, the former Which? director and Financial Conduct Authority (F
The UK government has formalised an amendment to the Pension Schemes Bill, marking a shift in how retirement funds can access private markets. By backing down on previous restrictive language, ministers have ensured that the new legislation remains "wrapper agnostic", focusing on the quality an
Plans to end the way international gas prices push up electricity prices across the UK have taken a major step forward today.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is convening a summit with the heads of UK banks this Wednesday to address the economic fallout from the war in Iran. The Chancellor has invited executives from Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, NatWest, Santander UK and Nationwide to the meeting, which will include figures such as Na
The UK government has announced what it describes as "the strongest, most robust changes to payment laws in over a generation", with measures it says will be the toughest of any G7 nation. At the centre of the reforms is a substantial expansion of the Small Business Commissioner's powers, including
Alan Stewart examines the UK government's push for greater domestic steel use, arguing that while well-intentioned, the policy risks raising costs and constraining investment in steel-dependent sectors – particularly in Scotland. The UK government’s ambition to increase domestic steel us
Simplifying the tax system is the greatest boost the government could give entrepreneurs, according to ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants). In response to a HM Treasury consultation Tax support for entrepreneurs, ACCA says entrepreneurs and investors are put off investing in th
In a deliberate departure from the fiscal volatility of recent years, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to deliver a "boring" Spring Statement on 3 March. By stripping back the House of Commons address to a concise 20-minute update, the Chancellor is expected to provide a "stability dividend" for a bu
The Financial Conduct Authority faces an uncertain future following a government U-turn on plans to overhaul how auditors are policed. Despite an announcement in the King’s Speech in July 2024 that the current Labour government would advance the long-awaited audit reform and corporate governan
