Business & Economy

Published: 15 October 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Vets across the UK could soon be required to publish their prices and clearly disclose whether they are part of a larger corporate group following an investigation by the markets watchdog into concerns that chain-owned surgeries are reducing choice and driving up costs for pet owners. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) revealed that pet owners currently pay...

Published: 14 October 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Britain’s labour market is showing signs of stabilising after a sharp rise in job losses earlier this year, amid concerns over tax increases introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggest that the worst of the slowdown in hiring may be passing, although economists warn that the market remains fragile and...

Published: 14 October 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Tens of thousands of Vodafone customers across the United Kingdom were left disconnected on Monday afternoon as a major outage hit the company’s broadband and mobile services, disrupting both home internet and mobile communications in several major cities. The service problems began around 3 pm, with users flooding the outage tracking website Downdetector to report their experiences. Within...

Published: 13 October 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. A generational shift is underway in England and Wales’ buy-to-let market, with millennials now making up half of all new investors, according to a recent report. This marks a significant change in a sector traditionally dominated by older generations, despite the well-documented challenges younger adults face in entering the housing market. Analysis of Companies House data by estate...

Published: 12 October 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. UK travellers heading to popular European destinations such as Spain, Portugal, and Italy are being urged to brace themselves for lengthy queues after the introduction of a new EU border system this Sunday. Industry experts have warned that the changes could lead to waiting times of up to four hours, potentially costing the UK economy as much as...

Published: 10 October 2025 | The English Chronicle Desk | The English Chronicle Online Richard Tice, Reform UK’s deputy leader, has built a public image as a staunch critic of the UK’s net-zero carbon policies, branding them “net stupid zero” and describing renewable energy initiatives as costly and harmful. Yet, an examination of his 15-year business record reveals a long history of actively supporting sustainability and green energy initiatives through...

Published: 09 October 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Pubs, clubs, and restaurants across England and Wales could soon be allowed to stay open into the early hours as part of Labour’s ambitious drive to stimulate economic growth, a move that has drawn both support and sharp criticism. Ministers are advocating for extended alcohol licensing hours as a means to boost “the British night out” and provide...

Published: 09 October 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Millions of households in England are set to face bigger-than-expected increases in water bills after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) approved rises for five major suppliers, while rejecting the bulk of their original requests. The CMA-appointed independent expert panel allowed Anglian, Northumbrian, Southern, Wessex, and South East Water to charge customers an additional £556 million over the...

Published: 09 October 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The UK government is preparing to increase the amount the NHS pays for medicines by up to 25% following weeks of intensive negotiations with pharmaceutical companies and the Donald Trump administration. The move aims to resolve a prolonged standoff over drug pricing, which has been cited as a factor in recent investment pauses by major pharma firms, including...

Published: 08 October 2025. The English Chronicle Online. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has received an unexpected reprieve ahead of her November budget following the discovery of a £3 billion overstatement in government borrowing, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced on Wednesday. The revision, stemming from errors in VAT receipts data, provides the chancellor with a modest boost in fiscal flexibility as she prepares to outline tax and spending measures. According...