Imported coronavirus variants are unlikely to set lockdown easing back to “square one” because immunity from vaccines “won’t just disappear”, according to a key figure on the UK’s immunisation committee.
The economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic is starting to be reflected in the levels of people and businesses going financially insolvent, according to industry experts.
The UK economy rebounded slightly in February amid the third lockdown but was still almost 8% lower than before the pandemic, according to official figures.
Firms are being urged not to “drop their guard” on safety as more people return to work on Monday amid hopes of a rebound in business activity as the lockdown continues to ease.
Scotland’s economy grew last month for the first time since September although economic activity lags behind most parts of the United Kingdom, new figures suggest.
The UK’s services sector rebounded back into growth during March at the fastest rate in seven months, following four months of contraction, according to new data.
The UK’s services sector rebounded back into growth during March at the fastest rate in seven months, following four months of contraction, according to new data.
Hospitality and retail bosses have warned that the use of vaccine passports or certification for customers entering venues could face “legal concerns” and create enforcement problems for businesses.
The UK economy suffered a steeper contraction during the first coronavirus lockdown but bounced back more strongly than previously thought at the end of 2020, according to official figures.
Confidence among businesses in Scotland is at its highest since the coronavirus pandemic began but one fifth of companies are still expecting to cut jobs, according to a financial report.
Scotland’s economic recovery in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic over the next two years could outpace the UK average, a forecast from KPMG has suggested.
Retail sales volumes recovered slightly in February but not enough to offset heavy falls a month earlier, new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has suggested.
Confidence has been expressed that businesses will be able to cope with further checks set to come in to force as part of the post-Brexit arrangements.
The UK economy showed strong signs of growth in March, hitting a seven-month high, as the optimism over the vaccine rollout saw businesses increase their spending, according to new data.
The UK’s rate of inflation unexpectedly eased last month amid falls in the prices of clothes, second-hand cars and toys, according to new official data.
Britain’s jobless rate has fallen for the first time since the pandemic struck, despite the latest lockdown shutting large parts of the economy, according to official figures.
The Government borrowed another £19.1 billion in February as it continues to fund a fight against the Covid-19 pandemic amid the economic toll of lockdown.
Economic experts have warned that the country could be in for a “sharp dose of austerity” after announcing they had found a £4 billion hole in the Chancellor’s spending plans.
The governor of the Bank of England has said he is more positive about the future of the economy but added the optimism comes “with a large dose of caution”.