Page 3 - Stephen Pegge News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

The UK’s biggest cities have joined forces to seek private funding to meet their net zero goals in a form of collaboration believed to be without

Loans to small and medium businesses (SMEs) in the East of England quadrupled in 2020, a new survey by a financial trade body shows.

Furlough numbers in January have hit the highest level recorded since last July as the latest national lockdown wreaks havoc with businesses and workers.  Data published today by the Office for National Statistics showed that the percentage of businesses currently trading has remained relatively consistent in January at 71 per cent.  But there has been a spike in the percentage of the UK's workforce on furlough, from 14 per cent in December to 17 per cent now.  Meanwhile, the percentage of firms currently trading in the accommodation and food service industries has dropped to 34 per cent a...

More than one in eight UK workers were furloughed at the end of December, new figures have shown, as nearly £6 billion was claimed in the last two months of the year. Government figures show that 13% of employments across the country were furloughed on December 31, and that more than one in three employers were claiming money to pay their staff as part of the scheme. Figures fell slightly from November, when just over £3 billion was claimed, to December when a little under £3 billion was claimed but remained higher than they were in October. The end of October saw new claimants being allow...

Stephen Pegge, managing director of commercial finance at UK Finance, said:  “The UK’s banking and finance industry continues to support businesses of all sizes across the country to help them through these challenging times. “As this year draws to a close, over 1.5 million businesses are supported by a government-guaranteed loan scheme with funds totalling over £68bn, demonstrating the unprecedented level of assistance provided to UK enterprises. “As the impact of the pandemic continues to be felt by businesses across the country and particularly in areas facing greater restr...