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Can Starmer’s late-night World Cup openings help Britain’s struggling pubs?

UK Hospitality’s petition for VAT on hospitality [to be reduced from 20%](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jun/08/chefs-back-andy-burnham-vat-cut-hospitality) – far higher than most European countries – to 10%. Companies are battling the impact of a lacklustre economy, high business

Morrisons planning to close 100 stores in next few months

National Insurance contributions (NICs) and higher minimum wages. In addition, food and drink companies are now charged for the cost to councils of recycling the packaging of some products, under the government's Extended Producer

UK firms in ‘critical financial stress’ jump by a third as costs rise, report finds

impact of the Middle East conflict. Hospitality and leisure firms have been faring particularly badly because of shaky consumer confidence, and rising taxes and staff costs, according to research by the restructuring company Begbies Traynor

UK unemployment shows surprise fall to 4.9% as pay growth drops to lowest in five years

impact of the Iran war is expected to hurt the labour market in the coming months. The EY Item Club has forecast that unemployment [will hit 5.8% by the middle of 2027](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/apr/20/250000-could-lose-job-2027-uk-recession-analysis-economy-iran-war),

Amazon’s main UK arm handed £7.6m tax credit as profits soar to £355m

national insurance contributions, business rates and the UK digital services tax, [the latter of which it has passed on to third-party businesses and sellers that use its sites.](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/nov/23/uks-digital-services-tax-reaps-almost-360m-from-us-tech-giants-in-first-year) Amazon does

Next boss warns over ‘dramatic fall’ in UK entry-level jobs

impact on youth unemployment, saying the retailer now receives twice as many applicants for each role than two years ago. Lord Wolfson said the clothing and homeware chain, where he has been chief executive since

JD Wetherspoon issues third profit warning this year as costs climb

UK and Ireland. Investors had already been expecting a drop in pre-tax profit to £73m, compared with £81m last year. Pubs, restaurants and hotels have said [rising costs are making it harder to make

Next boss warns of 'dramatic' fall in entry-level jobs

UK. Lord Wolfson told the BBC that just two years ago, Next typically received 10 applicants for every job in its shops, but that number had since risen to 19. "That doubling of applicants

Australian military plane to join efforts to reopen strait of Hormuz, as Marles leaves door open to sending more assets

UK and France “about how else we can contribute” to the mission. The Wedgetail – which is accompanied by approximately 85 Australian defence force staff – had been [deployed to the United Arab Emirates in March

What is happening to UK prices?

impact of the US-Israel war with Iran, which has put up energy and fuel costs around the world. The Bank moves interest rates up and down to try to keep inflation on track