Business

Regulators have told airlines that they must treat passengers better when dealing with disruption. In a joint letter to carriers. the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said passengers “could experience significant harm unless airlines meet their obligations”. They said some airlines were not doing enough to avoid “engaging in

Government borrowing was £22.9bn last month, the second-highest June borrowing since monthly records began in 1993. The Office for National Statistics said that borrowing was £4.1bn more in June than the same month a year ago. Interest payments increased by £10.3bn compared to this time last year, reaching a total of £19.4bn in June alone.

The start of the big summer holiday getaway at Heathrow Airport is no longer facing the imminent threat of disruption from a strike by staff at a plane refuelling company. The Unite union had said its members at Aviation Fuel Services (AFS) would walk out from 5am on Thursday until the same time on Sunday

The rate of inflation has hit a fresh 40-year high, placing further strain on household budgets as the cost of living crisis mounts. British consumer price inflation reached an annual rate of 9.4% in June, up from May’s reading of 9.1%, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. It means Britain had the highest rate

Late-summer strikes by 115,000 Royal Mail workers have moved a step closer after an overwhelming vote in favour of walkouts, threatening massive disruption to postal deliveries across the country. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said 97.6% of members who voted backed strikes in a 77% turnout, threatening the biggest strike action in the so-called summer

Annual grocery bills have risen by £454, according to closely-watched industry data tracking the cost of thousands of everyday products. The latest report on the supermarket sector, released by Kantar Worldpanel, showed price inflation stood at 9.9% in early July – the second-highest level it had ever recorded since comparable records began in 2008. It

A Bank of England policymaker has said interest rates could reach 2% or higher in the next year in order to tackle inflation. Michael Saunders, a member of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), said he did not think that such forecasts from financial markets were “implausible or unlikely”. “Rather than focus on a precise

A union is calling for a legal limit on how hot workplaces can be – as the UK faces a heatwave that could see temperatures hit a record-breaking 41C. A red warning for extreme heat is in place across swathes of the country including London, Manchester and York. The GMB union said there should be

The chief executive of LV=, the mutually owned insurance company, is to fall on his sword seven months after a controversial takeover was rejected by members. Sky News can exclusively reveal that Mark Hartigan, who has run LV= for just over two-and-a-half years, will leave the company in the autumn. His departure could be announced

Internet providers have a moral obligation to help customers through the cost of living crisis, the regulator has said. More and more families are struggling with their internet bills, which often are linked to inflation and have been going up this year. Along with everything else. Ofcom’s networks and communications group director, Lindsey Fussell, told

Nadhim Zahawi, the new chancellor, will next week throw the government’s support behind a new initiative designed to shore up London’s position as a global destination for major company flotations. Sky News has learnt that Mr Zahawi will use his speech at Tuesday’s Mansion House dinner to give his backing to the Capital Markets Industry

China’s zero-COVID policy is being blamed for a return to the red for its economy, with experts warning that recovery will be hampered by the darkening outlook for output globally. The authorities said the world’s second-largest economy contracted by 2.6% between April and June compared to the previous three months. It meant that Chinese growth

Virgin Media O2 has tabled an offer to buy TalkTalk that would value one of Britain’s biggest broadband providers at about £3bn. Sky News has learnt the mobile phone giant, which is jointly owned by Telefonica and Liberty Global, submitted an indicative bid for Salford-based TalkTalk in recent weeks. Discussions between the two sides are

Recruitment problems are at record levels as three out of four companies struggle to hire staff, according to the British Chambers of Commerce. The BCC said roughly 61% of firms were looking for staff in the second quarter, similar to 60% in the first quarter. But 76% were reporting difficulties. Some 5,700 businesses were surveyed

Two further days of rail strikes have been announced by the RMT on 18 and 20 August in the row over jobs, pay and working conditions. The action will see more than 40,000 workers across Network Rail and 14 train operating companies walking out. RMT is also taking 24 hours strike action on 27 July.

Emirates airline has rejected an order from Heathrow Airport that it must cancel flights from the west London hub to comply with a cap on passenger numbers. The Dubai-based carrier said it had, on Wednesday, been given 36 hours to comply with the order as the west London hub airport attempts to ensure it can