Central bank rejects claim from Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney that ‘technical discussions’ have taken place
Category: News
The latest news affecting small and medium sized (SME) businesses in the UK
Made In Britain: The Northern Dough Co
Chris Cheadle, Co-owner, The Northern Dough Co tells us how they went from launching at a festival to being stocked by Waitrose and Ocado.
The American Dream – US Tops Export Destination List for UK SMES
The United States is the number one export destination for UK SMEs, according to new research, with over half of SMEs selling goods and services overseas targeting the US.
The Pitch 2014 shortlists Britain’s top 100 new entrepreneurs
One of the UK’s longest running entrepreneurial competitions has selected 100 of Britain’s best small companies to attend intensive business boot camps and compete for the chance to win support worth thousands of pounds.
Generation Entrepreneur: This Year’s Students Want to Go It Alone
Nearly a quarter (24 per cent) of young people starting university this Autumn want to work for themselves when they graduate, according to research from HSBC.
British Investment Boosts US Economy and Jobs
The UK is the largest foreign investor in the US, supporting nearly one million jobs across the country, according to the CBI’s sixth annual Sterling assets report.
Pound wipes £1.5bn off UK plc profits
Pound has soared 13% against the US dollar and 10% against the euro so far this year, wreaking havoc at companies exposed to foreign markets
Clothing Could Retain Title of Fastest-Growing UK Exports Despite Sterling Strength
The Government’s goal of reaching £1 trillion in UK exports by 2020 has been boosted by exporting activity in sectors like clothing. UK clothing exports rose the fastest in 2013, by 16 per cent from the year before, and amounting to £5.2 billion.
Inertia and confusion reign as SMEs struggle to get to grips with auto enrolment
A survey by the chartered accountancy firm, HW Fisher & Company, has found “worrying” levels of confusion and complacency among small business owners about their imminent requirement to start a workplace pension.
Government sets out plan to make Britain the global centre of financial innovation
The Chancellor today announced a series of measures to support the growth of the country’s emerging FinTech sector and encourage innovation in finance, including supporting alternative finance providers and exploring the potential of virtual currencies and digital money.
Small Manufacturers Report Fourth Consecutive Quarter of Growth
Small and medium-sized manufacturers reported another strong quarter of orders and output growth in the three months to July, according to the CBI’s SME Trends Survey.
Made in Britain: Fantastic Ribbons
Keith Edwards, Co-Founder, Fantastic Ribbons tells us how he has grown his small family business by constantly evolving and embracing new technology to save time and resources.
David Cameron set to make ‘first lady of football’ Karren Brady a peer
Karren Brady, 44, who is an aide to Lord Sugar on the hit BBC television programme The Apprentice, is set to be made a Conservative peer by the Prime Minister later this month.
Mentoring could stop talent drain
With the CIPD’s Employee Outlook survey highlighting that 22% of employees are looking for a new job, and Penna’s Career Development research finding that ‘lack of opportunity’ was the main reason for individuals to leave organisations over the past twelve months, new research has found that mentoring could be a valuable tool in plugging the talent drain.
Economic recovery fails to halt potential SME closures
More than one in ten of Britain’s small and medium businesses have considered closing down in the last three months despite ongoing signs of economic recovery and a drop in concern about business risks.
















