National Insurance: What are NI and income tax and what do I pay?
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel National Insurance: What are NI and income tax and what do I pay? Banzai Japan Music Video The government has announced an increase in the amount of National Insurance (NI) paid by employers. Before the Budget, the chancellor and prime minister had promised not to increase the main rates of income tax and National Insurance (NI) for working people and these will not change. NI rates paid by workers and the self-employed have already been been cut in 2024, but previous changes to the way tax is calculated mean the amount many people pay overall has risen. Budget 2024: Key points at-a-glance How the Budget will affect you and your money Book Novotel Hotel What is National Insurance and what does it pay for? The government uses National Insurance contributions (NICs) to pay for benefits and to help fund the NHS. It is paid by employees, employers and the self-employed across the UK. Those over the state pension age do not pay it, even if they are working. Eligibility for some benefits, including the state pension, depends on the NICs you make across your working life., external How does National Insurance work?, external Check your National Insurance record Banzai Japan Music Video How much do employers pay in National Insurance? At the moment businesses pay a rate of 13.8% on employees’ earnings above a threshold of £9,100 a year. In the Budget Chancellor Rachel Reeves said this rate would increase to 15% in April 2025, and the threshold would be reduced to £5,000. The employment allowance – which allows companies to reduce their NI liability – will increase from £5,000 to £10,500. In total Reeves said the changes would raise £25bn a year by the end of the period covered by the Budget. Neither employers nor employees pay NI on pension contributions. There had been widespread speculation that the Budget could set out plans for employers to start doing so, but it did not. Would raising employer National Insurance break Labour’s pledge? How much do employees pay in National Insurance? Workers start paying NI when they turn 16 and earn more than £242 a week, or have self-employed profits of more than £12,570 a year. The starting rate for National Insurance for 27 million employees fell twice in 2024: from 12% to 10%, and then again to 8%. The previous Conservative government said that the two cuts were worth about £900 a year for a worker earning £35,000. For the self-employed, Class 4 NI contributions on all earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 fell from 9% to 6%. At the time, the previous government said this was worth £350 to a self-employed person earning £28,200. Self-employed workers also no longer have to pay a separate category of NI called Class 2 contributions. The NI rate on income and profits above £50,270 remains at 2% for all workers. National Insurance rates, external What are the current income tax rates? Income tax is paid on earnings from employment and profits from self-employment during the tax year, which runs from 6 April to 5 April the following year. It is also paid on some benefits, external and pensions, income from renting out property, and returns from savings, external and investments, external above certain limits. The basic rate is 20% and is paid on annual earnings between £12,571 and £50,270. The higher rate is 40%, and is paid on earnings between £50,271 and £125,140. Once you earn more than £100,000, you also start losing the £12,570 tax-free personal allowance. You lose £1 of your personal allowance for every £2 that your income goes above £100,000. Anyone earning more than £125,140 a year no longer has any tax-free personal allowance. The additional rate of income tax of 45% is paid on all earnings above £125,140 a year. These rates apply in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Some income tax rates are different, external in Scotland, where a new 45% band took effect in April 2024. At the same time the top rate also rose from 47% to 48%. What is happening to NI and income tax thresholds and why do they matter? Despite the NI cuts for workers and the self-employed in 2024, millions will still pay more tax overall because of changes to the tax thresholds. These are the income levels at which people start paying NI or income tax, or have to pay higher rates. These used to rise every year in line with inflation. However, the previous government froze the NI threshold and tax-free personal allowance at £12,570 until 2028. Higher-rate tax will continue to kick in for earnings above £50,270. Freezing the thresholds means that more people start paying tax and NI as their wages increase, and more people pay higher rates. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) think thank, the freeze cancels out the benefits of the NI cuts for some workers. In the 2024-25 tax year, it says an average earner will have a tax cut of about £340 – from the combined tax changes – and people earning between £26,000 and £60,000 will be better off. But by 2027, the average earner would be only £140 better off – and only people earning between £32,000 and £55,000 a year would still benefit. Before the Budget there had been speculation that the chancellor would extend the freeze until 2030 but she said she had decided not to do so. Who pays most in income tax? For most families, income tax is the single biggest tax they pay. But for less well-off households, a greater share of family income goes on taxes on spending, known as indirect taxes. For the poorest fifth of households, VAT is the biggest single tax paid. How do UK taxes compare with other countries like France and Germany? You can look at the amount of tax raised as a proportion of the size of the economy, or GDP. In 2022
