Tag: UK

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UK deprivation hits record high 

In total, more than 16 million people are defined as living in poverty, or 24% of the UK population – the highest since comparable records began in 2000….reports Asian Lite News

More than one in three children and a quarter of adults are living in poverty in the UK as deprivation levels rise to the highest in the 21st century, according to a landmark report. 

The study by the Social Metrics Commission (SMC), which uses measures recently adopted by the UK government, found the cost of living crisis had plunged 2 million more people into severe hardship since 2019. 

In total, more than 16 million people are defined as living in poverty, or 24% of the UK population – the highest since comparable records began in 2000. 

Children accounted for the biggest rise of any social group falling into poverty, the report found, with an extra 260,000 on the breadline since before the Covid pandemic, meaning a record 36%, or 5.2 million children, were in deprivation. 

It is likely to reignite calls for Labour to scrap the two-child benefit cap as, of those 5.2 million children, more than half (55%) lived in families with three or more children. About one in four of the children in poverty lived in a single-child household, with the same proportion in a two-child family. 

Keir Starmer has resisted calls to abandon the policy – introduced by George Osborne when he was chancellor – saying the government would not take on the “unfunded pledge” without identifying a source for the £3bn annual cost. The prime minister launched a child poverty taskforce in July. 

The SMC report, seen by the Guardian, is significant as it measures a family’s resources, not just their income, and is widely accepted to be the most accurate definition of poverty in the UK. In June, the then Conservative government announced plans to adopt this broader definition of deprivation, called “below average resources”. It includes inescapable costs, such as childcare, the extra costs of being disabled, plus rent, mortgages and a family’s liquid assets, such as stocks and shares, that can easily be exchanged into cash. 

Under the government’s current definition, which measures only average income and housing costs, 18% of the UK population was defined as being in absolute poverty in the year to March 2023, including 3.6 million children. With the new model, which is set to be adopted by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), 1.6 million more children are in poverty than under the current definition. 

The findings cover a period when living standards suffered their biggest fall since modern records began in the mid-1950s, as the Covid pandemic followed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine pushed the cost of goods to their highest level in four decades. 

The SMC is a non-partisan body set up in 2016 to develop a new measure of deprivation in the UK. Its commissioners include experts from the Sutton Trust, Institute for Fiscal Studies, Centre for Social Policy Studies, Trussell Trust and a range of respected academics. 

Philippa Stroud, the chair of the commission, said: “Whilst this report shows that poverty rates are now higher than at any point this century, they have never fallen below 21% over that same timeframe. 

“This shows the real challenge facing us all in ensuring that we move the dial on poverty in the UK and ensure that as many people as possible can enjoy a life free of poverty. My hope is that people and organisations across society can come together to work with governments of all levels to develop a strategy that can be successful in delivering a significant and sustained reduction in poverty.” 

ALSO READ: IOD Signs MoU With UKABC  

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-Top News Economy UK News

Fuel payments cut will push pensioners into poverty 

The analysis was published in a letter from Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, on Tuesday, just as temperatures plunged and parts of the UK experienced their first snowfall of the year….reports Asian Lite News

Cuts to the winter fuel allowance could force 100,000 pensioners in England and Wales into relative fuel poverty, government analysis has shown, as ministers come under mounting pressure over measures in last month’s budget. 

Internal government modelling shows the decision to remove the benefit from millions of pensioners will push about 50,000 more people into relative poverty next year, and another 50,000 by the end of the decade. 

The figures, which are rounded to the nearest 50,000, take into account the impact of housing costs, but not of thousands more people claiming pension credit since a government campaign earlier this year. 

The analysis was published in a letter from Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, on Tuesday, just as temperatures plunged and parts of the UK experienced their first snowfall of the year. The letter also coincided with a large-scale protest by farmers in Westminster, with thousands turning up to demonstrate against a rise in inheritance tax for agricultural properties. 

Kendall said in her letter to Debbie Abrahams, the Labour chair of the work and pensions select committee: “Means-testing winter fuel payments was not a decision this government wanted or expected to take. However, we were forced to take difficult decisions to balance the books in light of the £22bn black hole we inherited.” 

She added: “Given the dire state of the public finances, it’s right that we target support to those who need it most while we continue our work to fix the foundations and stabilise the economy.” 

