Business
Whittlesey butcher makes appeal for customers on social media
John Devine/BBCA shop that has housed butchery businesses for more than 100 years could face the chop unless more people use it.
Jones Butchers has stood on Broad Street in Whittlesey, near Peterborough, since 1957 and before it, two other butchers dating back to the early 1900s have been there.
Mark Field, a butcher with 30 years’ experience, took over the business in June but has appealed for more customers on social media, putting his struggles down to the cost of living and the convenience of supermarkets.
Trade association National Craft Butchers (NCB) said beef prices were at an historic high, with the cost of meat generally rising 17%, which had made it tough for independent butchers.
Mark FieldAfter always working for other people in the butchery industry, Mr Field, 47, thought he would try and go it alone and run his own shop after an opportunity arose.
“I am not regretting taking it on because I have a love for the job and I’ve always wanted to do this,” he said.
But despite a summer perfect for barbecues, Mr Field said he had already been forced to cut down on staffing hours and upped his own shift patterns, working 60 hours a week.
GRAHAM JONES“Things have picked up a bit since I made the plea for more customers on Facebook last week, so I will keep my fingers crossed”, he said.
But he added: “The cost of meat has been rising across the board, and I think younger people can sometimes feel intimidated by coming in to a shop where they have to ask for something. They prefer picking up meat in packs from a supermarket.”
BENT AND CORNWELLAdrian Cornwell, who runs Bent and Cornwell in Ely, noticed that business had also been quieter this year.
“We can’t compete with supermarkets on prices, but what we can do is share our vast knowledge with our customers on how best to prepare various cuts of meat,” he said.
Mr Cornwell added that he had tried to replicate how the supermarkets displayed their meat, because “that’s what the shopper expects”.
He agreed with Mr Field that the younger generation seemed to forgo visiting butchers’ shops, preferring the convenience of the supermarket.
Beef prices have increased to historic highs of £7 per kg due to constrained supply and continued consumer demand, said NCB.
According to the British Retail Consortium, food prices rose by 4% in July from a year earlier.
Meat prices have also increased by 17% up to June this year.
John MettrickJohn Mettrick, legislation director at NCB and a fifth generation butcher, said it was “tough for all businesses on the High Street, not just butchers”.
He said his own shop had managed to entice younger customers by selling “kitchen-ready” meals.
“I do a thing called ‘fake-a-ways’, stir fries, Indian dishes, all prepared ready for the oven, it saves so much time,” he said.
Business
Income Tax Department cautions taxpayers against rise in fake emails, SMS scams – The Times of India
NEW DELHI: The Income Tax Department has issued a public advisory cautioning taxpayers, especially senior citizens, against fraudulent emails, SMS messages, and websites impersonating the Department to steal personal and financial information.In an official awareness message shared by the Income Tax Department, Government of India, on X, taxpayers have been urged to remain vigilant and verify the authenticity of all communications claiming to be from tax authorities.Fraudsters, the Department warned, are increasingly using fake sender IDs, misleading links and look-alike websites to trick individuals into revealing sensitive details such as PAN numbers, passwords and one-time passwords (OTPs).The Department has reiterated that taxpayers should access tax-related services only through the official portal https://www.incometax.gov.in.Any other website resembling the official domain–such as variations using “efiling” or altered spellings–should be treated as suspicious.“Think Twice, Act Wise,” the advisory reads, emphasising that the Income Tax Department never asks for OTPs, passwords or confidential personal information via email, SMS or phone calls. Taxpayers are advised to always check the sender’s email address and website domain carefully before clicking on any link.To strengthen public awareness, the Department has also encouraged citizens to report suspicious activity. Suspected phishing emails can be forwarded to webmanager@incometax.gov.in, with a copy marked to incident@cert-in.org.in, the national cyber incident response agency.For assistance, taxpayers may also contact the official helpdesk at 1800 103 0025 or 080 46122000.The campaign is part of the government’s broader effort to promote cyber hygiene and protect citizens from digital fraud, particularly vulnerable groups such as senior citizens. The Income Tax Department has urged people to share the message widely to safeguard family members and loved ones.“Think before you click–stay tax smart, stay safe,” the Income Tax Department advised, reinforcing that awareness and caution remain the strongest defences against online tax scams. (ANI)
Last Updated:
The income tax department is analysing certain refund claims flagged by the system, either because they were “high-value” or due to deductions that required deeper scrutiny.
Income Tax Refund Delay.
Even as the income tax department ups its ante against the fake deductions, a section of taxpayers are still awaiting their tax return for this year. The refund delay 2025 comes even as the department is scrutinising bogus tax claims “red-flagged” by the system. Ravi Agrawal, chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxation (CBDT), has said that the refunds would be cleared in December.
In November, the CBDT chairman said the department was analysing certain refund claims flagged by the system, either because they were “high-value” or due to deductions that required deeper scrutiny. He added that taxpayers have been advised to “file a revised return” wherever discrepancies exist.
