Business news 8 September 2025
Unions call for workers’ rights commitment. Job seekers surge as hiring stalls. Pay growth hits four-year low. Retail, house prices, tax, market news, insolvencies & other stories that we thought would interest our members.
James Salmon, Operations Director.
🏢Unions call for workers’ rights commitment
Unions are urging the Government not to water down the Employment Rights Bill. They are worried, that the reshuffle that has seen ministers who spearheaded calls for enhanced workers’ rights leave their positions. Unions have voiced concern after Angela Rayner resigned as Deputy Prime Minister and Justin Madders was removed as Employment Rights Minister. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said that removing ministers who have worked with unions n the Bill “signals a move in the wrong direction”. Paul Nowak, general secretary of the TUC, said that while the Conservatives and Lib Dems “are desperately trying to water this Bill down,” Labour must stand firm and deliver legislation that will “level the playing field.” TUC analysis shows that 4m people in the UK are in insecure work. Including those on zero-hours contracts, agency workers and low-paid self-employed workers who miss out on key rights and protections. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), meanwhile, says the Government reshuffle presents an opportunity to “fix the issues” with the Bill. It noted that 92% of employers it polled said they were worried about the legislation. The FSB said firms are “overwhelmed by the changes that are coming.”
👩🏻💼Job seekers surge as hiring stalls
The number of jobseekers in the UK is rising at its fastest rate since November 2020, according to a report by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG.The surge comes as firms face economic challenges, including weak economic growth, rising unemployment and higher inflation. It is noted that businesses have come under pressure from increases in employer National Insurance contributions and the minimum wage. Jon Holt, chief executive and senior partner at KPMG in the UK, said: “It’s unlikely we’ll see a significant shift in recruitment patterns in the near term as businesses evaluate their investment strategies in response to policy commitments and the rapid pace of change brought by AI and new technologies.” Neil Carberry, chief executive of the REC, commented: “All eyes are now on the Autumn Budget, in hope that the Chancellor won’t do any further damage to the labour market with costs on hiring.” He added: “For the economy to thrive, the Budget must recognise the need for investment in people.”
💷Pay growth hits four-year low
Pay growth in the UK has fallen to its lowest level in nearly four years, according to Incomes Data Research, dropping from 3.4% to 3% in the three months to July. This marks the slowest pace since December 2021 and the decline is attributed to an increase in worker availability and a slowdown in hiring. The report indicates that higher-paid sectors experienced the most significant reductions in wage growth. The wage settlement data covers pay awards at large employers covering more than 680,000 workers, with these mainly in the private sector.
🛍️Retail sales climb in July
Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows that retail sales volumes were up 0.6% month-on-month in July. On a year-by-year basis, sales were up 1.1%. The ONS figures also show that the quantity of goods bought in the three months to July was down 0.6% compared with the previous three months. With the ONS saying sales in July were boosted by hot weather and the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 tournament, Paul Dales from Capital Economics warned that the boosts from the weather and the football were both factors that “won’t be repeated.” Matt Swannell, chief economic adviser to the EY Item Club, said that while households “seem likely to shed some of the significant caution that has characterised the past couple of years,” issues such as softer earnings growth, higher inflation, and tighter fiscal policy “point to much weaker real income growth moving forward.”
🪖Defence strategy will boost local growth
The Government is set to unveil a new Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) that will support local economic growth. Ministers say the strategy, which will be backed by £250m in funding, will deliver new opportunities such as highly skilled engineering positions and apprenticeships. Officials say up to 50,000 new defence jobs could be created by 2035, while Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the plan would “unleash the power of local economies while securing our country.” The £250m fund will be used in collaboration between local authorities, businesses, academic institutions and the defence sector. The first Defence Growth deals will be in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Yorkshire and Plymouth.