Keir Starmer, speaking to reporters at the G20 in Rio, said: “We’ve had a campaign to drive up pension credit, to get more pensioners on to pension credit, which obviously is not only a guarantee of the winter fuel allowance, but also gives the credit itself. So there’s an additional benefit there.” 

He also claimed the tax rises and spending cuts in the budget had allowed Labour to raise the state pension by about £470, even though the party promised to do so in its election manifesto. He said: “Pensioners will be better off because we’ve stabilised the economy.” 

Abrahams said: “We remain concerned by the impact that restricting winter fuel payments might have on poorer pensioners. We’ll be watching the issue closely.” 

Ministers have been under pressure for months to explain the full impact of the winter fuel cuts, which the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announced in July after identifying what she said was a £22bn hole in the public finances. 

Reeves said at the time that the allowance would go only to those on pension credit, reducing the number of eligible people from 11.4 million to 1.5 million. Those who have lost the benefit will be feeling the impact from this month, when the first winter payments are made. 

Downing Street admitted in September it had not done an impact assessment before making the change, although Labour said in opposition that such a move would lead to the deaths of 4,000 people. Kendall’s letter on Tuesday marks the government’s first attempt to quantify how many pensioners will be seriously affected. 

The analysis shows that by 2030, 1% of those who have lost their allowance are likely to be pushed into relative poverty – defined as households with less than 60% of that year’s median income. This will have the effect of putting up the relative pensioner poverty rate by 0.6 percentage points. 

Only half that number will be force into absolute poverty, however, defined as households with less than 60% of the median income of 2010/11. 

The cuts to winter fuel allowance are unpopular with Labour MPs and supporters. One MP defied Labour whips to vote against the cut in September, while another 12 missed the vote without permission. Later that month, party members voted for a motion calling on ministers to reverse it. 

The Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, pledged to reinstate payments in Scotland should his party win the 2026 Holyrood election, saying it would mean a “fairer system” for Scotland and show the public that “we have listened”. 

The pledge comes days before another set of council byelections in Glasgow and after polling suggesting the unpopularity of UK government policies is harming Scottish Labour’s vote. At the general election Scottish Labour was well ahead of the SNP, but that lead has collapsed. 

Sarwar said he had been “clear from the outset” that he thought Reeve’s pension credit threshold was too low and that he planned to reintroduce a universal payment for all pensioners, but tapered like child benefit is so that wealthier people receive less. 

ALSO READ: IOD Signs MoU With UKABC  

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-Top News Economy UK News

Retailers warn Reeves 

Increase in national insurance contributions and national living wage will add to costs, says BRC 

Large UK retailers including Tesco, Boots, Marks & Spencer and Next have written to Rachel Reeves to say that a £7bn increase in annual costs after last month’s budget would lead to job cuts and higher prices. 

The letter, with 79 signatories sent by the industry body the British Retail Consortium (BRC), warns the chancellor of the financial impact of the impending increase in the national living wage and employer national insurance contributions (NICs). 

The BRC has said absorbing the impact of the higher costs will mean higher prices for consumers, smaller pay rises, job cuts and store closures. 

Bank of England governor says budget measures could cost jobs, and argues for ‘gradual’ interest rate cuts – as it happened 

“For any retailer, large or small, it will not be possible to absorb such significant cost increases over such a short timescale,” the letter says. “The effect will be to increase inflation, slow pay growth, cause shop closures and reduce jobs, especially at the entry level. This will impact high streets and customers right across the country.” 

The letter says retailers are already starting to make “difficult decisions” and “the sheer scale of new costs and the speed with which they occur create a cumulative burden that will make job losses inevitable, and higher prices a certainty”. 

Andrew Bailey, the governor of the Bank of England, told the Treasury committee on Tuesday that retailers were right to warn on the risk of job cuts due to the change in NICs. 

He added that job losses could turn out to be more than the 50,000 forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) after the budget. 

“I think they are right to say… there is a risk [that] the reduction in employment could be more,” he said. “Yes, that is a risk” 

The bank’s broad position is that the impact of the changes to NICs will feed through in several ways – higher prices, lower profit margins, lower wages, job cuts, or “increased productivity”. 

