The minimum wage for workers aged 16-18 is £4.55 (April 2020-21) For workers, aged 18-20 is currently £6.45 (April 2020-21) Readers Question: What are the minimum wage rates for 16, 17 and 18-year-olds. Should the minimum wage be increased? Should there be a minimum wage rate for children under 16? Minimum Wage Rates from April …
Since Jan 2017, US borrowing has increased – with over $2.7 trillion added to the US national debt. Whilst fears over debt are often over-blown, there is little long-term benefit or justification for these high levels of borrowing. The past few years represent a missed opportunity to reduce debt as % of GDP and/or invest …
The great recession refers to the economic downturn between 2008 and 2013. The recession began after the 2007/08 global credit crunch and led to a prolonged period of low/negative growth, rising unemployment and a period of fiscal austerity. In particular, the great recession highlighted problems within the Eurozone which experienced a double-dip recession and high …
Readers Question If one looked at the UK’s Historical Debt to GDP ratio; at the time austerity was introduced; the Debt to GDP ratio was last at this 2010 level in 1966. Having lived in 1966 there was no massive economc requirement to reduce public spending at that time ie everything was fine. So was …
From 2010 to 2019, total gross government debt (1) increased by £643 bn from £1.2 trillion to £1.8 trillion. UK Public sector debt 2010 – £1,194.3bn 2019 – £1,838.2bn A more helpful statistic is to consider debt as a percentage of GDP In 2010 Q2, public sector debt was 64.7% of GDP In 2019 Q3 …
Government debt under Labour was a major factor in the elections of 2010 and 2015. But to what extent did the Labour government really plunge the economy into debt during 1997-2007? Usually, when people say ‘it’s debt that got us into this mess’. They tend to view all types of debt as the same – …
In recent years, the British Banking system has become highly concentrated due to the wave of mergers following the credit crunch. Top 5 British Owned banks Bank Market value (£bn) As of October 2013 Assets (£bn) As of 31 March 2017 1. HSBC 126 1,936 2. Lloyds Banking Group (Bank of Scotland/Halifax) 53.5 817 3. …
In 1967, the UK government of Harold Wilson devalued the Pound from $2.80 to $2.40 (a devaluation of 14%). It was a major political event because the government had tried hard to avoid a devaluation, but felt forced into the decision because of a trade deficit, a weak domestic economy and external pressures from creditors. …