🧑🏻🦱Firms on first name terms
Analysis by the Sunday Telegraph shows that 40% of consumer firms now address customers using only their first names, while more than a third of firms write ‘Hello’ rather than ‘Dear’ to their customers. Several companies say they change how they address customers depending on the tone or purpose of the letter. Martyn James, a consumer rights expert, said the changes reflect a new, informal email culture.
🚆London Chaos
Londoners face severe travel disruption as a strike by workers on the city’s underground network entered full force on Monday. The capital’s Tube lines were mostly suspended due to the industrial action by engineering, station and train workers that is expected to cause chaos for commuters most of this week.
📈Markets
📈On Friday the FTSE 100 closed down 0.09% at 9208.21 and the Euro Stoxx 50 closed down 0.53% at 5318.15. Over in the US the S&P 500 fell 0.32% to 6481.50 and the Composite NASDAQ fell 0.03% to 21700.39.
The main driver? Weak US payrolls which came in at just 22k for August suggested US employers were becoming more cautious on hiring. This follows revised data showing the US lost 13,000 jobs in June 2025 the first monthly loss since December 2020. The unemployment rate moved up to 4.3% its highest level since 2021.
The US has lowered tariffs on Japanese automobile sector to 15% from 27.5% after Japan agreed to invest US$550bn in US infrastructure projects.
💱This morning on currencies, the pound is currently worth $1.351 and €1.071.
On Commodities, 🛢️Oil (Brent) is at $66.85 & 💰Gold is at $3620. Gold jumped in response to the weak US payrolls. The view is that lower US federal funds rate was on the cards for September 2025.
OPEC+ said they would increase oil production by 137,000 barrels per day in October.
📈On the stock markets, the FTSE 100 is currently up 0.16% at 9222.37. And the Eurostoxx 50 is up 0.58% at 5347.85.
💷Speculators make £2bn bet against sterling
Traders are betting on a fall in sterling’s value ahead of the Chancellor’s Budget in November, with data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission showing that there were over 33,000 net bets against sterling, with these worth £2bn. This marks a reversal of a positive trend that had been seen earlier in the year. Jane Foley, head of foreign exchange strategy at investment bank Rabobank, said: “Negative bets on sterling indicate that speculators are betting that the UK’s fiscal woes will be the dominant factor for the pound in the months ahead.” Bets against sterling come ahead of the Budget where Rachel Reeves is expected to increase taxes. Some analysts are calling for the Treasury to pull back on spending, with Sanjay Raja, UK economist at Deutsche Bank, saying: “Put simply, the Government has pushed through nearly nine times more in taxation hikes than spending cuts.”
🚗Tesla
Tesla has proposed a historic compensation plan for its CEO Elon Musk. It could be worth approximately $1 trillion if he meets performance targets over the next decade. The package will be voted on by shareholders in November. It includes 12 tranches of stock awards Musk will receive only if Tesla hits extraordinary milestones.
🏘️House prices hit record high
House prices in the UK have reached a record high, according to Halifax, hitting an average of £299,331. Property prices were up by 0.3% month-on-month in August, marking the third consecutive month of increases. On an annual basis, prices were up 2.2% on August 2024. Amanda Bryden, head of mortgages at Halifax, said: “The story of the housing market in 2025 has been one of stability.” She noted that since January, prices have risen by less than £600, “underlining how steady the market has been despite wider economic pressures.”
📒Tax raid on partnerships could raise £2bn
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly considering a plan to impose National Insurance (NI) on partnerships, potentially raising nearly £2bn annually. This plan, presented by the Centre for the Analysis of Taxation (Centax), could have an impact on 190,000 professionals, including GPs, lawyers and solicitors, accountants and financial advisers. The report suggests that 98% of the revenue would come from the top 10% of earners. CenTax described the fact that companies pay NI while partnerships do not as “a particularly conspicuous anomaly” in the tax system, adding: “Partnerships face significantly lower effective tax rates on their labour costs than companies, for no good reason.” The report argues: “The tax privilege offered to partnerships results in economic distortions that are bad for productivity and growth.”
