The Chancellor Rachel Reeves met recently with major financial firms at Canary Wharf, encouraging them to invest in emerging markets to boost Britain’s economy.
A key initiative launched at the meeting was the “London Coalition on Sustainable Sovereign Debt,” which aims to improve debt financing in developing countries by bringing together private sector and government stakeholders.
This Coalition is expected to strengthen trade ties, promote economic growth and position London as a global leader in development finance.
As a result of this initiative there may be new opportunities for British businesses, particularly in areas such as financial services.
See: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-backs-britains-financial-services-to-drive-development-and-kickstart-economic-growth
Official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the unemployment rate in the three months to March 2026 has risen to 5% from 4.9%.
Originally proposed in last autumn’s Budget, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) have introduced a targeted advance assurance service for Research and Development (R&D) tax relief claims. The service, which is a pilot, aims to provide businesses with clarity on complex or high-risk areas before they make a claim.