UK rate of inflation fell sharply in April

The UK rate of inflation fell to 8.7% in April from 10.1% in March, according to the latest data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). The fall has been attributed to energy price rises slowing from their hikes in 2022. The rate at which grocery prices rose slowed marginally in the year to April,… Read more…

Editors Choice Award – CEO insights

We are delighted to announce that Dr. Anjulika Salhan has been selected to receive the Editor’s Choice award from CEO Insights (visit them at https://www.ceoinsightsindia.com). This award recognizes outstanding leaders who have demonstrated innovation and excellence across several key parameters while delivering high levels of customer satisfaction. It is an annual distinction that showcases the… Read more…

The Pros and Cons of Providing Company Cars

Many businesses choose to provide company vehicles to their employees. This is especially true for those with mobile workers, for example managers who need to travel between clients. Companies who provide vehicles do so as a perk, usually in a package of employee benefits. Whilst there are advantages to providing company vehicles, for both the… Read more…

Latest guidance for employers

HMRC has published the latest issue of the Employer Bulletin. The April issue has information on various topics, including: Please contact us for help with tax matters. Internet link: Employer Bulletin

Workers must be protected from decisions made by AI, TUC says

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has stated that UK employees must be protected from workplace decisions made by artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The TUC warned that, in some instances, AI technology is making ‘life-changing’ decisions, including those in relation to line managing, hiring and firing. AI systems are being used to analyse the facial expressions… Read more…

£177.6 million lost to impersonation scams in 2022

£177.6 million was lost to impersonation scams in 2022, data published by trade association UK Finance has revealed. The data showed that there were 45,367 cases of impersonation scams in 2022. It also revealed that just 51% of individuals always check whether a request for personal data or money is legitimate. Just 38% of 18–34-year-olds… Read more…

No sign of hiring difficulties easing, says BCC

Businesses are still facing major difficulties in hiring new staff, according to a survey conducted by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). The latest Quarterly Recruitment Outlook (QRO), a survey of more than 5,000 UK firms, found that 80% of those attempting to recruit have faced challenges. While recruitment difficulties are being experienced across the… Read more…

PAC criticises government for billions lost to error and fraud

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has criticised the government for losing billions of taxpayers’ money to fraud and error in pandemic support. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is ‘effectively writing off’ nearly £1 billion paid out erroneously by local authorities on its behalf in pandemic support. Meanwhile, of an estimated £2.2 billion lost to fraud… Read more…