Business

Two of the world’s largest auction houses have signalled a return to growth in the global art market, offering early evidence that a prolonged downturn in demand may be easing.

Sotheby’s, headquartered in New York, said it expects sales to rise by 17 per cent in 2025 to around $7 billion. Auction sales alone are forecast to increase by more than a quarter year on year to $5.7 billion, alongside what the company described as its strongest-ever performance in luxury categories.

That outlook places Sotheby’s ahead of its closest rival, Christie’s, which said on Tuesday that it anticipates global sales rising by about 6 per cent to $6.2 billion this year. Both auction houses are privately owned and did not disclose profit or loss figures.

The fine art market has faced several challenging years, marked by weaker demand from ultra-wealthy collectors and shifting tastes among younger buyers. Sotheby’s, which is owned by billionaire Patrick Drahi, reported annual losses that more than doubled to $248 million in 2024, according to recent Companies House filings. Christie’s is owned by Artémis, the holding company of François Pinault, the French billionaire behind luxury group Kering.

Charles Stewart, chief executive of Sotheby’s, said the latest figures pointed to a “return to growth”, underpinned by strong buyer demand across more than 450 auctions held in nine countries.

Among the most high-profile sales this year was the $10 million auction of Jane Birkin’s original Hermès Birkin bag in July, making it the most valuable handbag ever sold at auction. A collection of Patek Philippe watches also fetched $11.9 million during Sotheby’s collectors week in Abu Dhabi.

Sotheby’s said interest from younger and first-time buyers continued to grow. First-time bidders accounted for 35 per cent of participants, while buyers under the age of 40 made up 17 per cent of global fine art bidders and just under 30 per cent in luxury categories.

“Our strong performance in the second half of the year demonstrates clear momentum in our markets,” Stewart said. “This has been driven by more high-quality collections coming to market and meeting record levels of buyer demand.”

Christie’s also struck an upbeat tone. Bonnie Brennan, its chief executive, said that “the energy has returned to the salesroom, online and across the market”.

Both auction houses highlighted strong growth in luxury sales, which rose by 22 per cent at Sotheby’s and 17 per cent at Christie’s. Luxury goods have increasingly been positioned as an entry point for younger collectors, a strategy both firms have leaned into as they seek to broaden their client base and stabilise revenues beyond traditional fine art.

While challenges remain, the improved outlook from the two dominant players suggests the global art market may be entering a more stable phase after years of contraction.

Read more:
Sotheby’s and Christie’s hail recovery in global art market

The Bank of England has cut interest rates for the fourth time this year, lowering borrowing costs to their lowest level in almost three years as policymakers forecast that inflation will fall back to the 2 per cent target by spring.

Members of the Bank’s nine-strong monetary policy committee (MPC) voted narrowly, by five votes to four, to reduce the base rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 3.75 per cent, down from 4 per cent. The decision delivers immediate relief to mortgage holders and businesses with variable-rate loans.

The Bank said inflation was now expected to fall close to target within six months, helped in part by measures announced in last month’s budget that will ease household costs. Officials estimate that government decisions, including removing some levies from energy bills, extending the fuel duty freeze and cancelling a planned rail fare rise, could reduce inflation by as much as 0.5 percentage points and bring forward the disinflation process by around six months.

Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England, said the peak in inflation had passed but warned that future rate cuts were not guaranteed.

“We’ve passed the recent peak in inflation and it has continued to fall, so we have cut interest rates again,” he said. “We still think rates are on a gradual path downward, but with every cut we make, how much further we go becomes a closer call.”

The Bank had previously expected inflation to return to target only in 2027. The latest projections mark a significant shift in outlook following faster-than-expected disinflation in recent months.

The rate cut follows a run of weaker economic data. Inflation fell to 3.2 per cent in November, down from 3.6 per cent in October, while unemployment has risen to 5.1 per cent, its highest level in nearly six years. Private sector wage growth has also cooled, easing concerns about persistent inflationary pressure.

The economy contracted by 0.1 per cent in October, and the Bank now expects growth to flatline in the final quarter of the year. A survey of businesses conducted by the Bank found the economy was “lacklustre” in the run-up to the budget, with retail sales stagnant and investment stalled amid uncertainty over tax policy.