However, the GMB union has said that big retailers warning of job cuts due to the tax changes is “utterly pathetic”. Nadine Houghton, a national officer at the GMB, said: “Multibillion-pound businesses pleading poverty because they’re being made to pay more to support public services is utterly pathetic. 

“Most of these companies’ fortunes are already subsidised by the taxpayer, they pay very low wages which then have to be topped up by in work benefits. It’s only right that they should now contribute a bit more to rebuilding our country.” 

Nick Stowe, the chief executive of Monsoon and Accessorize, said retailers had been left with the choice of protecting staff numbers or cancelling their investment plans. 

The fashion retailers’ boss told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We’re trying to protect that staff number and it’s about choices in how we protect it.” 

“For us it means passing on some of those cost increases in terms of increased prices. It also means we’re probably going to have to divert investment that we would have made in growing our store base into protecting the stores that we have and the employees that we have.” 

He added that the decisions businesses were being forced to make seemed “entirely counter” to the government’s proclaimed growth agenda. 

On Tuesday, the beleaguered luxury handbag maker Mulberry said the UK market had been hit particularly badly from low consumer confidence, as it announced that it intended to cut jobs. 

The signatories to the BRC letter also include the B&Q owner Kingfisher and the supermarket chains Morrisons and Sainsbury’s. 

The BRC estimates that retailers will face a £2.3bn bill from April after the implementation of the increase in employer NICs from 13.8% to 15%, as well as the reduction in the earnings threshold that they must start paying it from £9,100 to £5,000. 

Retailers said these changes would be felt in particular by retailers because they employed “large numbers of people in entry-level and part-time roles”. 

In addition, retailers estimated that there would be a £2.73bn increase in wage costs from April, and about £2bn relating to an extension of producer responsibility for packaging from October. 

The letter calls for a discussion with the Treasury to address some of the companies’ concerns, and offered solutions including a phased introduction of the new lower earnings threshold on national insurance (NICs), and a delay on the start of the levy on packaging. 

Earlier this month, the bosses of more than 200 of the UK’s largest restaurant, pub and hotel businesses – including the Premier Inn owner Whitbread and Mitchells & Butlers – wrote a letter to the chancellor warning of closures and job cuts as a result of the rise in NICs. 

ALSO READ: UK expected to give Ukraine Storm Shadow missiles 

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-Top News Politics UK News

Thousands of farmers protest 

The demonstration, estimated by police to have drawn 13,000 participants, saw protesters holding signs such as “Stand with a farmer, not Starmer”…reports Asian Lite News

With banners, bullhorns, and toy tractors, thousands of British farmers gathered outside Parliament on Tuesday to protest against a tax hike they claim will deal a “hammer blow” to struggling family farms. 

British farmers, typically less militant than their European counterparts, have refrained from staging large-scale demonstrations like those seen in France and elsewhere in Europe. However, they now warn they will escalate their actions if the government fails to respond. 

At the centre of the discontent is the government’s decision to abolish a longstanding tax break from the 1990s that exempts agricultural property from inheritance tax. Under the new rules, farms valued at over £1 million will face a 20% tax when transferred to the next generation upon the owner’s death, effective from April 2026. 

“Everyone’s furious,” said Olly Harrison, co-organiser of the protest, which saw demonstrators flood the streets near Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Downing Street office. Harrison said many farmers are ready “to block roads and go full French.” 

Protest organisers urged participants not to bring heavy machinery into central London, but a few tractors adorned with banners reading “the final straw” and “no farmers, no food” rolled past Downing Street. 

The demonstration, estimated by police to have drawn 13,000 participants, saw protesters holding signs such as “Stand with a farmer, not Starmer.” Children on toy tractors circled Parliament Square following speeches, including one by former Top Gear presenter and celebrity farmer Jeremy Clarkson. Inside Parliament, 1,800 farmers joined a “mass lobby” organised by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU). 

NFU President Tom Bradshaw criticised the policy as “simply unacceptable,” saying, “It undermines British food security at a time when we need it most.” 

The tax change adds to mounting challenges for farmers, including volatile weather worsened by climate change, global instability, and the impact of Brexit. Many view the tax hike as the final straw in a series of setbacks. 

