A new Business Disability Forum report shows 37% of disabled consumers want better staff understanding of disability, with many still struggling to access products, services and customer support.
Category: In Business
Advice on growing your small and medium sized business, SME, in the UK. Hiring and managing staff and finance plus marketing all on one website
Businesses plan major AI investment surge for 2026 – but security and privacy fears threaten progress
A Storyblok survey reveals 90% of firms plan to increase AI spending in 2026, but data privacy, regulation and security risks remain the biggest barriers to adoption. Only 23% have fully implemented GEO strategies.
NatWest surpasses £2bn pledge, lending £2.84bn to more than 55,000 women-led businesses
NatWest has surpassed its £2bn 2025 target, lending £2.84bn to over 55,000 female-led businesses. With more than 1,000 Women in Business specialists, the bank boosts UK entrepreneurship across key sectors and regions.
London backs small manufacturers with £300,000 tech fund to boost productivity
London has awarded over £300,000 to small manufacturers through the Made Smarter programme, helping firms adopt AI, robotics and digital tech to boost productivity, create skilled jobs and modernise operations, with further funding due in 2026.
Health and social care firms build cash buffers as they accelerate AI investment for 2026
Barclays’ latest Business Prosperity Index shows health and social care firms strengthening cash buffers while planning a 20% rise in AI investment for 2026, as leaders cite benefits to patient care, efficiency and workforce wellbeing.
What will Making Tax Digital for Income Tax mean for small businesses in 2026 and beyond?
In just four months, millions of small businesses, sole traders and landlords will need to change how they track and report their finances to HMRC.
Labour minister admits ‘life is s**t’ for young adults as housing, childcare and taxes squeeze living standards
Labour minister Josh Simons sparks debate after saying “life is s**t” for young adults struggling with housing, childcare and rising taxes. Analysis shows young professionals face a harsher tax burden and weaker job market heading into 2030.
Business owners warn HMRC’s new ‘bounty’ tax reward scheme risks unleashing malicious claims
Business owners warn HMRC’s new tax reward scheme could unleash malicious or false reports as informants chase payouts, risking costly investigations and reputational damage for innocent firms.
Adobe backs ‘1% mindset’ as SMEs turn to marginal gains for growth
Britain’s small business leaders are embracing a new ethos of marginal gains, with fresh research revealing how the so-called “1% mindset” is quietly shaping a new wave of SME growth.
Young Brits drive UK’s entrepreneurship boom as two-thirds plan to work for themselves
New research shows the UK is heading for an entrepreneurship boom, with 67% of young adults wanting to start a business and 1 in 10 Brits planning to launch within a year – but access to finance and digital tools remains a major barrier.
Spotify Wrapped 2025: the top business and tech podcasts revealed
Spotify Wrapped 2025 crowns Diary of a CEO as the top business and tech podcast, with record podcast and video streaming across the platform this year.
Northamptonshire manufacturer Pallite secures £1.6m UKEF-backed loan to meet global export demand
Pallite Group has secured a £1.6m loan backed by UK Export Finance to meet surging overseas demand for its sustainable warehouse and packaging products, supporting global expansion and new UK jobs.
Reeves’ “lowest tax rates since 1991” claim challenged as analysis shows most high-street premises will pay far more
New analysis shows Rachel Reeves’ “lowest tax rates since 1991” claim misleads, with most high-street properties facing higher business-rates multipliers and overall support falling by £420m next year.
One in four computing students is now female, new research shows – but gender gap remains wide across the UK tech pipeline
New HESA analysis shows women now make up 25% of UK computing students, though 70% of tech jobs remain male-dominated. Go Deploy urges earlier interventions and more inclusive pathways.
Employers want to hire disabled staff – but many don’t know where to start
Ahead of the UN’s Disability Day, new research shows employers want to hire disabled staff but lack the confidence to act. Leading firms like Whitbread, Asda and M&S show how inclusive employment can work at scale.
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