Speculation over possible tax rises in the months before the budget was cited by firms as a drag on confidence, though the Bank believes the fiscal measures ultimately announced will now help suppress price growth in 2026.

Bailey cast the deciding vote after switching from backing a hold at the previous meeting in November. He was joined in voting for a cut by deputy governors Sarah Breeden and Dave Ramsden, and external MPC members Swati Dhingra and Alan Taylor.

Huw Pill, the Bank’s chief economist, along with deputy governor Clare Lombardelli and external members Catherine Mann and Megan Greene, voted to keep rates on hold at 4 per cent, citing ongoing risks to inflation.

Breeden said the budget meant “administered price shocks should not repeat next year”, reinforcing the case for easing policy.

Financial markets had largely priced in the move. Following the announcement, sterling rose 0.25 per cent against the dollar to $1.34, while yields on ten-year UK government bonds edged up to 4.5 per cent. The FTSE 100 slipped 0.1 per cent.

Economists said further rate cuts in 2026 would depend on whether inflation continues to fall, the labour market weakens further and growth remains subdued. Goldman Sachs has forecast that rates could fall to 3 per cent over the next year, though others believe the Bank is nearing the end of its easing cycle.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves welcomed the decision, saying: “This is the sixth interest rate cut since the election — the fastest pace of cuts in 17 years. That’s good news for families with mortgages and businesses with loans. But I know there’s more to do to help families with the cost of living.”

For now, the Bank has signalled cautious optimism: inflation is easing faster than expected, but policymakers remain wary about how much further they can safely loosen policy without reigniting price pressures.

Read more:
UK interest rates cut to 3.75% as Bank signals inflation nearing target

Another weekend, another batch of matches that completely changed how the table looks. If you blinked, you missed some absolute chaos. Let me break down what actually mattered.

Look, I know you’ve probably seen highlights on social media. But scrolling through random clips doesn’t tell you the actual story. The context matters. Sure, you can check basic soccer results anywhere and get the scorelines, but understanding why these matches actually mattered for the season? That’s what separates casual observers from people who actually follow the sport. Some results were predictable. Others were absolute madness nobody saw coming. And a few quietly shifted the entire dynamic of their leagues without anyone really noticing because they happened at the same time as bigger, flashier games.

The title race just got interesting

City dropping points at home wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card. They’ve been unstoppable at the Etihad this season, so watching them struggle to break down a well-organized mid-table side was genuinely surprising. The xG was ridiculous – should’ve scored four or five. But that’s football. Sometimes the ball just doesn’t go in.

What this means for the title race? Massive. Arsenal now have a legitimate chance if they win their game in hand. Liverpool sitting pretty at the top suddenly have breathing room they didn’t expect. The gap that looked comfortable two weeks ago now looks precarious. Meanwhile, the team everyone wrote off in pre-season? They keep winning. Not flashy wins. Not dominating possession. Just grinding out results. Three points is three points, doesn’t matter if it’s boring.

Relegation battle heating up

Bottom three just keeps rotating. Every week someone climbs out, someone else drops in. It’s exhausting keeping track of who’s actually in trouble. This weekend’s big result was the basement clash. Both teams desperate for points. Both playing like their lives depended on it – because their Premier League lives actually do. The quality wasn’t great, let’s be honest. But the intensity? Through the roof. Tackles flying in everywhere.

The winner gets a massive psychological boost. Six-pointer is overused, but when you’re fighting relegation, these matches genuinely are worth double. Win and you’ve got confidence, momentum, hope. Lose and you’re staring at the Championship.

Match type
Why it mattered

Top vs second
Potential title decider with 10 games left

Mid-table derby
Bragging rights and local pride on the line

Relegation six-pointer
Could determine who stays up in May

Top four clash
Champions League qualification hanging in balance

Cup holders vs challengers
Statement win or reality check

That table makes it look simple. Reality’s messier. Form goes out the window in big games. Underdogs find levels they didn’t know they had. Favorites crumble under pressure.

The ones you might have missed

Everyone’s talking about the obvious big results. But some matches that flew under the radar could be just as important come season’s end. That mid-week rescheduled fixture? The one that kicked off at 7:45 while everyone was watching the evening’s marquee matchup? Result there could haunt teams in April. And the lower leagues had drama too. Promotion race in the Championship is absolutely mental. Three or four teams could still go up automatically. The playoffs are going to be brutal.

