Business Update – 17 August 2022

Business Update – 17 August 2022

Newspaper

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward.

Interesting ideas on the table to curb heating costs

With energy bills soaring, the parties hoping to put a PM in office are proposing some radically different ideas to help us keep the heat on this winter. The Financial Times has created a summary of the ideas which can be found here.

Global oil prices drop as Chinese economy shows signs of slowing down

Concerns over weaker growth in the Chinese economy caused by repeated Covid lockdowns and a downturn in the property sector have caused oil prices to drop to their lowest levels since the invasion of Ukraine.

High energy bills threaten beloved businesses

With energy bills continuing to climb, many fear the cost will be too great for hundreds of local pubs and restaurants to bear.

Workers are staying home more often than going into the office

A new survey shows that many more people are going into the office at least some of the time, as opposed to never, as was the case at the height of the pandemic. However, average office attendance is now only 1.5 days per week.

Four-day work week pilot in jeopardy

While some employers participating in the large-scale pilot project have reported benefits, many are saying that they aren’t sure they’ll continue with the scheme in December once the experiment ends.

Schools in crisis talks to try to plan for upcoming school year

With teachers set for a pay rise in the fall and skyrocketing energy costs, school governors across the country are meeting to try to come up with the least disruptive plan to successfully run school this year.

Relief potentially coming to reduce broadband and phone bills

This week, ministers are set to launch a new scheme which would see struggling Brits get their broadband and phone bills slashed. It would allow internet companies the ability to see if their customers are entitled to cheaper deals.

Overall service quality revealed in bank survey

A new survey has revealed the best and worst banks in the UK, with challenger banks beating out high street for the most part.

50-year mortgage term plan approved

New mortgage lender Perenna has been granted a licence by UK financial regulators to offer mortgages with fixed rates of up to 50 years. The move is aimed at helping borrowers manage soaring inflation.

Import taxes to be cut on goods coming from poor countries

The UK will cut import taxes on hundreds more products from some of the world’s poorest countries to boost trade links under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme. Starting in January, the new rule builds on a scheme the UK was first part of while a member of the European Union.

Get in touch

Contact us if you have any questions or want to discuss the next steps for your business.

Recent Posts

Autumn Statement 2023: takeaways

Autumn Statement 2023: takeaways

In the Autumn Statement 2023, the UK government revealed an array of measures designed to stimulate

Read More
Business Update – 18 October 2023

Business Update – 18 October 2023

Welcome to our Weekly Digest – stay in the know with some recent news updates relevant to business

Read More
Validate your new business idea with market research

Validate your new business idea with market research

Assessing the viability of your new idea is an essential part of market research. While seeking inpu

Read More

Partners

Subscribe to our newsletter

Enter your details to receive regular news and updates from the team