Starmer’s Labour government argues that the majority of farms—around 75%—will remain unaffected by the tax, with various exemptions allowing farming couples to pass estates worth up to £3 million tax-free. The 20% levy is half the 40% inheritance tax applied to other property. 

Camilla Marshall, a spokesperson for Starmer, acknowledged the decision was “difficult” but confirmed it would not be reconsidered. 

Proponents of the tax argue it will target wealthy individuals who have purchased farmland as an investment, driving up costs and pricing out younger farmers. “High land prices are robbing young farmers of the dream of owning their own farm,” wrote Environment Secretary Steve Reed. 

However, the NFU contends that more than 60% of working farms could be affected, noting that while farms may appear valuable on paper, profits are often modest. Government data shows that average farm incomes declined last year, with grazing livestock farms earning around £17,000 and specialist poultry farms generating £143,000. 

British farmers have endured a turbulent decade. Many supported Brexit, seeing it as an opportunity to escape the EU’s complex Common Agricultural Policy. While some welcomed subsequent reforms, such as payments for promoting biodiversity and restoring nature, others say these benefits have been overshadowed by inflation, mismanagement, and trade deals allowing cheap imports from countries like Australia and New Zealand. 

Meanwhile, Keir Starmer has denied that he is mounting a class war by targeting wealthy landowners and private schools, after the head of the National Farmers’ Union accused the government of an extraordinary “betrayal” over inheritance tax changes. 

In an escalating war of words between food producers and ministers, the NFU president, Tom Bradshaw, called the government’s budget measures a “stab in the back”, after the sector had been previously told that taxes such as agricultural property relief (APR) would not be changed. He was addressing hundreds of farmers who had travelled to London to lobby their local MPs. 

Starmer told reporters at the G20 in Rio de Janeiro that the government was taking a “balanced approach” to fund public services and called on farmers to think about the money needed for schools and hospitals in rural communities. 

Asked if he was mounting a class war on the wealthiest, Starmer told Sky: “It isn’t at all what we’re doing. It’s a balanced approach. We have to fill a black hole which was left by the last government.” 

In London, Bradshaw told a room of about 600 farmers: “I don’t think I have ever seen the industry this angry, this disillusioned, this upset.” 

He described the budget measures as a “shocking policy, built on bad data, and launched with no consultation with anybody that understands”. Bradshaw was applauded by farmers as he commented on the “human impact of this policy” and warned that government measures including changes to national insurance contributions, coupled with a competitive retail environment, would push up food prices. 

Separately, thousands of food producers gathered close to Downing Street on Tuesday morning for a rally flanked by tractors. Previously, farming businesses qualified for 100% relief on inheritance tax on agricultural and business property. But now the tax is being imposed on farms worth more than £1m, with an effective rate of 20% on assets above that threshold, rather than the normal 40% rate for inheritance tax. 

Ministers have said the threshold for farmers paying inheritance tax could be £3m for a couple, once various exemptions were taken into account. 

The NFU has rejected the government’s claims that most farms will not be affected by the change, and believes that it will apply to 75% of what it calls “commercial farm businesses”. 

A group of farmers from Wales and Wiltshire attending the NFU lobby said they believed all of their farms would fall into the remit of inheritance tax under the budget measures. 

ALSO READ: UK expected to give Ukraine Storm Shadow missiles   

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-Top News India News UK News

IOD Signs MoU With UKABC  

This MoU with IOD India represents an important step forward in building stronger, more resilient business networks between the UK and India, as well as with broader international markets like the EU, Africa and the CIS…reports Asian Lite News

In a significant step towards strengthening global business ties, the UK Asian Business Council (UKABC) and the Institute of Directors (IOD) India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).  

The agreement was formalised by Mr. Taha Coburn-Kutay, Chairman of UKABC, and Mr. Manoj Raut, CEO of IOD India, underscoring a shared commitment to promoting corporate governance, professional development, and leadership training. 

This partnership aims to create stronger, more resilient business networks between the UK and India while extending reach to international markets such as the EU, Africa, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The collaboration reflects both organisations’ dedication to enabling businesses to navigate the complexities of cross-border trade and investment while fostering growth and development among their members. 

“This MoU represents a pivotal moment in building stronger business networks between the UK and India and connecting with broader international markets,” said Mr. Taha Coburn-Kutay. “We are excited to partner with IOD India to create opportunities for our members, enhancing their ability to succeed in today’s globalized economy.” 