The seven bills going up this week
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel The seven bills going up this week Banzai Japan Music Video A series of essential bills are rising at the start of what some commentators have described as “awful April”. The exact amount you pay will depend on your individual circumstances, and where you live. Although minimum wages are also increasing, and wages on average have been outpacing inflation, household finances could still come under extra pressure. Here are seven ways in which you could be affected from 1 April. Book Novotel Hotel 1. Water bills Water bills for households are going up in England and Wales by £10 more per month on average, but there’s a lot of variation depending on the company, external. For example, the annual Southern Water bill will jump 47% to £703, while Anglian Water customers will pay 19% more, or £626. Factors including whether households have a meter and how much water used will also impact bills, which are being front-loaded for the next five years, meaning the big increase is coming this year. Water companies in England and Wales have said the increases are needed to invest in creaking infrastructure, including sewage, and to build more reservoirs. In Scotland, water bills are rising by almost 10%. Scottish Water, which is a public body, said spending was needed to cope with periods of “drought and intense rainfall” brought on by climate change. Domestic customers in Northern Ireland are not billed for water, with the system funded by the devolved government. 2. Energy bills The annual energy bill for a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity is going up by £111 a year to £1,849 from April. Regulator Ofgem increased the energy price cap because of higher wholesale costs and inflation. The cap is set every three months and limits the amount suppliers can charge for each unit of gas and electricity, but not the total bill, so if you use more, you will pay more. It affects 22 million homes in England, Wales and Scotland. Standing charges – fixed fees to connect to a gas and electricity supply and vary by region – are rising again for gas but dropping for electricity, but it depends on where you live. Ofgem is suggesting households consider a fixed tariff for a bit of stability. Energy price cap: Why are gas and electricity bills going up and can I fix? 3. Council tax It is likely the tax you pay to your local authority is going up. In England, local authorities with responsibility for delivering social care can increase council tax every year by up to 4.99% without triggering a referendum or local vote. Smaller councils without social care duties can increase bills by up to 2.99%. For 2025-26, the government is allowing Bradford, Newham, Birmingham, Somerset, and Windsor and Maidenhead to bypass the 4.99% cap, meaning they could raise council tax by more. Council tax rates in Scotland have been frozen or had limited increases since 2007, but they are are going up, in some cases by as much as 10%. The Scottish government says it is offering local authorities an extra £1bn in 2025-26 to help reduce the scale of any rise. In Wales, council tax rates could jump by as much 15% in some areas. Local authorities were given £253m by the Welsh government in its draft budget, but council leaders say more money needed. Northern Ireland uses a domestic rates system, external instead of council tax. All of Northern Ireland’s councils have reported district rate increases for the next year. What is council tax and how much is it going up? 4. Car tax The standard rate of tax for cars registered after April 2017 is rising £5 to £195 a year. According to the RAC,, external you may pay less or more if your car was first used before 2017. The exact amount for your road tax will depend on the year your car was registered and the type of fuel it uses. One big change is that electric vehicles (EVs) will no longer be tax exempt. EVs registered from April 2025 will pay the lowest rate of £10 in the first year, then move to the standard rate. The standard rate will also apply to EVs first registered after April 2017. Banzai Japan Music Video 5. Broadband, phone and TV licence Rule changes introduced by the telecoms regulator this year mean that mobile and broadband providers must now tell customers “in pounds and pence” about any price rises, as well as when they occur. The new rules typically only apply to new customers, so any price rise will depend on when you took your contract out, but prices ususally increase around now. For instance, under the new rules, someone with a mobile Sim only contract with EE will see their bill go up by £1.50 a month, or £18 a year. But for the majority of EE customers who took their contract out before 10 April 2024, they will face an increase of 6.4%, which is based on the inflation rate last December together with an additional charge. Similarly, most Virgin Media broadband customers will face a 7.5% rise in bills, but for anyone who took out a contract after 9 January this year, their monthly bill will go up by £3.50. The cost of a TV licence is also going up by £5 to £174.50, and for a black and white TV is going up by £1.50 to £58.50. 