Homes for sale down 25%

Housing shortage

The number of homes on the market in the first half of 2021 is down 25% compared to last year according to Zoopla. The property website says high demand is pushing prices up, even after stamp duty holiday savings were reduced at the end of June. Houses are the most sought after, with flats less in demand, as buyers seek more home working space.

5G revolution?

The manufacturing industry could get a £6 billion boost by 2030 thanks to the rollout of 5G. A report by Vodafone found that faster and more reliable mobile tech could make factories more efficient and reduce delays on assembly lines. 5G is particularly important for building advanced products like electric cars, which is a priority for the government ahead of the diesel and petrol car ban in 2030.

Pingdemic continues

More workers will now be able to do daily tests instead of self-isolation if they’re pinged by the Covid app. The government is expanding its pilot scheme for key workers to try and reign in the pingdemic, which has caused staff shortages across the country. Prison staff, vets, soldiers and bin collectors will now be able to avoid self-isolation. 1,200 new sites are being set up to process the daily tests.