Mr. Manoj Raut added, “This partnership aligns with our mission to foster excellence in corporate governance and leadership. Together, we will empower businesses to achieve their full potential through innovation, education, and collaboration.” 

Key Initiatives Under the MoU: 

1. Events, Conferences, and Webinars 

The two organisations will co-host events, conferences, and webinars, providing platforms for knowledge sharing, networking, and fostering meaningful connections across diverse regions. 

2. Executive Training Programs 

Specialised training programs for business leaders in the UK, India, Africa, and Asia will be developed to enhance leadership skills and encourage collaboration in international business. 

3. Industry Research and Policy Advisory 

Joint research projects and policy advisory services will focus on emerging industries and markets, integrating insights from the UK, India, Asia, and Africa to drive impactful outcomes. 

4. Business Delegations 

Coordinated delegations will promote trade, investment, and cultural exchanges between Asia, Africa, and the UK, strengthening economic and social ties. 

5. Certification Programs 

New certification programs will empower Asian and African business leaders by equipping them with skills and credentials in global business management. 

As part of the discussions during the MoU signing, the idea of establishing an office for IOD India in the UK was proposed, demonstrating the commitment to expanding collaboration. This initiative will be actioned in the coming months, further enhancing the strategic partnership. 

ALSO READ: India-Philippines at 75: A Look Back and Ahead 

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-Top News Crime UK News

Burglars steal two vehicles from Windsor Castle estate 

Thames Valley Police said the intruders stole two vehicles from a farm building on the estate west of London on October 13 and that no arrests had been made. ..reports Asian Lite News

Police said on Monday officers were investigating a break-in last month on the grounds of the royal Windsor Estate, reportedly while Prince William and his family were at home. 

Thames Valley Police said the intruders stole two vehicles from a farm building on the estate west of London on October 13 and that no arrests had been made. 

“At around 11:45 p.m. on Sunday 13 October, we received a report of burglary at a property on Crown Estate land near to the A308 in Windsor,” the force said in a statement, referring to the castle grounds. 

“Offenders entered a farm building and made off with a black Isuzu pickup and a red quad bike. 

“They then made off toward the Old Windsor/Datchet area. No arrests have been made at this stage and an investigation is ongoing.” 

The Sun tabloid, which first reported the incident, said the “masked raiders” struck while William, his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, and their children slept in their nearby home on the estate. 

The newspaper reported last month that armed police officers from the Metropolitan Police’s diplomatic protection unit had been removed from the two main gates of the Windsor Estate. 

It comes as the force faces a shortage of firearms officers, with far fewer candidates joining up, the tabloid said. 

The Metropolitan Police, which is responsible for royal security, said it does “not comment on any security arrangements for protected individuals or sites.” 

But in a statement, a spokesperson said the arrangements were “kept under constant review to ensure we take into account the latest threat and risk information and assessments that are available to us.” 

The burglary is the latest security breach at Windsor, where William and his family live year-round and was the favored residence of the late Queen Elizabeth II. 

On Christmas Day, December 25, 2021 a man armed with a loaded crossbow was found on the grounds, telling an armed officer at the scene that he was there “to kill the queen.” 

The man, Jaswant Singh Chail, was last year jailed for nine years, with the sentence to be served in the high-security Broadmoor psychiatric hospital. 

The former supermarket worker had “lost touch with reality so that he had become psychotic,” judge Nicholas Hilliard had concluded. 

ALSO READ: When Starmer meets Xi… 

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-Top News Australia UK News

Australian lawmaker who heckled King Charles censured 

The censure motion condemned Thorpe’s actions as “disruptive and disrespectful…reports Asian Lite News

An Indigenous lawmaker was censured by Australia’s parliament Monday for heckling King Charles about the legacy of European settlement during his October visit to Canberra. The censure carries no practical punishment but passed the Senate Monday with 46 votes in favor and 12 against. 

During the king’s visit to parliament, independent senator Lidia Thorpe screamed: “This is not your land, you are not my king,” decrying what she said was a “genocide” of Indigenous Australians by European settlers. She also turned her back on the king as dignitaries stood for the national anthem. 