What it means going forward

These results created more questions than answers. Title race is wide open. Top four is anyone’s guess. Relegation won’t be decided until the final day, probably. The teams that won can’t get comfortable. The teams that lost can’t panic. There’s still too much football left. Injuries will happen. Form will fluctuate. Referee decisions will spark controversy.

But certain patterns are emerging. Teams that can grind out ugly wins? Those win things. Squads with depth who can rotate? They’ll be fresh in the run-in. Clubs whose managers adapt tactics mid-game? They’ll nick points when they shouldn’t. Meanwhile, teams relying on individual brilliance? One injury and they’re in trouble. Sides with paper-thin squads? They’ll hit a wall around March when fixture congestion kicks in.

The week ahead

Next weekend’s fixtures look tasty. Several revenge matches. A couple of potential manager-sacking games if results go badly. The weather’s going to play a part. Pitches are getting heavy. That favors certain styles. Technical teams that want quick passing? They might struggle. Direct teams happy to go long? Could thrive.

And injuries from this weekend will start showing up. Players pushed through knocks because the game mattered. They’ll break down mid-week. Managers scrambling to adjust lineups. Look, predicting football is pointless. The moment you think you’ve got it figured out, the sport does something mental. But that’s why we love it. That’s why we watch every weekend. This weekend delivered exactly what football should – drama, tension, unexpected results, and plenty to argue about. Can’t ask for more than that.

Read more:
Weekend football roundup: The most important results fans should know

Forex trading can be confusing at first because of the many terms traders use every day.

To help beginners build a strong foundation, this AURUM GROUP guide explains some of the most common words you will see on trading platforms and in market analysis.

1. Currency Pair

In forex, you trade one currency against another. This combination is called a currency pair.

Example: EUR/USD shows the value of the euro compared to the US dollar. If EUR/USD rises, it means the euro is becoming stronger than the dollar.

2. Bid and Ask Price

Every currency pair has two prices:

Bid price: The price at which you can sell.
Ask price: The price at which you can buy.

The ask is slightly higher than the bid. This difference helps brokers operate trading services. Understanding this gap is important because it affects the cost of each trade.

3. Spread

The spread is the difference between the bid and ask prices.

For instance, if EUR/USD has a bid of 1.1000 and an ask of 1.1002, the spread is 2 pips.

Tighter spreads mean lower trading costs. Spreads can change depending on the market’s activity, especially during major news events.

4. Pip

A pip (short for “percentage in point”) measures how much a currency pair moves. Most pairs are priced to four decimal places, and one pip is the last digit.

Example: If EUR/USD moves from 1.1000 to 1.1005, it has moved 5 pips.

Pips help traders calculate profit, loss, and risk.

5. Lot Size

A lot refers to the size of your trade. There are three common lot types:

Standard lot: 100,000 units
Mini lot: 10,000 units
Micro lot: 1,000 units

The larger the lot, the bigger the effect of each pip movement. AURUM GROUP users who are new to forex start with smaller lot sizes to manage risk more comfortably.

6. Leverage

Leverage allows traders to control a larger position with a smaller amount of money. It works like a temporary loan from the broker.

With 1:100 leverage, a $100 deposit lets you trade a $10,000 position.

Leverage can increase potential profits, but it can also increase losses. Understanding how Leverage works is essential before opening any position.

7. Margin

To open a leveraged trade, you must set aside a portion of your balance as margin. Margin works as a guarantee when your trade is active.

If your account drops below a required margin level, the platform may issue a margin call, warning you to add more funds or close positions to avoid automatic closure.

8. Stop-Loss and Take-Profit

These two tools help traders control outcomes:

Stop-loss (SL): Automatically closes your trade if the price moves against you.
Take-profit (TP): Automatically closes your trade when the price reaches your target.

Both are essential parts of risk management. Many traders nowadays rely on SL and TP to maintain discipline in fast markets.

Learning forex terms is an important first step toward understanding how the market works. This complete AURUM GROUP guide provides a simple glossary for beginners who want to build confidence before entering real trades. The more familiar you become with these terms, the easier it will be to read charts, manage risk, and follow market updates.

Read more:
Basic Forex Terms Explained: The Complete AURUM GROUP Guide

Many people believe that trading requires long hours in front of multiple screens and constant market monitoring. However, this isn’t always the case. With today’s online tools and flexible trading instruments, it’s possible to trade with a packed schedule.

