National Insurance
This coverage explores the impact of National Insurance policies and changes on the UK retail sector, focusing on employer contributions, payroll costs, regulatory compliance, and workforce planning. Reporting highlights how retailers adjust strategies to manage costs and meet obligations — providing insight for executives, managers, and HR professionals overseeing financial and operational planning.
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Dec- 2025 -8 DecemberSupermarkets
Iceland boss to be appointed Labour peer
Iceland chairman Richard Walker is set to be appointed to the House of Lords as a Labour peer, according to reports from the BBC. Walker left the Conservative Party in 2023, and was later seen at the launch of Labour’s manifesto for the 2024 general election. Labour party sources told…
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Nov- 2025 -26 NovemberEconomy
BUDGET: Income tax bands frozen, minimum wage to increase, NI-exempt pension threshold scrapped
Income tax and NI thresholds will be frozen while the minimum wage will rise by 50p from April 2026, the chancellor Rachel Reeves said in her Autumn Budget statement today. Reeves announced a series of tax changes in other areas, including salary-sacrificed NI contributions on pensions, as part of measures to…
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25 NovemberElectrical
AO World revenues and profits climb amid stronger membership uptake
AO World has reported revenues of £586m, up 14% year-on-year, with business-to-consumer retail sales rising 12% to £423m for six months ended 30 September. The group stated that growth was supported by rising market share and continued take-up of its Five Star membership programme. Profit before tax also increased to…
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Oct- 2025 -28 OctoberHigh Street
Rates hike threatens 500 big high street outlets, trade bodies warn
UKHospitality and the British Retail Consortium (BRC) have called on the government to exempt hospitality and retail outlets from a proposed business rates surcharge that would apply to 5,000 high street properties with a rateable value above £500,000. The trade bodies warned that around 500 premises could be at risk…
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28 OctoberEconomy
Shop price inflation slows to 1% in October amid retailer discounting
Shop price inflation eased to 1.0% year on year in October, down from 1.4% in September, as competition led to widespread discounting, according to the latest British Retail Consortium (BRC) figures. The rate was marginally below the three-month average of 1.1%. It comes as Non-food prices fell by 0.4% year…
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27 OctoberSupermarkets
Supermarkets urge chancellor to drop new rates surtax
Nine of Britain’s biggest supermarket chains have called on chancellor Rachel Reeves to exclude large retail stores from the government’s proposed business rates surtax, warning it would add pressure to food prices. The letter, organised by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), was signed by the heads of Aldi, Asda, Iceland,…
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23 OctoberHigh Street
Shoezone FY profits fall to £2.4m amid slowdown in demand
Shoezone has reported that its adjusted profits before tax are expected to be about £2.4m for the 52-week period to 27 September, down from £10m a year earlier but in line with management expectations. It comes as the footwear retailer’s revenues fell 7.6% to £149.1m from £161.3m in 2024, which…
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22 OctoberHigh Street
Halfords half year LFL sales jump 4.1%
Halfords has revealed that its like-for-like group sales rose 4.1% for the half year ended 26 September 2025. Alongside this, the company saw its retail sales grow 4% LFL while its autocentres sales grew 4.3% LFL. As a result of this positive momentum the company revealed that its full year…
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21 OctoberSupermarkets
M&S chief urges chancellor to reconsider tax policy ahead of Budget
Marks and Spencer chief executive Stuart Machin has urged chancellor Rachel Reeves to “change course” on economic policy ahead of next month’s Budget, warning that persistent tax rises risk trapping the UK in a “doom loop” of weak growth. Writing in The Times, Machin described the government’s fiscal approach as…
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13 OctoberSupermarkets
M&S calls on gov to tackle youth unemployment
Marks and Spencer (M&S) has urged the government to work more closely with businesses to help reduce youth unemployment, whilst calling for National Insurance relief for employers who hire long-term unemployed or disadvantaged young people. M&S has also renewed calls for reform of the Apprenticeship Levy to allow companies greater…
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