News

The government has announced an over 40% increase in charge point grant amounts that will mean businesses, landlords and renters could save up to £500 on installing an electric vehicle (EV) charge point. Previously, the grant provided a discount of £350.

During a week dominated by news of the Middle East conflict, on 3 March 2026, Chancellor Rachel Reeves presented the Spring Forecast to Parliament. The Chancellor told MPs she had “restored economic stability” as she presented the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR’s) economic forecasts.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has said that doing business in the UK is too uncertain and expensive, and more stability in the tax system is needed. Their comments were in response to the government’s call for evidence on how the tax system can better support entrepreneurs.

Unregulated Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) agreements will fall under full FCA regulation from 15 July 2026. For the first time, BNPL lenders will need to meet the same expectations as other consumer-credit providers. With almost 11 million UK adults using BNPL in 2024, according to an FCA survey, this is a significant change.

The government has published the draft secondary legislation for the UK’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which is due to go live on 1 January 2027. This is an important development for UK businesses importing affected materials.

The Spring Statement will be delivered in Parliament on 3 March, giving an update on the state of the UK economy and the government’s financial outlook.

A new website has been launched by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) offering practical guidance and support on the changes that the Employment Rights Act will introduce and what they can do to get ready.

A leading think tank has criticised the fiscal rules that the Chancellor uses to determine the government’s tax and spending plans. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has suggested that reducing complex finances to a pass‑or‑fail number misses the bigger picture.