Below are some practical insights of GCW-Management on how busy individuals can approach trading and why certain products, like CFDs, may be suitable for people who can’t dedicate entire days to market analysis.

Trading doesn’t have to be a full-time job

The idea that trading must be a full-time occupation is outdated. Many individuals today trade during short breaks, early mornings, late evenings, or weekends when they have time to review the markets. Because online trading platforms operate almost around the clock across different regions, the markets are more accessible than ever.

Following GCW-Management, online brokers today provide tools that allow traders to open, modify, or close positions quickly. This means you can react to market changes without needing to watch the screen all day. Instead of dedicating eight hours at once, you can divide your trading activity into small, manageable moments throughout the day.

CFDs: Flexible instruments for busy traders

One reason trading has become easier for part-timers is the growth of CFDs (Contracts for Difference). These instruments enable traders to speculate on price movements, and there is no requirement to own the asset itself. This comes with several advantages for those with limited time:

You can trade rising and falling markets

With CFDs, you can go “long” (if you think the price will rise) or “short” (if you expect it to fall). This flexibility means there may be opportunities in different market conditions.

Lower time commitment to manage positions

Because CFD trades can be opened or closed in seconds, they are suitable for traders who need efficiency. You don’t have to go through long processes of transferring physical shares or assets. A few clicks are enough to adjust a position.

Access to multiple markets from one place

Instead of opening accounts in different exchanges or platforms, CFDs provide access to markets like forex, indices, commodities, and stocks in a single environment. For someone with limited time, having everything in one place is a major advantage.

Risk-management tools help automate decisions

Most brokers offer features like stop-loss and take-profit orders. These tools automatically close your trade when the price hits a certain level. That means you don’t have to constantly monitor your positions, since your planned limits help manage the trade while you’re busy.

Creating a routine that fits your schedule

Busy traders succeed because they follow small but effective routines. Here are a few ideas from GCW-Management experts:

Prepare the night before. Spend 10–15 minutes reviewing the next day’s important news and market movements.
Trade during your quiet moments. Some people prefer early mornings; others check markets during lunch breaks or after work.
Focus on a few markets. Instead of trying to follow everything, choose 2–3 instruments and understand them well.

Trading part-time is achievable if you know how to use flexible instruments like CFDs and build habits that match your schedule.

Read more:
Trading on a Busy Schedule? GCW-Management Experts Are Here to Help

For many businesses, vehicles are an essential part of daily operations. Whether it’s company-owned cars, leased vans, or employees using their personal vehicles for work-related travel, road usage is deeply intertwined with modern business activity.

Yet, when accidents happen, many business owners are unclear about where responsibility lies — and how far their liability extends.

Understanding how business liability works in road accidents is not just a legal concern; it’s a financial and operational one. In some cases, a single collision can lead to legal disputes, insurance complications, and reputational damage that far outweigh the cost of the vehicle itself. That’s why having access to experienced legal guidance such as an Orlando Car Accident Lawyer when incidents occur in high-risk jurisdictions can make a significant difference in how well a business navigates the aftermath.

Company Vehicles vs Personal Vehicles: Why the Distinction Matters

The first factor that determines liability is vehicle ownership. When an accident involves a company-owned vehicle, the business is typically exposed to a higher level of responsibility. This is because company vehicles are considered part of business operations, and incidents involving them often fall under employer liability laws.

Personal vehicles, however, create a more complex scenario. Many employees use their own cars for client visits, deliveries, or business travel. In these cases, liability depends on whether the employee was acting within the scope of their employment at the time of the accident. If they were performing a work-related task, the business may still be held partially or fully responsible.

This distinction becomes especially important for small and medium-sized enterprises that rely on flexible work arrangements. Without clear policies, businesses may unknowingly expose themselves to unnecessary legal risk.

The Role of “Scope of Employment” in Accident Liability

One of the most important legal concepts in accident-related business liability is “scope of employment.” In simple terms, this refers to whether the employee was carrying out duties that directly benefit the employer when the accident occurred.

For example:

Driving to meet a client
Making deliveries
Attending a work conference
Traveling between job sites

In these situations, courts often view the employer as having some level of responsibility. Conversely, if an employee was commuting to or from work or running personal errands, liability is less likely to fall on the business.