The censure motion condemned Thorpe’s actions as “disruptive and disrespectful.” It also said the Senate no longer regarded it “appropriate” for Thorpe to be a member of any delegation “during the life of this parliament.” 

A censure motion is a symbolic gesture when parliamentarians are dissatisfied with the behavior of one of their own. Thorpe – sporting a gold chain with ‘Not My King’ around her neck – said she did not “give a damn” about the censure and would most likely use the document as “kindling” later in the week. 

She told national broadcaster ABC she would “do it again” if the monarch returned. “I will resist colonization in this country. I swear my allegiance to the real sovereigns of these lands: First Peoples are the real sovereigns,” she said. 

Green Senator Mehreen Faruqi voted against Thorpe’s censure, saying the lawmaker was telling Australia’s history “the way she wants to.” Thorpe is known for her attention-grabbing political stunts and fierce opposition to the monarchy. 

When she was sworn into office in 2022, Thorpe raised her right fist as she begrudgingly swore to serve Queen Elizabeth II, who was then Australia’s head of state. 

Australia was a British colony for more than 100 years, during which time thousands of Aboriginal Australians were killed and entire communities displaced. 

The country gained de facto independence in 1901, but has never become a fully-fledged republic. King Charles is the current head of state. The issue of a republic reared its head during the king’s visit Down Under earlier this year, but the issue remains a political non-starter. 

A recent poll showed about a third of Australians would like to ditch the monarchy, a third would keep it and a third are ambivalent. In 1999, Australians narrowly voted against removing the queen, amid a row over whether her replacement would be chosen by members of parliament, not the public. 

ALSO READ: When Starmer meets Xi… 

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-Top News Health UK News

Call to ban cakes and biscuits at school lunchtimes 

The call has come from Action on Sugar, a group of nutritionists and other health experts at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), who campaign on the health dangers of too much sugar…reports Asian Lite News

Schools in England should be banned from giving pupils cakes or biscuits as part of their lunch because they contain so much sugar, food campaigners say. They want ministers to overhaul the rules that guide schools on the nutritional content of the meals they serve to outlaw such sugary snacks. 

The call has come from Action on Sugar, a group of nutritionists and other health experts at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), who campaign on the health dangers of too much sugar. At the moment schools are allowed under the school food standards to give pupils desserts, cakes and biscuits as part of the lunch they receive on the premises. They include sweet treats that are either bought in or made from scratch, such as cakes, buns, pastries and scones. 

Action on Sugar made its plea after an analysis it undertook of the sugar content of dozens of cakes, chocolates and biscuits that have as much as 12 teaspoons in them. For example, Ritter Sport marzipan has 51g per packet while the same firm’s whole hazelnuts and white whole hazelnuts contain 44g, the equivalent of 11 teaspoonfuls. 

“These findings reinforce the urgent need for a complete ban on cakes and biscuits currently permitted under the school food standards at lunchtime, as they are unlikely to align with current maximum sugar guidelines,” said Dr Kawther Hashem, a lecturer in public health nutrition at QMUL and Action on Sugar’s head of research and impact. 

“We have a duty to every child to make every school a sanctuary from unnecessary sugar, so they can grow up healthier, stronger and free from the risks of diet-related disease.” The campaign group added that “the school food standards may be driving children to exceed their daily sugar limits by allowing cakes and biscuits at lunchtime”. Ministers should also extend the sugar tax from soft drinks to other highly sugared products, such as confectionery, it added. 

It said a child who had a cake at lunchtime, a chocolate bar on the way home from school and two biscuits after dinner could consume as much as 23 spoonfuls of sugar by doing so. 

A government spokesperson said: “We encourage all schools to promote healthy eating and provide nutritious food and drink, and recently launched new training for school governors to increase their understanding of School Food Standards and make sure children have access to nutritious food throughout the school day. 

“More widely, we are determined to create the healthiest generation of children in our history by shifting our focus from treatment to prevention, including by limiting school children’s access to fast food.” 

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-Top News India News UK News

West reaffirms commitment to strengthen ties with India 

West’s discussions with senior Indian ministers will centre on driving forward growth and strengthening the enduring partnership between the two countries. ..reports Asian Lite News

In a significant show of commitment to enhancing bilateral relations, Catherine West, the UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific, arrived in India for a two-day visit. 