6. Stamp duty House buyers in England and Northern Ireland will start paying stamp duty on properties over £125,000, instead of over £250,000. First-time buyers currently had paid no stamp duty on homes up to £425,000, but this is dropping to £300,000. A host of homebuyers had been trying to beat the deadline or face paying more. What is stamp duty land tax and how is it changing? 7. Hidden tax rises The government
Tommy Robinson and Katie Hopkins reinstated on X
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Tommy Robinson and Katie Hopkins reinstated on X Banzai Japan Music Video Anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson has had his account reinstated on social media platform X, formerly Twitter. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was reinstated alongside political commentator Katie Hopkins. Hopkins was banned in 2020 and Robinson’s account was suspended in 2018 – Twitter accused both of breaking its rules on hateful conduct. A number of controversial figures have been allowed back on the platform since it was bought by Elon Musk last year. Book Novotel Hotel In November 2022, Mr Musk – a self-styled “free speech absolutist” – announced a “general amnesty” to suspended accounts that had “not broken the law or engaged in egregious spam”. Research by BBC Monitoring found that of 1,100 reinstated accounts it examined, nearly 190 were promoting hate and violence. X has also reinstated the controversial influencer and self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate, whose accounts are banned by YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Nick Lowles, chief executive of anti-hate campaigners Hope Not Hate, criticised the latest move by X. “Reinstating Tommy Robinson and Katie Hopkins means Elon Musk is allowing hateful content and misinformation to take place on his watch on X/Twitter,” he said. The group said it would be writing to X to “make it clear the danger that their content poses”. Banzai Japan Music Video Hopkins, a former LBC presenter and MailOnline columnist, has repeatedly attracted criticism for her views – including an incident where she compared migrants to cockroaches and another when she claimed that a photograph of a drowned three-year old Syrian refugee had been staged. In 2017 she caused anger when she tweeted that there must be a “final solution” to dealing with terrorists following the Manchester Arena attack. She later changed the term “final solution” to “true solution”, describing the earlier version as a “mis-type”. Hopkins had more than one million Twitter followers before her permanent suspension in 2020. The ban was for violating the platform’s hateful conduct policy but it did not, however, say which of her tweets had prompted the action. Following her reinstatement Hopkins posted on X: “Thank you @elonmusk. And thank you to all the Twitter family who have brought Tommy & I back to @X. “Know this. You are not alone. We are many. And we are stronger together. The fight back for your freedom is on.” Robinson founded the far right English Defence League, best known for protests against what it calls “radical Islam”, but stepped down in 2013. In July 2021 Robinson was ordered to to pay £100,000 in libel damages to a Syrian schoolboy who was filmed being attacked in a playground. In two videos posted to Facebook, Robinson made a number of false accusations about the boy. In November 2013, Robinson pleaded guilty to fraud, and he was subsequently jailed for 18 months. He also has convictions for stalking, assault, using someone else’s passport, using threatening behaviour and contempt of court. Premium boost Mr Musk and X have repeatedly proclaimed “freedom of speech, not reach” as a mantra, meaning that they intend to provide free speech for all – while simultaneously limiting the reach of offensive and misleading posts. In practice, it hasn’t always worked that way, and many accounts prone to spreading misinformation on the platform have access to X Premium (formerly Twitter Blue). For Premium subscribers the platform actually boosts their posts in the algorithm. Thousands of accounts that were previously banned from Twitter have been reinstated since Mr Musk’s takeover. These include accounts with fringe views that were suspended for hateful conduct, accounts that shared health misinformation and anti-vaccine content during the Covid pandemic, and those that spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 US election. Some of those accounts have since been resuspended by X for repeating past offences. The BBC has approached X for comment. Book Novotel Hotel Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
