Latest News
Bank holiday could benefit 1m businesses, union says
Having an extra Community Day bank holiday in October could benefit almost one million businesses in the UK, according to the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
Redundancy a spur to business start-up
Fear of being made redundant is encouraging people to set up on their own, according to a survey.
More business focus needed at school
The youngest member of the Forum of Small Business has hit out at the education system as it emerges only 11 per cent of young people intend to study science and technology related subjects.
Realistic view 'should prevent recession'
A cautious attitude towards the future among small business owners should help prevent recession, according to the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales (ICAEW).
Lords recommend business waste tax reforms
The House of Lords has recommended changing tax laws in order to help discourage offices and workplaces from wasting raw materials.
Confidence-boosting scheme for women entrepreneurs
A new scheme has been set up to help encourage more women to go into business by building their self-confidence.
BPF: Lower rent bad news for small firms
Experts are saying the recent drop in rent on shops is not good news for retail businesses as it will result in lesser availability of premises.
Graduates lack necessary skills
The majority of small businesses value school and college leavers above university graduates, according to a survey by the Forum of Private Business.
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.
Family brand identity 'helps sales'
Marketing a firm as a family business can help increase sales, a new study finds.
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.
SMEs working longer weeks
British entrepreneurs are clocking up 50 hours every week, according to a survey on the work-life balance culture of Britain's small business managers.
Smaller businesses have greener staff
Smaller companies are more than twice as likely to have environmentally aware staff than their larger counterparts, according to research by gas and electricity provider E.ON.
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).
Do not rely on virtual offices, association warns
Although virtual offices can be useful for keeping a business going after a disaster, it can be difficult to rely on them for the long term, an industry expert warns.