How to survive the summer business slowdown
Summer can be a strange season for businesses. While some industries thrive during the warmer months, many small businesses, particularly those outside the travel, tourism and leisure sectors, experience a seasonal slowdown during June, July and August. With customers changing their spending habits, taking holidays and spending more time away ...
Reeves promises extra support for SMEs
Rachel Reeves has announced reforms to small business finance that could benefit tens and thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The government-backed Growth Guarantee Scheme (GGS) is to be expanded, with an additional £2 billion a year in lending support planned by 2028/29. At the moment, the estimated gap ...
Invest in young talent with the Youth Jobs Grant
Investing in young people is an investment in the future of your business. Bringing fresh talent into your workforce can help you build a motivated team, develop new skills within your organisation and strengthen your business for the years ahead. To support employers in creating meaningful opportunities for young people, ...
How going green can boost your business
The march towards a more environmentally friendly way of running a business is continuing at pace. According to the Small Business Institute, almost half of small businesses (45%) have stepped up efforts to become more sustainable in the last year. And significantly, this trend looks set to carry on. Nearly ...
Small businesses behind two-thirds of UK's £59bn tax shortfall: how to stay tax compliant
Small businesses accounted for nearly two-thirds of the UK's £59.2bn tax shortfall last year, according to the latest figures from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). In the 2024 - 25 tax year, HMRC collected £865.2bn in tax revenue, representing 93.6% of all tax due. This left a tax gap of ...
New report warns small businesses are facing 'compounding pressure'. Here's what that actually means
A new report from Bibby Financial Services has warned that UK small businesses are facing "compounding pressure" as rising costs, economic uncertainty and sector-specific challenges continue to bite. The report paints a mixed picture. Some businesses are growing and investing. Others are seeing margins squeezed, cash flow tighten and customer ...
Most businesses worry about the World Cup. Smart ones make money from it.
Every time a major tournament comes around, business owners seem to have the same conversation. What if productivity drops? What if everyone wants the same days off? What if people spend half the day checking scores? They're fair questions. But they miss a bigger opportunity. Because while some businesses spend ...
Why are we still talking about digital adoption in 2026?
If you've ever sat through a webinar about AI and come away more confused than when you started, you're probably not alone. And the government seems to think so, too. That's one of the reasons a new Digital Adoption Roadshow is launching across the UK this year. Backed by the ...
Hotel business rates could be reviewed. But that's not the problem keeping owners awake at night.
There was some potentially positive news for hotel owners last week. The government is reportedly planning a review of how hotels are valued for business rates after many operators were hit with sharp increases following the latest revaluation. For some businesses, the change has translated into significantly higher bills. Industry ...
Small businesses worried about impact of price rises on customers
Many small businesses are reluctant to put up prices as they’re conscious of the financial impact on customers. According to Smart Energy GB, small business owners have seen their average overheads go up by almost a fifth (17%) in the last year. And in the last five years, the average ...
What could an Andy Burnham government mean for small businesses?
It’s looking increasingly likely that Andy Burnham could be the next Prime Minister following Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation. While nothing will be confirmed for a couple of weeks yet, it raises the question: what would it mean for SMEs if his approach in Greater Manchester were applied nationally? Burnham’s record ...
The new data protection complaints rules are coming. Is your business ready?
Most small business owners don't wake up worrying about data protection law. You're thinking about customers, sales, cash flow, staffing and the hundred other things that keep a business moving forward. The problem is that your customers do care about what happens to their data. And under new rules coming ...
The Bank of England has held interest rates. Why should small businesses care?
Yesterday, the Bank of England decided to keep interest rates on hold. If your first reaction was a shrug, you're probably not alone. Interest rate decisions can feel like something that matters to economists, mortgage holders and people on the evening news. But whether you're running a café, a plumbing ...
The hidden costs of recruiting too late
Most business owners worry about recruiting too early. And with good reason. Taking on an employee is expensive. There's the salary, National Insurance contributions, pension payments, equipment, training and everything else that comes with bringing someone new into the business. But recruiting too late can be just as costly. The ...
The summer VAT cut starts next week. Do you have to pass it on?
Merlin Entertainments. Nando's. Cineworld. Gulliver's. The list of big names backing the government's Great British Summer Savings scheme reads like a school holiday itinerary. They've made their commitments publicly, at a roundtable with the Chancellor, and the message from the top couldn't be clearer: pass the savings on. But you're ...