However, grey areas are common. A short detour, an informal work request, or unclear travel instructions can blur the lines — which is why businesses should never assume they’re automatically protected.

How Insurance Coverage Can Complicate Matters

Insurance is often viewed as a safety net, but overlapping policies can create confusion after an accident. Company vehicle insurance, employee personal auto insurance, and umbrella liability policies may all come into play at once.

In some cases, personal auto insurance may deny coverage if the vehicle was being used for business purposes. This can shift responsibility back to the employer, even if the car wasn’t company-owned. Businesses that fail to verify employee insurance or document vehicle use policies may find themselves facing unexpected claims.

Working with professionals who understand accident liability laws in specific regions — including an Orlando Car Accident Lawyer when accidents occur in Florida — can help businesses identify coverage gaps and respond strategically before disputes escalate.

Employee Classification and Its Legal Impact

Whether a driver is classified as an employee or an independent contractor also affects liability. Many businesses assume that using contractors automatically limits responsibility, but that’s not always the case.

If a contractor:

Uses branded vehicles
Follows company schedules
Operates under direct supervision

…the business may still be considered liable in an accident. Courts often look beyond job titles and focus on the level of control the business exercises over the individual.

This is particularly relevant in industries such as logistics, real estate, and field services, where vehicle use is frequent and roles can be fluid.

Why Written Vehicle Policies Are a Business Essential

Clear, written vehicle usage policies are one of the simplest ways to reduce liability. These policies should outline:

Who is permitted to drive for work purposes
When personal vehicles may be used
Insurance requirements
Restrictions on mobile phone use or distractions
Reporting procedures after an accident

Having documented guidelines not only promotes safer behavior but also strengthens a business’s position if legal action arises. Courts often view proactive safety policies as evidence of responsible management.

Cross-Border and Out-of-State Accident Risks

For businesses operating across state lines or internationally, accident liability becomes even more complex. Laws vary widely by jurisdiction, and what protects a business in one location may not apply in another.

For example, an accident involving a visiting employee in the United States can expose a foreign business to unfamiliar legal systems and higher compensation claims. In such cases, consulting an Orlando Car Accident Lawyer with regional expertise can help business owners understand local liability standards and protect their interests effectively.

Reducing Risk Without Slowing Down Operations

While eliminating all risk is impossible, businesses can take practical steps to reduce exposure:

Regular driver safety training
Vehicle maintenance schedules
Verification of employee insurance
Clear travel authorization processes
Prompt legal consultation after incidents

These measures not only protect the company legally but also demonstrate a commitment to employee safety — an increasingly important factor for brand reputation and talent retention.

Final Thoughts

Road accidents are an unavoidable reality for many businesses, but the fallout doesn’t have to be catastrophic. Understanding where business liability begins and ends — especially when company and personal vehicles are involved — allows leaders to make informed decisions, reduce legal exposure, and respond effectively when incidents occur.

By addressing vehicle use proactively, maintaining strong insurance practices, and seeking knowledgeable legal guidance when needed, businesses can protect both their people and their bottom line — without compromising on growth or mobility.

Read more:
Company Vehicles, Personal Cars, and Accidents: Where Business Liability Begins and Ends

Michael Sayman said he had no intention of leaving Meta.

He started working for the tech juggernaut as a youngster, transitioning from early consumer product facing work to executive leadership positions that influenced the way hundreds of millions of people communicate online.

Michael said he took it day by day, not giving much thought for how his career would evolve and less about what the greatest use for his time was.

Over the past year, however, that all changed.

Sayman, who most recently worked for Meta’s Superintelligence Labs division, claims that the choice came with an awakening spurred by lengthy discussions with Whop founder Steven Schwartz.

With Steven, titles and pay were not the topics of discussion.

Instead, they discussed leverage, timing, and what product capabilities exist outside the constraints of large platforms, enough to galvanize Sayman’s creative energies enough that it became clear where his future was.

“I loved working with Zuckerberg and everyone and everything I’ve learned over the years. I’m just really excited about the opportunity of bringing all of that, all of those learnings and experience, to helping Whop become an incredible product,” Sayman said.