When are income tax refunds usually issued?
Refund processing begins only after an ITR is successfully e-verified. Once that is done, the income tax department generally credits the refund within four to five weeks, as per the department’s guidelines.
This timeline is followed in most cases. When delays occur, they typically stem from common issues such as:
• An unvalidated bank account (mandatory for receiving refunds)
• An incorrect or inactive IFSC code
• A mismatch between the taxpayer’s name and the PAN details
• A discrepancy between the ITR and data in Form 26AS or the AIS
Missing an email or notification seeking clarification can also pause processing entirely.
How to check your income tax refund status
The refund status can be tracked anytime through the income tax portal. Here’s the step-by-step process:
Visit the portal at: eportal.incometax.gov.in/iec/foservices/.
Go to the e-Filing homepage.
Log in using your user ID and password.
Navigate to: e-File → Income Tax Returns → View Filed Returns
Select the relevant assessment year and click View Details.
This page will show whether your refund has been issued, is under review, or is pending due to additional information required.
Why are ITR refunds delayed in 2025?
Most delays arise from banking or identity-related discrepancies — wrong bank account numbers, invalid IFSC codes, unvalidated accounts, or PAN-Aadhaar linkage issues.
Refunds are also held back when deductions appear inaccurate or require supporting documentation. In such cases, the system routes the return for additional checks.
Mismatches between Form 16, Form 26AS and the AIS are another common trigger. Returns pulled into manual verification naturally take longer to process.
For a majority of taxpayers, refunds arrive within the usual four-five weeks. For others, the processing time depends on how quickly verification, bank detail correction, or responses to notices are completed. Ensuring that all records match and regularly checking the portal remain the easiest ways to avoid further delay.
Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. December 13, 2025, 15:46 IST
Read More
Business
Home loan EMIs to get cheaper? SBI passes on RBI’s 25 bps repo rate cut benefits; check the new rates – The Times of India
After the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the repo rate by 25 basis points last week, several major banks have moved to pass on the benefit to borrowers. Latest addition to the wave is the State Bank of India (SBI), which announced cuts across its lending rate benchmarks, in a move aimed at easing borrowing costs and lowering EMIs for both retail and corporate customers.The public sector entity slashed the MCLR, EBLR and RLLR rates and revised the BPLR and base rates, according to ET.Herre are the new rates:
MCLR rates revised across tenors
SBI has cut its Marginal Cost of Funds-based Lending Rate (MCLR) across these tenors:Short-span
- Overnight and one-month MCLR: Reduced from 7.90% to 7.85% each.
- Three-month MCLR: Cut from 8.30% to 8.25%
- Six-month MCLR: Now at 8.60%, down from 8.65%
Long-term
- One-year MCLR: Lowered from 8.75% to 8.70% (widely used for retail loans)
- Two-year MCLR: Reduced from 8.80% to 8.75%, according to ET.
- Three-year MCLR: Now 8.80%, down from 8.85%
Effective 15 December this year, SBI also revised its External Benchmark Lending Rate (EBLR) and Repo Linked Lending Rate (RLLR):EBLR ratesDown from 8.15% + Credit Risk Premium (CRP) + Bank Spread (BSP) to 7.90% + CRP + BSP, reducing the benchmark by 25 basis points. The final interest rate payable will depend on the borrower’s CRP and the bank’s BSP.RLLR ratesFrom 7.75% + CRP, the figure came to 7.50% + CRP, reflecting a 25-basis point cut. Borrowers with EBLR- and RLLR-linked loans will see a decline in interest rates and EMIs based on their loan conditions and risk category, ET reported.BPLR ratesSBI has also revised its Benchmark Prime Lending Rate (BPLR) to 14.65% per annum.Base rate adjustmentsThe bank also cut it base rate to 9.90%, effective from 15 December 2025.
Income Tax Department cautions taxpayers against rise in fake emails, SMS scams – The Times of India
With dumb names and no stakes, bowl games’ days are numbered
Refund Delay 2025: A Step-By-Step Guide To Check Income Tax Payout Status
-
Politics5 days agoThailand launches air strikes against Cambodian military: army
-
Sports1 week agoAustralia take control of second Ashes Test | The Express Tribune
-
Politics7 days ago17 found dead in migrant vessel off Crete: coastguard
-
Fashion5 days agoGermany’s LuxExperience appoints Francis Belin as new CEO of Mytheresa
-
Tech1 week agoWIRED Roundup: DOGE Isn’t Dead, Facebook Dating Is Real, and Amazon’s AI Ambitions
-
Politics5 days agoZelenskiy says Ukraine’s peace talks with US constructive but not easy
-
Politics1 week agoIndia and Russia set for major trade discussions today
-
Tech1 week agoMIT researchers “speak objects into existence” using AI and robotics