The Department for Work and Pensions has announced a call for evidence to explore reforming the fit note process to support those with long term health conditions to access timely work and health support

The EU Commission has proposed to the EU Council to enter into negotiations with the UK on an agreement to facilitate #youthmobility . The Commission proposes that an agreement would make it easier for young EU and UK citizens to study, work and live in the UK and the EU

Just over a fortnight before new checks on EU imports are due to begin, the Government has said they will not be implemented yet due to the potential for significant disruption

Rishi Sunak has vowed to end Britain’s “sick-note culture”. Over-medicalising common anxieties is driving a rise in the number of people off work with mental health problems. GPs face being stripped of the right to issue sick notes.

Home Office is inviting those with physical immigration documents (including biometric residence permits (BRPs)) to create a UKVI account to obtain an eVisa, ie digital proof of their immigration status. Invites issued in phases - will open to all BRP holders in Summer 2024

Record numbers of people are starting new businesses, and more and more of them are women and minorities, according to a new study.

Superdry has announced a radical three-year restructuring plan that includes leaving the London Stock Exchange and seeking rent reductions for its stores. The company expects the restructuring to result in rent reductions in 39 of its 94 UK sites.

Two visa routes introduced by the Government to attract highly skilled workers after Brexit, the High Potential Individual visa and Global Talent visa, accounted for less than 2% of the total work visas issued in 2023, according to analysis of Home Office statistics.

A study by recruitment firm Indeed Flex shows that one in three businesses are understaffed at least once a week due to a lack of available employees. The research revealed that frequent employee sickness is a major issue for companies experiencing staff shortages.

Wealthy non-doms are considering leaving the UK due to plans to abolish the regime. It allows them to avoid paying tax on their overseas income. Jeremy Hunt says the regime will end in April 2025. New arrivals will only be able to avoid tax for the first 4 years of living in UK

Barclays is the most complained about bank for small business account closures, accounting for almost half of the complaints lodged to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Of the 413 complaints, 205 were about Barclays followed by HSBC with 67, Lloyds 57, NatWest 53, and Santander 31

More than one in ten British company directors are now past the state pension age of 67, according to private wealth law firm TWM Solicitors. The analysis shows that more than 100,000 are over 80 and 11,000 are aged 90 or older

Just back from a five-day break in Istanbul and ready for a new chapter in my life. I left the Daily Express on Friday after 20 years as royal corr to freelance, specialising in royal news, feature writing, broadcast commentary, and podcasting. Open to DMs to discuss work.

Employees in the UK now have the legal right to request flexible working from the day they enter a new job. Previously, the right was only applicable if someone had worked for their employer for 26 weeks or more

The London Stock Exchange has fallen behind its European counterparts as new listings surge on the Continent. In the first quarter, there were €4.5bn of new listings, with London contributing just €300m. The German, Swiss, and Greek stock exchanges outpaced London's

More complaints about financial firms are expected according to the Financial Ombudsman Service. The estimate for new cases in the financial year 2024/25 has been increased to 210,000, due to factors such as unaffordable lending, credit card complaints, and fraud and scams.

More homes were put up for sale on Thursday last week than on any other day this year, marking the 3rd busiest day for new listings since 2020 according to Rightmove. The surge in listings is attributed to estate agents trying to attract potential buyers over the Easter weekend

Data from the London Stock Exchange Group shows that the UK is now the second most targeted nation for mergers and acquisitions, behind only the US. Deals in the UK have hit $76.1bn so far in 2024, marking an 88% increase on the same period in 2023

There's lots changing this month:

📈 National Living Wage increased to £11.44
👶 15-hours free childcare for over 2-year-olds
💷 National Insurance cuts for workers
⚡ Energy bills are down

The registration threshold for compulsory VAT registration for companies was raised from £85,000 to £90,000 on Monday. It will benefit 28,000 companies