Sayman’s departure comes at a time when a growing number of long-term Big Tech workers are reevaluating where they can make a difference, and now that smaller teams are getting access to tools that formerly needed enormous resources, there is not the same need to be tied to a huge organization. Further, impact at smaller organizations where creative flexibility and transcending the traditional models are always the premiums can be more outsized.

According to Sayman: “I’ve been trying to think about when’s the opportunity to do something big, and this came. I just thought, I don’t know, I don’t know, kind of going back and forth on it. And at the end of the day, the opportunity just aligned in a way that I couldn’t say no.

At Whop, a platform that helps people run online businesses, Sayman will join the company as President of Product Ecosystems, overseeing product, engineering, and design across its platform.

The role marks a move from specialized, yet somewhat capped leadership inside massive organizations to broad operational ownership and macro potential within a fast-growing startup.

Further, as Sayman elaborates “I think now is a unique time when startups and new companies are able to break into larger audiences in a way that maybe wasn’t possible for a few years. It’s just such a unique time for that” and under his leadership, Whop seems primed to lead this new order.

Read more:
Why Michael Sayman Is Leaving Meta After More Than a Decade To Grow The New Startup Whop

UK inflation eased more sharply than expected in November, falling to a ten-month low and increasing the likelihood that the Bank of England will deliver a fourth interest rate cut of the year.

Official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the consumer price index (CPI) rose by 3.2 per cent in the year to November, down from 3.6 per cent in October. The reading was below the Bank of England’s forecast of 3.4 per cent and the 3.5 per cent expected by City economists, marking the lowest inflation rate since March.

Core inflation, which strips out volatile energy and food prices and is closely watched by policymakers, also surprised on the downside, easing from 3.4 per cent to 3.2 per cent. On a monthly basis, prices fell by 0.2 per cent between October and November, signalling a renewed bout of disinflation.

Lower food prices were the biggest driver of the slowdown, according to the ONS. Monthly food prices fell by 0.2 per cent at a time of year when they typically rise, while annual food inflation eased from 4.9 per cent to 4.2 per cent. Inflation for alcohol and tobacco also dropped sharply, from 5.9 per cent to 4 per cent.

Clothing prices provided a further drag on inflation, with annual price growth turning negative at minus 0.6 per cent. This, combined with easing pressure across several consumer categories, helped pull overall inflation lower than anticipated.

Grant Fitzner, chief economist at the ONS, said the fall was broad-based.

“Inflation fell notably in November to its lowest annual rate since March,” he said. “Lower food prices, which traditionally rise at this time of the year, were the main driver of the fall, with decreases seen particularly for cakes, biscuits and breakfast cereals.

“Tobacco prices also helped pull the rate down, with prices easing slightly this month after a large rise a year ago. The fall in the price of women’s clothing was another downward driver.”

The data strengthens expectations that the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee will vote to cut the base rate from 4 per cent to 3.75 per cent at its meeting on Thursday. Economists and traders are forecasting a narrow decision in favour of a cut, following a series of recent indicators pointing to a cooling economy.

Earlier this week, official figures showed unemployment rising and the labour market weakening, while wage growth has continued to slow — developments that reduce inflationary pressure and increase the case for looser monetary policy.

Lower interest rates would provide some relief for households and businesses by easing borrowing costs, at a time when economic growth remains fragile and confidence subdued.

Read more:
UK inflation slows more than expected to 3.2%, boosting case for rate cut

Rishi Sunak has defended the government’s Covid-era Bounce Back Loan (BBL) scheme against claims that it was plagued by excessive fraud, telling the Covid-19 Inquiry that the need to act quickly outweighed the risks.

The former chancellor said he was fully aware of the scheme’s vulnerabilities when it was launched in May 2020, but insisted that delaying it to introduce additional checks would have put hundreds of thousands of small businesses at risk of collapse.

“I keep hearing as if there were no checks done whatsoever, or that we didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into,” Sunak said while giving evidence to the inquiry. “Both of those narratives are completely wrong. Of course we knew the risks we were taking on.”

Bounce Back Loans allowed small businesses to borrow up to £50,000 with a 100 per cent government guarantee, meaning taxpayers would cover losses if companies defaulted. Nearly 1.5 million loans worth around £46 billion were issued, making it the largest of the government’s pandemic support schemes.

