Half price homes go on sale

First Home scheme

Aspiring homeowners who struggle to afford to get on the ladder could get their home half price from today. First-time buyers can apply for a discount of up to 50% on a new build under the government’s new First Home scheme. The first eligible properties went on the market today in Derbyshire and around 1,500 are expected in autumn. The discount is only for those with a total annual income of under £80,000 - or £90,000 in London.

Job vacancies soar

Firms are in desperate need of workers as the economy reopens, but staff are in short supply. Demand for workers has risen at its fastest rate in 23 years according to KPMG. Hospitality and tech workers are particularly hot property right now, and recruiters are urging the government to address the skills ress the skills shortage.

Car sales rev up

New car sales rose 670% last month compared to May 2020 when all dealerships were shut. 156,000 sets of wheels rolled off forecourts throughout the month, which is still lower than the 183,724 recorded in May 2019.

Tax deal

G7 finance ministers are meeting in London this weekend to try and work out a global deal for taxing tech giants like Amazon and Facebook. It’s a point of disagreement between the US and other countries, but Chancellor Rishi Sunak says he’s confident of making progress. They’ll also discuss climate change and a green recovery from the pandemic.