⚖️Archaic system ‘ripe for reform’
Highlighting that Angela Rayner had to resign as Deputy Prime Minister due to a stamp duty error, Johanna Noble in the Sunday Times says this illustrates the complexities of the UK tax system. With more than 100 taxes to contend with and 240 policy changes rolled out between 2022 and 2024, she suggests that mistakes are increasingly common. Ms Noble argues that taxpayers should not have to rely on specialist tax advice as they look to navigate a system that is “complex, archaic and ripe for reform.”
🧮MPs call for urgent audit reform
Sixty-six MPs and Lords have called on the Government to prioritise the Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill. They are urging ministers to “act now, bring forward this long-overdue legislation, and prioritise its passage through Parliament.” The Bill would see the Financial Reporting Council reformed into a new regulator. It would grant greater powers to investigate and sanction company directors for serious failures in their financial reporting and audit responsibilities. The Bill, which would also extend Public Interest Entity status to the largest private companies, was shelved by the previous government in November 2023 but brought back into focus in the King’s Speech in July 2024. In a letter to the Prime Minister co-ordinated by the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors, the cross-party group of MPs and Lords say the “case for reform is now more pressing than ever.” They warned that it is “deeply concerning” that no legislation has been brought forward, “despite multiple independent reviews, a Government White Paper, and extensive public consultation.”
🏬WHSmith accounting issues deepen
Research shows that retailer WHSmith is relying heavily on promotional income from suppliers to hit sales targets. Experts say it appears this income was booked too early, leading to an overstatement of profits. Deloitte is currently investigating an issue that saw WHSmith warn that profits from its North American operations would be £30m less than expected, coming it at about £25m. WHSmith said this was down to the “accelerated recognition of supplier income” in its US unit.
🚨Latest Insolvencies
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – MERCER HOUSE CONSULTANTS LIMITED
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – LOCHSIDE CLUB LTD
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – ENTERPRISE NI CONTRACTS LTD
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – LA GARRIGUE EDINBURGH LTD
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – ROCKLAND SOLUTIONS LTD
Appointment of Liquidators – NORTH SOUTH MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – STS COMMERCIAL LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – BUKHARIS LTD
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – DESERT OCEAN LIMITED
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – AVIV RIVERVIEW LTD
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – SEE NO EVIL LTD
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – BERMONDSEY GIN LIMITED
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – THE PRO GROUP OF COMPANIES LTD
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – A PLUS A CIVILS AND GROUNDWORKS LIMITED
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – HYDE AND CO LEISURE LTD
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – AKIRA STORE LTD
Appointment of Administrator – VENATOR MATERIALS PLC
Appointment of Administrator – VENATOR MATERIALS INTERNATIONAL UK LIMITED
Appointment of Administrator – VENATOR INVESTMENTS UK LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – ROBINSON PUBLICATIONS LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – MOORSTONE HOUSING LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – TAI MON PROPERTIES LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – WU FENG 88 LTD
Appointment of Liquidators – DREAM GAMES HOLDINGS LTD
Appointment of Liquidators – KEVIN OXBURY CONSULTING LTD
Appointment of Administrator – BRISTOL TELEVISION FILM SERVICES LIMITED
Appointment of Administrator – SCOTT & MEARS CREDIT SERVICES LIMITED
Appointment of Administrator – CMG LEISURE LIMITED
Appointment of Administrator – CRICHTON MANUFACTURING LIMITED
Appointment of Administrator – POWERTRAIN WARWICK LTD
Appointment of Administrator – TSTS WHOLESALE LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – PICK&GO LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – RELIABLE CONSTRUCTION LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – PLANIT DESIGN (NORTH EAST) LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – WADHWANI CAPITAL LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – HAMILTON’S CONTRACTS LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – PGIM WADHWANI LLP
Appointment of Liquidators – ALINVESCO LIMITED
Winding up Order (Companies) – MORGCAMBELLS LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – NORFOLK FLINT LIMITED
➕Why you should become a member of CPA!
