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UK Edition
14th October 2026
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THE HOT STORY

Civil servant denies fraud over multiple jobs

A civil servant accused of holding five full-time public sector jobs simultaneously while working remotely has denied nine fraud charges. Kashim Chowdhury, 55, allegedly received £284,613 during periods of overlapping employment between 2020 and 2023. Prosecutors told Southwark Crown Court he concealed existing jobs, used sick leave while working elsewhere, and was contracted for 183 hours weekly at one point. His employers included the Home Office, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the UK Health Security Agency and the Department of Health and Social Care. "The defendant was able to do this because he worked from home, remotely," Lucy Organ, for the prosecution, said. "He told employers he needed to do so to care for his elderly mother and appears to have exploited the opportunity this gave him to secretly have numerous full-time jobs." Chowdhury accepts receiving salaries but denies dishonesty. The trial continues.
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CROSS-BORDER INDEX

Every country scored on how complex it is for employers to send staff abroad

For HR and global mobility teams, cross-border work does not start with booking a flight. It starts with a legal assessment, but tighter visa rules, changing compliance requirements and expanding reporting obligations make every business trip or assignment harder to get right.

The new WorkFlex Cross-Border Index removes the guesswork. Based on almost 2 million analysed travel days from more than 500 companies, it shows where compliance needs the most lead time before a project timeline or client commitment is set.

Check how your company's target markets score →

 
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WORKFORCE

Retailers urge Healey to cut employment costs

Retailers and hospitality businesses, including Tesco, Costa Coffee and the Co-op, have urged Chancellor John Healey to reduce employment costs in his upcoming budget. Executives from M&S and Sainsbury's joined discussions calling for the employer national insurance threshold to rise from £5,000 to £6,000 annually. Businesses argue the previous reduction has damaged recruitment, particularly among young and part-time workers, while increasing consumer prices. Helen Dickinson, the chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: "Retail is a major driver of growth, supporting jobs, investment and communities across the country. But after whacking up retailers' taxes by 20% in two years, including an extra £6.5bn in new employment costs, any new costs will be paid by consumers at the till and make it harder for retailers to create jobs. The chancellor recognised these pressures, and we had a positive discussion about our shared ambition for growth and tackling youth unemployment."
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CORPORATE

Complaints about UK companies’ conduct rise sevenfold

An increasing focus on environmental harms and labour abuses has precipitated a sevenfold increase over five years in complaints to the Office for Responsible Business Conduct (ORBC) about firms' conduct.
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LEGAL

NHS staff get 'landmark' payout over gas exposure

NHS maternity staff at Basildon Hospital have shared £735,000 in compensation after being exposed to excessive nitrous oxide levels. The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) reported that 121 staff, including 85 midwives, experienced health issues including fatigue and anxiety due to prolonged exposure. An internal report revealed some staff inhaled gas levels up to 30 times higher than legal limits. Gill Walton, the RCM chief executive and general secretary, said: "For years, midwives at Basildon were breathing in nitrous oxide at dangerous levels while they cared for women and babies. Even once the problem had been discovered, it was more than a year before staff were told." She continued: "This is a landmark settlement for our members and it should make every NHS employer sit up and take notice. If you don't protect your staff - the RCM will hold you to account." The Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust has since apologised and said it has improved safety measures.

Rathi: FCA must improve whistleblower communication

Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has acknowledged the need for "difficult decisions" regarding whistleblowers following the suicide of BGC Group banker Simon Andriesz, who had raised concerns about alleged ties between Howard Lutnick, the US commerce secretary, and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Andriesz accused authorities in the US and UK of not holding BGC to account and failing to protect him from potential retaliation. He also accused the FCA directly of mistreating whistleblowers. Data shows that the FCA received 1,300 whistleblowing reports in 2025/26, a 20% increase on the previous year. “Whistleblowing work is some of the most sensitive work the FCA undertakes,” Rathi said in a hearing with the Treasury committee. “Over recent years we have established enhanced feedback.”
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CYBERSECURITY