A report published last week by the Covid Counter-Fraud Commissioner, Tom Hayhoe, estimated that fraud and error in the scheme could total up to £2.8 billion, with £1.9 billion already flagged as fraudulent by lenders. The Public Sector Fraud Authority believes the final figure could be higher, as some types of fraud are not fully captured by current reporting methods.

Hayhoe’s report found that the scheme was launched in less than two weeks and relied largely on standard banking fraud controls. Although loans were capped at 25 per cent of turnover, lenders had to accept applicants’ declarations without independent verification. There were also no checks on whether businesses had genuinely been affected by the pandemic or how the funds were used.

Sunak acknowledged those weaknesses but said the speed of delivery was critical. He told the inquiry that around 40 per cent of all bounce back loans were issued in the first four weeks and that even a short delay could have caused widespread business failures.

“You could have lowered the ultimate fraud levels by waiting and building some of these checks,” he said. “But you have to then be confident that you were going to accept the loss of business that would result from that.”

He added that, at the time, there was no pressure to slow the scheme down. “Nobody was waving their hands saying, ‘Slow it down, more checks, more form filling,’” he said.

Sunak also argued that a fraud rate of around 4 per cent was broadly in line with other large government programmes, such as universal credit, working tax credit and housing benefit.

Following the scheme’s launch, the government did introduce additional safeguards, including systems to prevent companies from taking out multiple loans through different banks, which was against the rules.

Looking ahead, Sunak said that if a similar emergency scheme were needed again, better data on companies and improved systems would make the trade-off between speed and fraud prevention “less acute”. However, he warned that such trade-offs would never disappear entirely.

“But we shouldn’t ever think there is not going to be that trade-off,” he said. “There is.”

Read more:
Sunak defends Covid bounce back loans amid claims of excessive fraud

The UK is set to rejoin the Erasmus programme, restoring access for British students to the EU-funded study, training and volunteering scheme five years after the country ended its participation following Brexit.

Ministers are expected to confirm the move this week, with UK students understood to be able to take part in Erasmus placements from January 2027. The government has declined to comment on the detail of ongoing talks with the European Union.

The decision marks a significant policy shift after the UK withdrew from Erasmus in December 2020 as part of its post-Brexit trade deal. At the time, the then prime minister Boris Johnson described leaving the scheme as a “tough decision”, arguing that participation had become “extremely expensive”. It was replaced in 2021 by the UK’s own Turing scheme, which funds international placements worldwide.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously signalled a desire to reset relations with the EU, suggesting in May that a youth mobility arrangement could form part of a broader agreement.

Student groups have long campaigned for the return of Erasmus. Alex Stanley, vice-president for higher education at the National Union of Students (NUS), said the move would be warmly welcomed.

“It’s fantastic that another generation of students will be able to be part of the Erasmus programme,” he said. “Students have been campaigning to rejoin Erasmus from the day we left. This is a huge win for the student movement.”

Erasmus, named after the Dutch Renaissance scholar Erasmus of Rotterdam, provides funding for participants to study, train or volunteer in another European country for up to a year. It is open not only to university students, but also to those in further education, apprenticeships and vocational training, as well as some school pupils.

In 2020, the final year of UK participation, Erasmus provided €144 million (£126 million) in EU funding to support 55,700 participants overall. That year, around 9,900 UK students and trainees went abroad, while 16,100 European participants came to the UK. Glasgow, Bristol and Edinburgh universities sent the most students, with Spain, France and Germany the most popular destinations.

By contrast, the Turing scheme allocated £105 million in the 2024–25 academic year, funding 43,200 placements worldwide. Of these, 24,000 were in higher education, 12,100 in further education and 7,000 in schools. The majority of participants were from England, with smaller numbers from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Ministers who introduced Turing said it was designed to reach more students from disadvantaged backgrounds and to provide greater support for travel costs than Erasmus. It remains unclear what will happen to the Turing scheme once Erasmus is reintroduced for UK students, or whether the two programmes will run alongside each other.

The return of Erasmus has also been welcomed by opposition politicians. Liberal Democrat universities spokesperson Ian Sollom described the move as “a moment of real opportunity and a clear step towards repairing the disastrous Conservative Brexit deal”.

If confirmed, the re-entry into Erasmus would represent one of the most tangible post-Brexit policy reversals to date, reopening pathways for cultural exchange, skills development and European collaboration for UK students.

Read more:
Erasmus scheme set to return for UK students from 2027