Britain’s postal service and parcel network under regulatory scrutiny
Former John Lewis chair Sir Charlie Mayfield leads a taskforce to cut sickness absence, arguing that reducing ill-health-related unemployment could unlock significant growth. More than 250 major employers have signed up, aiming to track absence, return-to-work outcomes, and disability participation to reveal health performance in workplaces.
Fraud losses reached a record $15.9 billion in 2025, up 27% from 2024, with high-dollar imposter scams driving most of the damage. Imposters posing as banks and government officials lead the most costly cases, while AI tools are making scams harder to detect. Authorities urge caution and verification.
IDS has disclosed a sharp rise in chief executive Martin Seidenberg’s pay for the year to 31 March, tied to a £3.6bn takeover by Daniel Kretinsky’s EP Group. While executive remuneration surged, IDS reported falling group profits and weaker performance at its GLS parcel arm amid regulatory and market pressures. The group is pushing universal service changes in the UK as Ofcom investigates delivery targets.
Ofcom has fined Virgin Media £28 million after a three-year probe found the provider deliberately mishandled millions of customer calls amid efforts to deter cancellations and retain customers. The regulator says call drops, transfers, and long holds affected broadband, landline and pay-TV customers; Virgin Media has overhauled its customer-services operation in response.