Tommy Robinson not welcome in Glasgow – council leader
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Tommy Robinson not welcome in Glasgow – council leader Banzai Japan Music Video Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken has said far-right activist Tommy Robinson is not welcome in the city. The English Defence League (EDL) founder, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, posted about a “pro-UK” rally in George Square next month. He wrote “the British are rising” as he shared information about the “peaceful protest”, to be held on 7 September. More than 100 people have been arrested at several violent demonstrations in England in recent days following the Southport knife attack. Ms Aitken posted on X: “Glasgow City Council has received no notification of any rally but then we know Tommy Robinson and his ilk don’t really care about respecting laws or public places. “He’s not welcome in Glasgow and neither is anyone who chooses to align with his poisonous rhetoric.” Book Novotel Hotel Mr Yaxley-Lennon – an anti-Islamist activist who is the subject of an arrest warrant after leaving the country on the eve of a major legal case against him – shared a post that said the Glasgow event would coincide with several pro-UK rallies. It said the rally would “share our distrust and fear of the future”. Pro-UK events are also being organised in other parts of Scotland. Arrests were made earlier this week at demonstrations in Southport, Manchester, London and Hartlepool. Dal Babu, former Chief Superintendent and firearms commander in the Met, has blamed the disorder on the “reckless” spread of misinformation about the identity of the suspect charged in the Southport stabbing. Banzai Japan Music Video ‘Evil ideology’ Mr Yaxley-Lennon did not indicate if he intended to attend the Glasgow event. Scotland’s former first minister, Humza Yousaf, has called for the EDL to be proscribed under terrorism laws following the riot in Southport. Merseyside Police said the rioters – who threw bricks at a mosque following a knife attack which killed three girls on Monday – was made up of EDL supporters. In a letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Mr Yousaf claimed “Britain has a far-right problem”, urging her to use anti-terrorism powers to make membership of the group illegal. “It is time we took on the English Defence League and the evil ideology that drives them,” he wrote. The former SNP leader added that such action would not provide an “overnight fix”, but would demonstrate the UK government’s intention to be “proactive in tackling far-right violence and terror that has been allowed to run rampant in the streets of the UK for far too long”. Mr Yaxley-Lennon has insisted that the EDL no longer exists. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar called for a “clamp down” on social media activity that he says is ramping up hatred and spreading disinformation in the wake of the Southport killings. Mr Sarwar said the violence and disorder seen in the town and elsewhere was “unacceptable and reprehensible”. He told BBC Scotland News it was the responsibility of the UK government, police, security services and also social media companies. ‘Toxic values’ Scottish Green co-leader and Glasgow MSP Patrick Harvie has written to other Holyrood parliamentarians from the city calling for a united response against the rally. “The last few days have shown clearly the contempt the far right have for a grieving community, and they must not be allowed to continue to promote their toxic values unchallenged,” he said. “I have no doubt that those of us who stand against them will far outnumber them if they do gather in Glasgow.” Stand Up to Racism Scotland responded to Mr Yaxley-Lennon’s post by announcing it would also stage a demonstration in George Square on 7 September. The group said it would be a “safely stewarded, family-friendly, demonstration open to all anti-racists and anti-fascists to stand in unity against those stirring up hate and division in our city”. There is no requirement for groups to notify Glasgow City Council of rallies or static protests, as would be the case for a public procession. However, groups seeking to stage an event at George Square would be expected to seek permission to use the space. A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: “No permission has been sought or granted.” Mr Yaxley-Lennon had been due in court for allegedly breaching an order not to repeat lies about a Syrian refugee. If he does not does not return, the case will be heard in his absence after 28 October – and could lead to a jail sentence. He has been convicted of a string of offences previously, including assault, mortgage fraud, threatening behaviour and possession of drugs. Book Novotel Hotel Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
Rogue landlord ‘motivated by greed’ jailed
