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UK Faces Rising Water Bills, Bank Closures, and Pension Delays Amidst AI Training Push and Driverless Taxi Plans
London - The United Kingdom is grappling with a series of economic and technological developments, including rising water bills, bank branch closures, and pension administration issues, even as the government pushes forward with artificial intelligence (AI) training initiatives and plans for driverless taxis.
Water bills in England and Wales are set to increase by an average of £2.70 per month starting in April, adding approximately £33 to the average annual bill, bringing it to £639, according to recent reports. The increases are needed to fund vital upgrades to the system and tackle spillages, stated Water UK, the industry trade body. However, the rise has prompted calls for a stronger safety net for those unable to pay.
Meanwhile, Santander announced it would close 44 branches, putting 291 jobs at risk. The Spanish-owned bank cited a shift towards digital transactions, with 96% of its transactions now conducted online. This follows a previous announcement last year of plans to close 95 branches, impacting 750 workers. Lloyds Bank is also planning to shut more than 100 branches by March under a scheme of closures announced last year. Ministers have criticized the closure of bank branches, arguing it restricts access to cash for elderly and vulnerable people.
Adding to financial concerns, civil servants who experienced delays in receiving their pensions are being offered interest-free loans of up to £10,000. Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds told MPs that the waits faced by retired civil servants were "completely and utterly unacceptable." The government said around 8,500 people have had issues with pension payments since Capita took over the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme in December. Capita has apologized, stating it inherited a backlog of 86,000 cases.
In an effort to address the changing job market, the government launched a series of free AI training courses designed to help people learn how to use the technology at work. The online lessons give advice on things such as how to prompt chatbots or use them to assist with admin tasks. The government aims to reach 10 million workers by 2030, calling it the most ambitious training scheme since the launch of the Open University in 1971. However, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has warned workers will need to know more than "just how to prompt a chatbot" as the workforce adapts to the growth of AI.
On the technology front, Waymo, the US driverless car firm, hopes to launch a robotaxi service in London as soon as September this year. A pilot service will launch in April. Local Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood said: "We're supporting Waymo and other operators through our passenger pilots, and pro-innovation regulations to make self-driving cars a reality on British roads." The UK government plans to change regulations in the second half of 2026 to enable driverless taxis to operate in the city but has not given a specific date.
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