Former conservative minister Liam Fox said in an interview in today’s Times newspaper that he favoured cutting capital gains tax to boost the UK economy. Fox is quoted as wanting the government to suspend capital gains tax for three years, and thereafter to re-introduce it at a lower rate....

The UK’s Employment Outlook now stands at its strongest level since 2008, according to ManpowerGroup, the world leader in innovative workforce solutions. With an Outlook of +3{6060b2de664e4eaa3e7b7e86961ce2c4bbd7a29b6c1097abf8257a4e5b07383e}, employers across the UK are looking to take on staff in the final months of 2012 despite the gloomy macro-economic picture. National...

Employment is up by 263,000 in the quarter to July 2012,  with over half of this growth among part-timers The headline unemployment figure is down slightly by 7,000 on the quarter to July 2012. The more recent figure for those claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance also fell slightly by 15,000 during...

More than one in four (28{6060b2de664e4eaa3e7b7e86961ce2c4bbd7a29b6c1097abf8257a4e5b07383e}) HR directors admit that they have no formal process in place to deal with stress and anxiety for employees, according to a survey by OfficeTeam. The study surveyed 200 HR directors across the UK, with the results segmented by size, sector and geographic...

The UK’s top placement and internship employers have been announced based on over 2,500 student-written reviews which document real-life experiences across many of the nation’s most prestigious firms. The third annual ‘Top 50 Placement & Internship Employers’ league table compiled by  student-generated review website RateMyPlacement.co.uk shows professional services firms...

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG Report on Jobs – published today – provides the most comprehensive guide to the UK labour market, drawing on original survey data provided by recruitment consultancies. Decline in permanent staff appointments eases Temporary staff billings increase for first time in nine...

A fringe event on encouraging quality apprenticeships was hosted by unionlearn – the learning and skills arm of the TUC at congress today. The event was addressed by Helen Goodman MP; Gail Cartmaill, Assistant General Secretary of Unite; Nigel Milton of BAA and Sally Rose, a young BAA apprentice...

A new Higher Apprenticeship in Human Resource Management has been officially launched by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Skills CFA with the objective of broadening access to careers in business for a wider and more diverse array of future talent. Launched at an event in...

A good salary tops the list of criteria British jobseekers look for in a new role according to new research from Gumtree.com*.  Salary is the most important consideration when looking for a position for more than a third (35 per cent) of jobseekers prioritising it over career prospects –...

Its rate-setting Monetary Policy Committee has voted to maintain rates at this historic low for three years.  It also decided not to increase its programme of quantitative easing (QE), having lifted it by £50bn in July to £375bn. The news came on the day that the OECD cut sharply...

The closely-watched CIPS manufacturing purchasing managers’ index rose to a four-month high of 49.5 in August from a downwardly revised 45.2 in July.   In the 17-country eurozone region, output was below the 50 mark for the 13th successive month, indicating continued contraction.   In China, manufacturing activity fell to a...

The oil and gas sector needs no educating on the severe lack of skilled engineers coming into the industry, especially at a time of major international growth and development for exploration and production (E&P) firms. While many companies are now successfully hitting targets on graduate and trainee recruitment, a...

The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) is alerting HR and payroll professionals to prepare for a large proportion of their workforce taking time off in September and is advising them to check that they have contingency plans in place to ensure that businesses still run smoothly. Research from...

Nearly three quarters of people off work due to illness required adjustments in the workplace to help their return, an analysis of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Fit for Work Service pilots by Legal & General has shown. Half of those who returned to work with support...

A third (31{6060b2de664e4eaa3e7b7e86961ce2c4bbd7a29b6c1097abf8257a4e5b07383e}) of companies plan to increase their spending on HR Technology in the coming year in an attempt to continue growth and improve efficiency in the face of a challenging economic environment. According to annual research released by global professional services company, Towers Watson, over half (53{6060b2de664e4eaa3e7b7e86961ce2c4bbd7a29b6c1097abf8257a4e5b07383e})...