Her visit, aimed at deepening the UK’s engagement with India, comes at a time when both nations are keen on fostering closer cooperation in various sectors including climate, technology, education, and development, an official press release by the British High Commission stated. 

West’s discussions with senior Indian ministers will centre on driving forward growth and strengthening the enduring partnership between the two countries. 

Minister West’s visit builds upon the UK’s ambition to unlock the full potential of its relationship with India, following the Foreign Secretary’s visit in July. She is expected to meet with senior Indian officials, including those at the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi, to reinforce the UK’s dedication to strengthening ties. 

West will also highlight the UK’s efforts to negotiate a mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement and Bilateral Investment Treaty, aiming to further enhance the trade and investment landscape between the two countries, stated the press release. 

In her remarks, Minister West expressed her excitement at visiting India for the first time in her official capacity. “I am delighted to be visiting India for the first time as Minister for the Indo-Pacific. As one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, India is a vital partner. My visit reaffirms the UK’s commitment to fostering deeper cooperation with India and to driving forward greater growth and prosperity for both our nations,” she said. 

During her visit, West will also focus on strengthening the cultural connection between the UK and India. At an education roundtable hosted by the British Council, she will explore the shared “living bridge” between the two nations, which includes over 1.7 million people of Indian heritage in the UK. 

This cultural exchange spans areas such as education, food, sports, and more, the press release stated. As part of her cultural engagement, she will visit the Jama Masjid in Delhi, learning about its architectural and historical significance. (ANI) 

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-Top News Economy UK News

Britons warned against energy bill spike 

That would be a rise of £19 a year, a 1% increase, compared with the current typical annual bill of £1,717, it said, with little chance of a big drop in the foreseeable future….reports Asian Lite News

High domestic energy prices are likely to be “the new normal” with a slight rise predicted for January, according to consultancy Cornwall Insight. A home using a typical amount of gas and electricity will pay £1,736 annually from the new year, according to the forecaster. 

That would be a rise of £19 a year, a 1% increase, compared with the current typical annual bill of £1,717, it said, with little chance of a big drop in the foreseeable future. Energy regulator Ofgem will announce the next official quarterly price cap on Friday, with some charities concerned about how less well-off households will cope during the colder months. 

The energy cap limits the maximum price that can be charged for each unit of gas and electricity, rather than the total bill. This means people in larger properties will tend to pay more overall owing to higher energy usage, and those in smaller properties tend to pay less. 

The energy watchdog Ofgem’s price cap affects about 27 million households in England, Wales and Scotland. Different rules apply in Northern Ireland. Dr Craig Lowrey, principal consultant at Cornwall Insight, said that while bills will remain “largely unchanged” from October, the news that prices will not drop after rises were seen in the autumn will still be “disappointing” for many. “What we’ve been looking at were prices well above the historic norms,” he said. 

He added that there “doesn’t seem to be any sign of a return to pre-energy crisis levels”. Prices jumped in 2022 when the conflict between Russia and Ukraine broke out. 

The consultancy, which is held in high regard for its accurate predictions, also expects that prices will remain higher due to geopolitical tensions, bad weather and maintenance taking place on Norwegian gas infrastructure. The market is still “very sensitive” to global events, it said. 

Peter Smith, director of policy at the National Energy Action charity, said that many people were already “rationing their energy use” or building up debt to try to keep warm. “With increased wholesale prices in the last few months, there won’t be any let up in the unaffordable cost of energy,” he said. 

Further ahead, Cornwall Insight anticipates the energy price cap will drop slightly in April 2025 and again in October 2025. It suggested that it may still be important for the government to consider “ways to protect the vulnerable” from higher energy bills, such as social tariffs. 

The new Labour government has faced criticism for its decision to withdraw the winter fuel payment for millions of pensioners. At Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ first Budget, it was confirmed that future payments would only be made to those getting pension credit or other means-tested help. 

The government has said the move was necessary in order to address what it has called a financial “black hole” it inherited from the Conservatives. But other politicians and unions have warned that older or vulnerable people with disabilities could risk their health by cutting back on heating their homes as a result. 

In Scotland, a couple has been given permission to proceed with their own legal challenge against both the UK and Scottish governments over the changes to the benefit.

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