The Credit Protection Association (CPA) has been assisting thousands of UK businesses to get paid, since 1914. We have supported our members through all sorts of difficult trading environments. we face high interest rates, a struggling economy and elevated insolvencies. CPA’s services can help your business navigate these difficult waters.
We are unlike other credit management and debt collection companies. We offer a range of services to our members. They are all included as part of a fixed annual subscription, tailored to your needs.
🎁What CPA membership gives you
Under your annual subscription you will have access to our main services:
- Our Creditcare credit reports give clear credit ratings and credit limits. Along with a host of detailed information on your potential customers. Our Creditcare reports empower you to trade with confidence.
- Our monitoring service will alert you to any significant changes in the status of those customers.
- ️Our Overdue account recovery service can be used to chase up payment on any late payments. But it is unlike other debt collection companies. This service directs your customer to pay direct to you. Having to pay a third party can be damaging. Encouraging them to pay you direct is different. It maintains your goodwill with them. Its effective too. Our Overdue account recovery service resolves over 80% of accounts referred to us.
All of the above services and other complimentary services (e.g. address verification), are included in your subscription!
And what of the small minority of debts not resolved through our Overdue account recovery service? You can refer the debt to our collections department to escalate the late payment collections process.
Summary
CPA eases cash from tardy debtors – Efficiently, Effectively, Economically and Ethically. We provide credit information so you can monitor and assess your key customers and be warned of any potential risks.
How has CPA has been improving business cash flow for over 100 years? By tackling late payers and campaigning against the late payment culture in the UK.
We are unlike other credit management companies. We offer our members a fixed annual subscription regardless of how high the value of their debts maybe!
Many businesses resort to borrowing more money to improve cashflow. CPA suggests that business owners tackle the cashflow problem at its source. Are late payments are a strain on your cashflow? Then talk to CPA about how we can help you reduce those late payments.
Just ☎️ call Peter Uwins, CPA’s National Sales Manager, on 020 8846 0000 (business hours) or 💻 email nsm@cpa.co.uk today.
When you see your money come in, you will be so glad you used CPA.
️ The Credit Protection Association – Prompting Punctual Payments – Ethical, Effective, Efficient, Economical collections
Do you have a commercial late payer that is causing you grief?
Use CPA’s no-win, no-fee, commercial debt recovery service!
Do you have a particular business customer who is late paying and causing you sleepless nights? Why not ask CPA’s collection department to buy it on recourse?
CPA’s collection department will then pursue the debt. We will be liable for any costs incurred. When we have recovered the debt, we will pay you the net principle debt recovered less our fixed percentage.
Our hope
We hope that once you have enjoyed success you will want to try more. You might consider becoming members. Taking out a subscription is the most cost effective way to access our services. Membership includes our Overdue Account Recovery service. But also our Creditcare reports and a range of other complimentary services.
Just call ☎️ 020 8846 0000 and ask for Godfrey Nelson or Cris Shirley (business hours) or 💻email debtpurchase@cpa.co.uk today.
️ The Credit Protection Association – Prompting Punctual Payments – Ethical, Effective, Efficient, Economical collections.
Get compensated for past late payments
Have you been paid late by business customers in the last six years?
Maybe you no longer work with them. Under ⚖️ legislation, you are entitled to compensation you for those late payments you have suffered.
You put up with the PAIN ⚡ – now claim the GAIN! 💰
Claim late payment compensation (LPC) from former business customers who paid you late in the last six years!
CPA (LPC) Recoveries is using our bespoke software and decades of experience to do just that for our clients
Check our compensation calculator to see how much your business could be owed!
Discover NOW the potential value of late payment compensation hidden in your sales ledger!
️ The Credit Protection Association – Prompting Punctual Payments – Ethical, Effective, Efficient, Economical collections.