The Treasury have confirmed there will be a 6.6% increase for adults in this week's budget.
The national living wage, currently set at £8.91 is set to increase to £9.50 according to the Treasury.
The wage will apply to all workers ages 23 or over, with a lower minimum wage for younger workers.
21-22 year olds will see a rise from £8.36 to £9.18, pushing them over the £9 an hour mark with an 83p increase in their hourly wage.
In addition to this, those aged between 18 and 20 will see their £6.56 hourly rate of pay increase by 27p to £6.83.
The rate will also rise for workers aged under 18, taking their £4.62 rate to £4.81, a 19p increase per hour.
Apprentices will still have the lowest hourly wage but will see their rate of pay matching those aged 18, increasing their £4.30 pay by 51p to £4.81.
This comes after recent cuts to universal credit and increasing rise in consumer prices and soaring cost of energy bills. It is thought that this increase will help to balance out the financial strain put on the public from the pandemic.
Rishi Sunak spoke at many of the pandemic briefings about the financial implications of Covid-related-restrictions. / Image: Number 10
Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, will officially set the budget this Wednesday and the government believe that it should give full-time workers an additional £1000 per year.
Those living in London will also see an increase in the London living wage, which accounts for the higher cost of living in the capital. This is set to reach £10.85 an hour.
Additional promises expected to be fulfilled over the week include investing £435,000,000 for victim services, crime prevention and the Crown Prosecution Service and a six-month extension to the Covid-19 recovery loan scheme to make June 2022 the new deadline.
The full details of the budget will be announced throughout the week as Rishi Sunak addresses concerns about a post-pandemic and post-Brexit economy and sets the financial plan, known as the budget, for 2022.
Leeds City Council has confirmed that work to stabilise buildings on Lower Kirkgate is set to begin later this month, with repairs expected to take around 20 weeks to complete.
Back in 2024, Lower Kirkgate in Leeds city centre was closed following the partial collapse of a building, leaving one of the city's oldest streets inaccessible.
Since then, the street has remained closed while plans were developed to address the structural issues affecting the buildings.
Now, almost two years after the initial incident, the council has confirmed that a contractor has been appointed to carry out the work.
The buildings are privately owned, but Leeds City Council says it will step in to carry out the stabilisation work to prevent further deterioration and protect the historic properties.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: “We are pleased that, following months of careful planning and preparation, we are now in a position to begin stabilising these privately owned buildings.
“A contract has been awarded for the work, which is scheduled to get under way later this month and is expected to take around 20 weeks to complete.
“It should be stressed that the situation on Lower Kirkgate is not of the council's making, with the owners of the buildings allowing their condition to deteriorate over many years and then failing to take the necessary steps to address the resultant structural issues.
“By stepping in and carrying out this work itself, the council will be able to arrest the deterioration of important heritage assets on one of Leeds’s oldest streets. As always, we thank the local community for their continued patience and support.”
Further details about the work, including when the street may be able to reopen, have not yet been confirmed.
End of an era as Harvey Nichols is leaving Leeds after 30 years on Briggate
Clementine Hall
It's time to say goodbye to one of Leeds' most recognisable shops.
One of Leeds’ most iconic shops is set to undergo a major makeover - as Harvey Nichols is reportedly leaving Briggate after three decades.
The luxury department store has been a staple in the heart of Leeds since 1996, but its days under the famous Harvey Nichols name are coming to an end.
It has been reported that the store is set to become a Flannels, following the takeover of Harvey Nichols by Frasers Group earlier this year.
The brand was bought by Frasers Group after the luxury retailer entered administration in August.
At the time, Frasers said the business had faced “sustained trading and operational challenges” and that significant restructuring would be needed.
Now, Frasers boss Michael Murray has confirmed that Leeds and Bristol are the two stores set to lose the Harvey Nichols name and become Flannels.
Murray has said the group plans to invest in its Manchester store, while the future of the Knightsbridge flagship in London is also being considered.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
For Leeds, though, it means saying goodbye to a name that has been part of the city for almost 30 years.
And with another Flannels already sitting just a stone’s throw away, there are plenty of questions about what the change will mean for the city's already luxury-heavy retail offering.
Whether you've dined in the beautiful Fourth Floor Brasserie restaurant or enjoyed browsing the beauty hall over the years, we all have our own memories of Harvey Nichols and there's no doubt it will be missed.
For now, there’s no confirmed date for exactly when the Harvey Nichols name will leave Leeds but we will keep you updated.
Sophie Smith -
25th October 2021 
