Students in London are the happiest

Students in London are more likely than those in all other English regions to say their experience exceeded their expectations, according to a new Living and Learning in London report.

In fact, London studiers are so happy they are also joint most likely of all English regions to say they would choose the same course and institution again (61%, the same as the North West).

In answering to the question ‘Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays?’ London students were significantly more likely to rate their happiness out of 10 at either nine or 10 than those in any other part of the UK.

More students in the capital also feel their courses provide good value for money, and the results are again more positive than in the other

English regions. This may be due in part to factors including the greater number of commuter students in London, as they may have different expectations of the student experience.

International students (a group comprising a disproportionately high proportion of the London student population) are more likely to view their courses as providing good value for money than those paying ‘home’ fees, and are also more satisfied with their lives. They may arrive well prepared for the cost of living in the capital, owing in part to the need to prove they have sufficient funds before applying for a visa. London students, including international students, are however more likely than those in all other UK areas to indicate that tuition fees are a financial issue for them.

Mazars UK delivers 23% growth in FY22

Top 10 accountancy firm Mazars has delivered 23% growth in FY22, according to figures for the year to 31 August 2022. The UK firm brought in revenue of £288m.

A drill down into the numbers shows Mazars UK audit business grew by 37%, as the firm goes looking for more market share from the Big 4. Mazars said the growth reflects its investment in talented people and headcount grew to 2,890, an increase of 18.5%. This included a record intake of 450 trainees in Q1 2022.

Phil Verity, CEO, said: “We are harnessing the firm’s positive momentum to invest in building the team of the future. From defining enhanced career pathways to creating a culture of mentorship across the firm, we are investing today to build a team with the skills, resources and support to succeed in the future.”

HMRC repayment interest rates ‘unfair’

The UK government needs to review “unfair” repayment interest rates, with taxpayers facing late payment bills from HMRC up to 17 times higher than what is returned to those who have overpaid, says the Chartered Institute of Taxation.

HMRC generally charges interest on late payment at the Bank of England’s base rate (currently 4%) plus 2.5%. However, interest on repayment from HMRC to individuals and businesses is the base rate minus 1%. This means there is usually a difference of 3.5 percentage points between the interest charged on late payments by HMRC and that paid by HMRC on repayments.

In an extreme scenario, this could result in an individual who submits their Self-Assessment tax return for the year 2020-21 on 31 January 2022, claiming a repayment of £5,000, being returned £57 in interest if HMRC do not make the repayment until 28 February 2023. Meanwhile, another taxpayer who submits their return on the same date but fails to pay a liability of £5,000 until 28 February 2023 could be charged an additional £976 by virtue of their late payment, more than 17 times as much. companies will be giving software demos and there will be a diverse CPD accredited education programme to explore.

“We're so excited to bring you our most diverse programme yet,” said Accountex Portfolio Director Caroline Hobden. “We want visitors to walk away feeling inspired and informed with a new passion.”

WŝĐŬ,d&d ĨŽƌd

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dŚŝŶŬ ƚŚŝŶŬ,d&d

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