Category: Business News

Losing a job can be a very challenging and stressful experience. However, if your employer has become insolvent and cannot pay you money that you are owed this adds even further to your stress. If you are in this situation, the latest Annual Report from the Insolvency Service highlights some important information about the support available that may be available to you through the Redundancy Payments Service (RPS).

The new Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 will come into force on 26 October 2024. This Act will bring in a new positive legal obligation on employers for them to take reasonable steps to protect their workers from sexual harassment. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has powers to take enforcement action where an employer fails to meet its duties under the act.

Last week King Charles delivered the King’s Speech. This is a speech traditionally delivered at the State Opening of Parliament and it sets out the government’s plans and priorities for the coming year. The Speech outlines the legislation that ministers of the new government aim to pass and while it’s delivered by the King, it’s actually drafted by the government of the day.

The Office of National Statistics has released the latest inflation figures for June, and the good news is that the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) has stayed at 2.0%. The largest upward contribution to inflation came from restaurants and hotels, where hotel prices in particular have increased on a year ago. Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in the UK may have been a factor in this.

The London Borough of Hackney (LBoH) has been reprimanded by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) following a cyber attack made on them in October 2020. The breach, which saw hackers access and encrypt 440,000 files, disrupted services for months and exposed sensitive data. LBoH acknowledged that the attack “posed a meaningful risk of harm” to 230 data subjects.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) have refreshed their guidance on shopping and paying safely online. Whether for our business or personally, online shopping is now a normal feature of our daily routine. What tips do NCSC provide that can help us stay safe?

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) have been celebrating the first patent application being filed on its new fully digital ‘One IPO’ patents service. This is part of an effort to provide a more streamlined and efficient service. The IPO are also making use of a new AI-powered patent allocation tool which means that a patent application should now reach the right team within a matter of seconds, instead of the previous 14 days.

Dealing with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) can sometimes be challenging. Long wait times when phoning for help, incorrect refund amounts, errors in tax codes and other issues can cause frustration. In recent months and years the decline in service standard from HMRC has been notable, but did you know that it is possible to complain about HMRC and even receive compensation?