‘It didn’t come as a surprise’: UK workers on being forced back into the office

Christina says it is a “logistical nightmare” working out the school and nursery runs after being ordered to return to the office for three days a week from January. “It didn’t come as a surprise but it was devastating,” she says.The 34-year-old chartered accountant from Scotland was told by her employer that office attendance would be “strictly enforced” in the new year with days potentially increasing based on business need. Her husband, who works in finance, was already working three days in the office after it was mandated in October.Christina is one of scores of people who shared with the Guardian how they felt about bosses reducing the time they spend working from home

‘Drab December’ caps another year of declining footfall on UK high street

High streets and other shopping destinations have had a “drab December”, ending another year of falling visitor numbers and raising fears of disappointing sales in the most important month for retailers.Attendance at UK shopping centres, retail parks and high streets was down 2.2% in December compared with the same period in 2023, according to data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and analysts at Sensormatic. The decrease was led by a 3.3% decline at shopping centres

Early phase-out of full hybrid vehicles may be a political risk too far for UK ministers | Nils Pratley

The main timetable is set: no new petrol and diesel cars will be allowed to be sold in the UK after 2030, and sales of all new hybrids will be forbidden from 2035. But that phasing still leaves open the critical matter – for the automotive industry, and for a couple of manufacturers in particular – of which new hybrids will be allowed to be sold until the last day of 2034.Just the variety that comes with a socket – plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)? Or should old-style hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius, which have smaller batteries charged by a main internal combustion engine, also be permitted?Cue an almighty lobbying effort now that the government is finally promising an answer to a question that should have been settled years ago given the long lead times in vehicle manufacturing. A formal consultation was launched on Christmas Eve – and a decision is promised within weeks.In one corner is Electric Vehicles UK (EVUK) – an industry group that, as its name suggests, is pushing for the adoption of electric cars as quickly as possible

Pound falls after weak UK factory data as US dollar rises – as it happened

The pound has fallen by 1% against the US dollar to below $1.24, its lowest since April.Sterling was not helped by weak factory data, which suggests that the UK economy may have some way to go before it picks up the growth momentum for which the Labour government is aiming.But as ever with currency movements, there are two sides: on the other, there is the rise in the value of the US dollar as investors position for the second Trump administration. The dollar index against a trade-weighted basket of currencies has risen as high as 108

UK factory output falls at fastest rate since February amid tax rise fears

Manufacturers in the UK have cut back output at the fastest rate in 11 months, compounding the gloomy picture for the British economy, according to a closely watched survey.The purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for manufacturing fell in December to 47, down from 48 in November – its weakest reading since February. Any reading below 50 signals a contraction.Sterling fell on foreign exchange markets after the news, underlining the challenge facing the Labour government, as it hopes for an economic upturn.The pound was down almost 1% against the dollar by mid-afternoon in London, at $1

Brompton profits plunge more than 99% amid bike industry turmoil

The boss of Brompton Bicycle has predicted that 2025 will be another year of turmoil for the bike industry after profits at the British folding bicycle maker dived by more than 99% amid a wave of discounting by rivals.Profits fell from £10.7m to £4,602 in the year to the end of March 2024 – less than the cost of Brompton’s top-of-the-range T Line Explore bike – as riders sought cheaper options during a cost of living squeeze.Sales at the company based in Greenford, Middlesex – whose cheapest model costs almost £1,000 – fell 5.3% to £122