MI5 warns tech startups of foreign spies

MI5 director general, Sir Ken McCallum, has warned British tech startups to bolster their cybersecurity as foreign spies increasingly target the sector. In his annual threat update, he highlighted vulnerabilities in the UK's financial systems and supply chains, saying: "If you're a tech startup, expect to be spied on by foreign actors." McCallum also announced the launch of the AI Threat Assessment Centre to address emerging threats from AI, noting that terrorists are exploiting AI for reconnaissance and attacks.
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STRATEGY

Burnham to push for new post-Brexit deals at EU summit

UK prime minister Andy Burnham will seek closer post-Brexit ties with the EU at next month’s summit, saying "deeper cooperation" on issues such as food and drink, energy, youth mobility and security could help drive UK growth. Burnham argues that reducing trade barriers could boost the UK economy by £10bn a year by 2040, cut energy costs, and ease supermarket price pressures. He said the "immediate priority" was securing a successful outcome at the November summit, adding: "I believe we should then set up a serious dialogue about the different options for our relationship in the long term . . . At every stage, the British public will be the boss, and I am clear that public opinion currently supports a pragmatic approach like the one I am suggesting."
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ECONOMY

AI investment supports global growth outlook

The IMF has raised its 2026 global growth forecast to 3.1%, from 3.0%, as strong AI investment offsets economic disruption from the Middle East conflict and oil prices exceeding $100 per barrel. Growth is expected to reach 3.4% in 2027, although widening economic disparities and mounting debt threaten stability. The US economy is forecast to grow 2.3%, China 4.5% and India 7.0% in 2026, while several Gulf economies face deep recessions. IMF chief economist Silvana Tenreyro warned that global economic resilience is "reaching its limits." The IMF also highlighted risks from prolonged energy disruption, higher borrowing costs and disappointing AI returns, and urged governments to rebuild fiscal buffers.
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INTERNATIONAL

China's BYD plans hiring spree to boost European workforce

Chinese automotive giant BYD has said a hiring spree in Europe is being planned to increase the company's workforce in the region to about 40,000 people by the end of the decade. “BYD’s commitment in Europe is very deep, and it is long term,” Executive Vice President Stella Li, who heads BYD’s overseas business, said at the Paris Motor Show. Asked specifically about the company’s European employment plans, Li said separately that its workforce in Europe would be “absolutely over 40,000 in 2030.” The company will soon have more than 10,000 people, she added.

Lyft to pay $272m settlement to California rideshare drivers

Rideshare giant Lyft is to pay $272.5m to settle a six-year lawsuit with California that it committed wage theft against its drivers. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, and the city attorneys of Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, sued the company six years ago after it was accused of misclassifying drivers as independent contractors, which meant the drivers were paid well below minimum wage and denied other legally mandated workplace protections. “Rideshare companies like Lyft have enjoyed massive growth and profits on the backs of drivers over the past decade, many of whom are from immigrant communities and communities of colour,” Bonta said. “Lyft's success would not be possible without the drivers Lyft sought to unfairly short-change. Hard-working employees deserve full compensation for their labour.”

Public sector strike in Ireland set to go ahead

The first major public sector strike in Ireland in almost two decades is set to go ahead after trade unions rejected a late bid by ‌the government to avert the stoppage. Teachers, health workers and civil servants are among those who plan a one-day strike amid deadlock between unions and the government ​on the basis for entering talks on public sector pay increases.
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OTHER

Screen-free toys forecast to be popular this Christmas

UK retailers are reporting growing demand for screen-free toys ahead of Christmas, as parents seek to encourage imaginative play and reduce children's time on devices. The Entertainer said all 10 toys on its predicted bestseller list were screen-free, with buying director Geoff Sheffield reporting increased sales and rising interest in traditional educational toys. Smyths has also seen strong demand for Lego, craft sets and family games, with European marketing director Sinead Byrne saying families want opportunities to “switch off and connect with each other”. The trend comes amid increased scrutiny of technology's effects on children and proposals to restrict under-16s' social media access. Aldi is also anticipating strong demand for its Christmas range of more than 50 wooden toys, limiting purchases of selected products to two per customer.
 
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