Employers’ National Insurance Contributions have soared by £28bn in a single year, £4bn above the Government’s own forecast, triggering redundancies in hospitality and retail and slowing hiring across the UK private sector.
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
Simply Business becomes first UK broker to put small business cover inside ChatGPT
Simply Business has become the first UK broker to launch a small business insurance app inside ChatGPT, giving sole traders and SMEs instant indicative quotes in seconds.
Disabled consumers must shape AI from the start, business leaders warned
New Business Disability Forum poll finds 40% of disabled UK adults say involving them in AI design is vital. Businesses urged to embed inclusive practice from day one.
McDonald’s bets on Britain’s youth with UK’s biggest paid work experience scheme
McDonald’s UK unveils the country’s largest in-person paid work experience programme, offering 2,500 placements to combat record youth unemployment and the rising NEET crisis.
Cook hands Apple’s reins to Ternus as engineering chief prepares for top job
Tim Cook will become Apple’s executive chairman on 1 September 2026, with hardware engineering chief John Ternus taking over as CEO after a unanimous board vote.
Tube strike chaos piles fresh pressure on London’s beleaguered night-time economy
Two 24-hour Tube strikes this week threaten London’s SMEs and night-time economy, as RMT drivers walk out over TfL’s proposed four-day working week.
Britain’s gaming industry needs a power-up or risks losing its crown to France, Ireland and Australia
Britain’s video games sector risks losing talent and IP to France, Ireland and Australia without urgent government action on tax reliefs and scale-up funding, warns Blick Rothenberg.
Live Nation and Ticketmaster ruled an illegal monopoly as US jury sides with States
A Manhattan jury has found Live Nation and Ticketmaster operated an unlawful monopoly over major concert venues, overcharging fans by $1.72 per ticket. Live Nation plans to appeal.
Diesel drivers drive electric van searches up 143% as fuel costs bite
UK Google searches for electric vans rocketed 143% in March as diesel prices bit into SME margins, new data from The Van Insurer reveals.
UK steelmakers face 77% electricity price gap as Middle East war deepens competitiveness crisis
UK steelmakers now pay up to 77% more for electricity than French and German rivals as Middle East conflict drives wholesale prices higher. UK Steel welcomes BICS but demands urgent action on wholesale power costs.
US tariff refund backlog leaves UK exporters in limbo as Washington scrambles to process billions in claims
Thousands of importers face an open-ended wait for US tariff refunds as CBP’s new CAPE portal covers only 63% of claims. UK SMEs trading transatlantically could be owed a share of up to $166bn.
Virgin StartUp opens second round of free accelerator for dyslexic entrepreneurs
Virgin StartUp has opened applications for Momentum 2.0, its free accelerator programme for dyslexic entrepreneurs, running from May to July 2026 with backing from Virgin Unite and Made By Dyslexia.
UK firms risk being left behind as AI adoption gap widens, warns PwC
British companies are spending less on AI and seeing weaker returns than global leaders, with PwC warning the next 12 months are critical for UK firms to close the gap.
Retail backers of SEIT face wiping out half their money as green trust raises the white flag
SDCL Efficiency Income Trust (SEIT) has abandoned its rescue plan and opted for a managed wind-down after pressure from activist Saba Capital, leaving retail investors nursing potential losses of more than 50 per cent on £1.1bn raised.
Harrods Estates shuts up shop after 130 years as tax raids on wealthy overseas buyers take their toll
Harrods Estates has shut its doors after 130 years, citing falling demand in London’s luxury property market driven by stamp duty rises, the abolition of non-dom status and shifting buyer tastes.
Need data that holds up in the boardroom — and the press? Trends Research is the UK's specialist SME research company, with a 750,000-strong panel and a 2,000-response minimum on every survey. AI-augmented analysis, headline-ready insights, and 38 years of trust built through Business Matters magazine. Trusted by Vodafone, BT, O2 and top UK PR agencies. From brief to deliverable in 10 working days — or 3 for press-led work. Request a quote today at https://trendsresearch.co.uk/
