Business

The government is to extend the ban on commercial evictions introduced during the pandemic until 2022, Sky News understands. On Wednesday, ministers are expected to announce that the moratorium for business tenants will not expire at the end of this month as planned and will instead continue for at least the rest of the year,

The number of people in payrolled employment remains 553,000 down on its pre-pandemic level despite a widespread easing in coronavirus restrictions, according to official figures. But the early data from the taxman, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), showed 197,000 more people were on Pay As You Earn (PAYE) in May compared with

Business groups have reacted with dismay after Boris Johnson confirmed the end of lockdown restrictions would be delayed. It will mean some businesses such as pubs and restaurants still having to operate at limited capacity and others such as nightclubs remaining closed with the roadmap for reopening delayed from 21 June to 19 July. The

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is being urged to dig deep again and maintain taxpayer support for businesses if, as expected, Freedom Day is delayed due to rising coronavirus infection rates. PM Boris Johnson is tipped to confirm on Monday evening that the timing for an end to all COVID-19 restrictions will slip beyond the 21 June

Passenger numbers plummeted by 223 million last year, as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, new figures show. Only around 74 million people travelled through UK airports in 2020 – less than a quarter of the 297 million from the year before, data from the Civil Aviation Authority reveals. The airport which saw the largest

Aer Lingus has announced a number of regional flights have been cancelled after one of its operators ceased trading. The Irish airline was forced to cancel several flights from Dublin and Belfast City airports to UK cities after Stobart Air collapsed on Friday night. Those who have booked flights are advised not to go to

Sir Richard Branson is in advanced talks about a multibillion dollar merger to take Virgin Orbit, his satellite launch company, on to the US public markets. Sky News can reveal that Virgin Orbit is close to finalising a deal to combine with NextGen Acquisition II, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) set up by George

The government should revoke a series of steel quotas on cheap imports despite warnings it will damage domestic producers, trade advisers have recommended. The recommendation, described as a “hammer blow” by industry bodies, was made by the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA), an arms-length body charged with protecting UK industry from unfair competition. It has advised

Dominic Raab has said “the ball is very much in the EU’s court” with regards to the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol , as French president Emmanuel Macron has warned Britain that the Brexit deal is not renegotiable. The foreign secretary told Sky News the EU must be “less purist, more pragmatic and more

Britain’s economy grew by 2.3% in April as the high street and hospitality sector reopened, official figures show. That meant that GDP was a record 27.6% larger compared with the same month last year when the nation was in the grip of the first coronavirus lockdown. Chancellor Rishi Sunak hailed it as a “promising sign

Morrisons has defended increased executive rewards as profits tumbled during the coronavirus crisis last year, following a massive investor revolt. Just over 70% of votes cast at the supermarket chain’s annual general meeting (AGM) rejected the remuneration report for its last financial year. In advance of the virtual meeting, Sky News reported that several investor

Transport operator Go-Ahead said more people are taking its buses and trains than at any time since the start of the pandemic as COVID restrictions ease. It said its regional bus network was seeing passenger numbers at 65-70% of typical levels on most days and at 80% in some regions – up from around 20%

The six English clubs which secretly agreed to play in a European Super League (ESL) will pay just over £20m to draw a line under their ensuing row with the Premier League. Sky News has learnt that the figure – which equates to an average of around £3.5m per club – will be announced by

The six English clubs which secretly agreed to play in a European Super League (ESL) are to pay a combined £22m penalty but face a much higher bill if such a breakaway is attempted in future, under a deal with the Premier League. The punishment was confirmed hours after a report by Sky News that

Pub bosses have appealed for the easing of COVID restrictions across the UK, saying the delayed Euro 2020 football championship offers the perfect opportunity to help the industry and beyond recover. The chief executives of Young’s and Greene King were among those to speak out amid jitters that final step on the roadmap for England

The Bank of England is to test how big banks and insurers can cope with the risk of rising sea levels, more frequent heatwaves and shrinking economic output caused by climate change. It has published three stress test scenarios to explore what might happen if fresh action is either taken quickly to tackle global warming,