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Rogue landlord ‘motivated by greed’ jailed Banzai Japan Music Video A landlord who was among a group of property agents who defrauded and misled flat-hunters on an “unprecedented” scale has been jailed for three years and five months. Mohammed Haque, along with three others, was convicted in October of eight counts of fraudulent trading. A fifth defendant was found guilty of two lesser offences. A trading standards investigation found they posted about 18,000 misleading adverts for rooms in east London, hooking in victims who were pressured into paying deposits to move into “horrible” properties. Some ended up trapped in them while others were evicted without notice. Many victims said their experiences had had a severe financial and psychological impact. Book Novotel Hotel Haque, 47, set up various companies operating across Tower Hamlets, including Citiside Properties Ltd and Flintons, based at the same address in Mile End, and had links with several other firms, trading standards found. Haque, his former wife Fatima Begum, 42, Gonzalo Egea, 43, and Razaur Oli, 51, were convicted at Southwark Crown Court of fraudulent trading, while Haque, Nozir Ahmed, 56, and the two companies Barrons London Ltd and Roomshare Ltd were found guilty of the less serious charge of engaging in unfair commercial practice. Ahmed and Roomshare were also convicted of engaging in aggressive commercial practice. Banzai Japan Music Video ‘Tip of the iceberg’ One man told Southwark Crown Court his life was made “hell” by Flintons and he was left feeling suicidal by the firm, while another tenant said he was treated like a “stray dog”. One victim said she was forced to live in a flat ridden with mice; others said they felt “violated” and were left penniless. Tower Hamlets trading standards investigation team leader Sean Rovai said the case was “virtually unprecedented in its size and complexity”, with more than 200 known victims between 2017 and 2021. However, he said that number was likely to be the “tip of the iceberg”. The defendants appeared to target those unfamiliar with the London rental market, such as foreign workers and students, using popular sites such SpareRoom to post misleading pictures of rooms that were not in fact available, the investigation found. Prospective tenants were tricked into parting with large deposits, pressured into taking out tenancies without being able to view properties first, and many became “stuck” in low-quality accommodation that bore no resemblance to adverts. Some were threatened when they tried to move out while others found themselves trapped, without anywhere else to go, investigators found. When tenants chose to leave at the at the end of their contracts, their deposits were not returned to them. “Almost every area of malpractice in this industry that we see was encapsulated in this one case,” Mr Rovai said. “It was all motivated by greed and profit. And there was very little sympathy for any of these victims.” In some cases, the firms evicted tenants with no notice by removing all their possessions and changing the locks while they were out. Tenants were treated “terribly”, Mr Rovai said. ‘I had nowhere to go’ Fashion worker Julius Agyei, who rented a room from Flintons, said he was “devastated” by what happened to him after he moved to London from Manchester. Arriving home to Mile End from a day out at Winter Wonderland in December 2018, he found his key did not work. “Everything was locked,” he said. When a housemate let him in, Julius found all his possessions had been removed from his room. “It was empty, there was literally nothing; I was devastated. All my clothes, shoes, my passport, lots of meaningful items… I never got them back.” Julius spent the night on the street before seeking help at a homeless hostel the following day. “I had nowhere to go… I had nothing so I literally had to start from scratch… it took me a while, it was very challenging.” Julius said in the years that followed, he suffered panic attacks, a breakdown and flashbacks. “I was traumatised by it… it wasn’t just shoes and clothes, it was deeper than that.” Usually, landlords must obtain a court order to evict tenants. But these companies tricked people into signing what are known as licence-to-occupy agreements – usually used for holiday accommodation – which effectively enabled them to throw people out on the street. The firms were “not averse” to getting rid of those who complained, Mr Rovai said. “There was always a queue of people desperate for housing so they can afford to kick them out.” Many victims took out tenancies after being lured in with “bait-and-switch” advertising. The firms used photos of high-quality accommodation that was not actually available, in order to generate interest. Yan Liu was hooked in by one such advert on SpareRoom for a room in a property near the Bow Road in Mile End, when she was studying medicine nearby. “It was pristine and £600 per month.” She went to the Citiside Properties office an hour later but was told the room was no longer available. “I was about to leave but they insisted to show me other properties.” She was then pressured into paying £300 just to view an alternative room. However, the firm did not show her the room and refused to refund her money. She was told the only way to get her money back was to redeem it indirectly by taking out a tenancy agreement. “£300 is is not a small amount of money,” Yan said. “I felt that because I paid that deposit with them, I didn’t have any other choice: if I want to get the money back, I have to rent with them.” The room Yan eventually moved into was more expensive and “much crappier” than the one she saw advertised, she said. It had no heating and a faulty electricity supply, meaning she could not cook. ‘Humiliated and embarrassed’ Israel Kujore went
