Coronavirus bill has cost UK government £210bn, spending watchdog says

NAO forecast for costs of 190 pandemic measures over half year finds furlough outlay of £35.4bn so far most expensive

The pandemic is an opportunity to reconsider what makes a good life

Covid-19 gave us a glimpse of a less work-driven society, but it will take determination to avoid a return to the old normal, says philosopher Kate Soper

Bank of England’s top economist warns against furlough scheme extension

Andy Haldane says extension to job retention scheme risks delaying ‘inevitable’ shake-out of firms hit by Covid-19

Business leaders warn Boris Johnson that Brexit deal is essential

Government told failure will damage UK economy as critical negotiations begin

Extend UK furlough or risk job cuts and loss of key skills, say manufacturers

Long-term competitiveness at risk if scheme ends for critical industrial sectors, says Make UK

How much did the Covid-19 lockdown really cost the UK?

Economists have conducted a cost-benefit analysis of the blanket shutdown. It makes for grim reading

It’s week 1 of the great return to work. So how was the ‘new normal’ for you?

Workers and parents express a cautious optimism as they take their first steps into a post-pandemic landscape

The day for taxation will come. For now, Sunak must budget for growth

No 11’s warnings of ‘bombshell’ tax rises may have been confected. But if they were true, they would be a mistake

Fresh measures needed to prop up UK economy, Bank official says

Michael Saunders warns temporary ‘sweet spot’ caused by massive fiscal support is coming to an end

Rishi Sunak could soon be a problem for Johnson as well as for Labour

The pandemic has made a star of the chancellor. He’ll want to be in a different post when his policies are paid for, says Guardian columnist Andy Beckett

Workers excluded from UK Covid safety net in choral ‘Les Mis’ plea

Over a hundred people record version of One Day More to urge chancellor to act

In Britain’s low-pay economy, warehouse workers could start calling the shots

As online retail booms, distribution centres are hiring – and the workers they depend on could organise for a better deal, says sociologist and author Callum Cant

What now for Britain’s economy – a new direction, or business as usual?

The coronavirus crisis provides an opportunity to stop two centuries of decline. But that’s going to take a lot of courage, says Guardian economics editor Larry Elliott