Latest News
Post collection charges hit SMEs
Royal Mail’s decision to introduce a flat rate for fewer weekday collections has left small businesses paying more, says the Forum of Private Business (FPB).
SMEs tighten belts as fear of recession hits
UK businesses are taking action to cut costs and preserve cashflow as the fear of a serious downturn takes hold, a survey reveals.
Scrapped property relief rate hits SMEs
The government’s decision to scrap Empty Property Rate Relief has left many SMEs out of pocket, says the Forum of Private Business.
Confusion at minimum wage increase
Small businesses remain confused about the minimum wage increase on 1 October.
Late payments hitting SMEs
Small businesses are struggling to cope with an increase in late payments, a survey reveals.
Don’t forget the new tax return deadline, warns HMRC
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is issuing a reminder to people filing paper self assessment tax returns of the new 31 October deadline. The penalty for missing the deadline is £100.
BCC: Bank of England must cut rates
The longer the Bank of England takes to cut rates, the worse the economic situation will be, according to the British Chambers of Commerce's (BCC's) quarterly economic forecast.
Increase marketing spend to survive
Small business owners intend to combat the economic slowdown by increasing marketing spend and taking pay cuts, according to a survey by the Open University Small Enterprise Research Team (SERT).
Victory for Dragons' Den duo
Dragons’ Den entrepreneurs Carolyn Jarvis and Charlotte Evans received a big spike in website hits and customer enquiries after receiving an investment of £80,000 from serial entrepreneur Deborah Meaden.
Insolvencies hit new high
Company liquidations have increased across England and Wales in the second quarter of 2008, reveal statistics from the government’s Insolvency Service.
FPB: SMEs should limit credit crunch risk
Small businesses should protect themselves against the effects of the credit crunch, according to a private business advisory body.
Bleak summer on the high street
August looks set to be a bleak month for consumer spending, says the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). This follows a sharp fall in sales volumes throughout July.
Tax confusion looms, says ACCA
A change in taxpayer’s personal allowances could cause confusion for businesses, warns the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
High street woes deepen
Cover your eyes if you can’t stand any more talk about the downturn. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that between May and June, total sales volumes fell by 3.9 per cent, the largest decrease since records started in 1986.
Lack of tax changes 'could have severe implications'
Unless the government makes changes to the tax system, there could be 'serious implications' for small businesses, the Forum of Private Businesses (FPB) claims.