Joey Barton guilty of kicking wife in the head
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Joey Barton guilty of kicking wife in the head Banzai Japan Music Video Former footballer Joey Barton has been found guilty of assault by beating after pushing his wife to the floor and kicking her in the head. The midfielder, 42, who played for Manchester City and QPR, assaulted Georgia Barton, 38, in June 2021 during a drunken row at their family home in Kew, south-west London. The pair, who had been drinking with two other couples while their children slept upstairs started arguing after Barton threatened to fight his wife’s brother and father, Westminster Magistrates’ Court previously heard. Barton, who was the manager of Bristol Rovers at the time, was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence. Book Novotel Hotel Mrs Barton was left with a lump on her forehead and a bleeding nose, the court previously heard. She had called police immediately after the attack, saying her husband had “just hit” her, but later sent a letter to the prosecution retracting her allegations. Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring rejected Barton’s account of events and described them as “vague” as he convicted him. While he acknowledged Barton had “a record of violence”, the magistrate said: “I am satisfied that it is not necessary to impose an immediate custodial sentence.” Mr Goldspring said a mitigating factor was that the couple remained in a “happy relationship” with a young child, adding: “That is not something I want to interfere with.” Banzai Japan Music Video ‘Clearly no accident’ Speaking outside court after the sentencing, Barton said he was “really disappointed” with the magistrates’ verdict and intended to appeal to decision at the High Court. Prosecution barrister Helena Duong told the court Mrs Barton’s 999 call to police on the night of the assault was “compelling evidence”, as she had described it in “clear terms”. Ms Duong said Mrs Barton’s bloody nose was “an injury that really requires an explanation”, adding: “It was, plainly, something not caused by an accident.” Barton previously told the court he admitted getting into an argument with his wife, but denied that anything “physical” had happened. He was arrested in his bedroom on the night of the incident, where he had been asleep and was still drunk, the trial was told. The former footballer was due to face trial at a magistrates’ court in 2022 but the case was adjourned after Mrs Barton sent a letter retracting her allegations. In the letter, she said her injuries had been caused by accident when a friend moved in to separate the pair. A judge ordered that proceedings be paused over concerns a trial would be unfair to Barton after the prosecution said they did not plan to ask Mrs Barton to give evidence in court. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Stephen Parkinson, appealed against the decision at the High Court in London, with barristers claiming at a hearing that a fair trial could go ahead. In a judgment in June, two senior judges ruled in the DPP’s favour and said Barton should face a trial over the allegations in front of a different judge. Barton was also ordered to pay £2,183 in victim surcharge and prosecution costs within seven days. Book Novotel Hotel Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
‘Top tier’ US fast food chain confirms UK launch with free burgers
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel ‘Top tier’ US fast food chain confirms UK launch with free burgers Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPElmgQJGBo An American fast food chain that’s best known for its chargrilled burgers is heading over the pond and opening in the UK in a matter of days. Carl’s Jr. announced in May 2024 that it would be launching here under the stewardship of Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG), and now the very first location has been confirmed. The debut restaurant has set up shop in Cardiff and is officially opening its doors to the public on April 3, inside St David’s Dewi Sant – the city’s biggest shopping centre. The space will be able to seat 70 guests and will create 30 new jobs for the local community, with the chain said to be bringing a ‘West Coast vibe tailored to British tastes’. Those who visit the restaurant on launch day will be in for a real treat as the chain is giving away 100 free burgers to the first customers. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsGZL-zb54 Set to rival the likes of Burger King and McDonald’s, the Carl’s Jr. menu will feature a selection of four ‘classic’ burgers, three premium Angus beef burgers, as well as several chicken burgers. There will also be ice cream milkshakes, bottomless soft drinks, chicken tenders, brownies and ice cream sundaes on offer. Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3syHHGzkF_s The new Cardiff site is just the beginning for the chain in the UK and Ireland, with an expansion plan already in place. More restaurants are expected to launch later in 2025 and into 2026, with Carl’s Jr. looking to target big cities such as Birmingham, Manchester, and London. David Moffat, Country Manager for Carl’s Jr. UK, said: ‘Carl’s Jr. has a reputation for delivering high-quality, crave-worthy food that stands out in the burger market. ‘We are thrilled to bring Carl’s Jr. to Cardiff, marking our first location in the UK. The team at BRG has been working hard to bring the Carl’s Jr. experience to the UK, and we can’t wait to welcome our first guests soon.’ Comment nowExcited to try Carl’s Jr. or do you think the UK has enough burger chains already?Comment Now While this new restaurant will be the first taste of Carl’s Jr. for many Brits, the chain is already established outside of the US with branches across Europe in countries like France, Spain, Denmark, and Switzerland. The chain was first established in Anaheim, California, in1941, and now has more than 4,000 locations worldwide. But what exactly do people like about it? Online, fans have praised Carl’s Jr. for its side dishes, especially the French fries. Taking to Reddit, a user known as u/SnooCupcakes2018 claimed the fries were ‘the best’, while u/KeepItHeady posted: ‘Carl’s Jr. has top tier sides for fast food. When you compare Carl’s Jr. to other fast food chains, they pack a serious punch on the sides game. ‘Carl’s Jr. has gone through a few different types of fries over the past few decades. At a certain point, they were “natural cut” and had skins on, and were a little bit thicker. Now, Carl’s has gone with a thinner shoestring fry, which in my opinion is top tier. Up there with McDonald’s fries for sure, although Carl’s don’t really have that added beef flavoring like McD’s. They always put the correct amount of salt on these fries and I always get fresh fries at Carl’s.’ Others couldn’t get enough of the Western Bacon burger which features a beef patty, bacon, cheddar cheese, onion rings and BBQ sauce in a sesame bun. ‘The western bacon cheeseburger is the GOAT,’ proclaimed u/CapitalPin2658, and u/Michaelskywalker agreed, saying: ‘Western bacon goes crazy.’ Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR8YYeb4PMk Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
Calls for student visa rules to be scrapped
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Calls for student visa rules to be scrapped Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPElmgQJGBo The government should scrap a rule which prevents some international students bringing their families with them to the UK, a senior university official has said. Professor Jennifer Watling, of Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), said the restriction, introduced in 2024, has led to a fall in the number overseas admissions. She said international students brought “value in terms of cultural richness and diversity” but were also important sources of funding which many universities rely on. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsGZL-zb54 A government spokesman said while the UK values the contribution international students make, “net migration must come down”. The Labour government has previously said it has no plans to lift the ban on relatives arriving with international students, which was brought in under the Conservative government, external to curb migration. International student visa applications have fallen across some universities since the change was introduced according to Home Office figures. Banzai Japan Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3syHHGzkF_s Prof Watling said the cap on fees for domestic students meant universities “have to obtain income from sources other than UK students”. UK undergraduates fees are set to rise to £9,535 a year from September. International students studying at the same level pay an average of about £22,000 annually, though some pay as much as £38,000, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) said. ‘More welcome’ There are more than 51,000 international students at universities in the north west of England, according to 2024 admission figures from advocacy group Universities UK. A study by think tank the Higher Education Policy Institute found income from these fees can be vital to universities. Rose Stephenson from the Institute, said: “For Manchester, there was an economic benefit of £450 million which actually translates to over £3,500 per resident, again per cohort of international students coming in.” Despite the falls in admissions, international students are still attracted by opportunities in the UK, Margarida Vasconcelos, a digital marketing student at MMU, said. She said: “There are a lot of international students and opportunities, people from different cultures, religions, so it makes it us feel more welcome – it was why I wanted to come to Manchester.” “This government strongly values the contribution that international students make to our economy, to our education institutions and to our society,” a Home Office spokesman said. Book Novotel Hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR8YYeb4PMk Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol