The first quarter of the year ended well for the UK manufacturing sector with the authoritative Markit/CIPS UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rising to a ten-month high of 52.1 in March, from 51.5 in February.
Category: News
The latest news affecting small and medium sized (SME) businesses in the UK
How voluntary organisations can engage with local business
Small charities and community projects need to show how they can boost companies’ profits to secure support
Grants for Small Businesses Employing Their First Apprentice
Employers across England are being encouraged to take advantage of a new funding initiative to help them recruit their first young apprentices.
British Library announces first official Entrepreneur in Residence to boost advice
Britain’s first entrepreneur to make a million in a phone-box, is set to use his unparalleled knowledge and expertise to boost London’s business, as the British Library’s official Entrepreneur in Residence.
Customers and businesses get burnt by renewable energy schemes
New industries pop up all the time, whether by accident – think of the popularity of mobile phone texting – or the mass commercialisation of a clever piece of science.
Online advertising spend nears £5 billion
Against a weak economic backdrop, brands in Britain spent almost 5 billion pounds advertising online in 2011, with video ads and marketing on social media platforms driving growth to its biggest increase in five years.
Minister for employment backs new charter for work experience
The Minister for Employment Chris Grayling has urged employers to sign up to a new work experience charter published today by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
Santander named ‘Business Bank of the Year for record tenth time
Santander has walked off with three awards at the annual Business Moneyfacts Awards.
Game rescue deal safeguards 3,200 jobs
Buy-out group OpCapita has paid £50m for 333 Game stores and will appoint former Halfords’ chief executive David Hamid as chairman.
New minimum 12 month duration for all apprenticeships
Tougher standards introduced by Skills Minister to drive up quality with apprenticeships set to last for a minimum of 12 months guaranteeing improvements in training and workplace learning, Skills Minister John Hayes has announced
Landlords welcome Government response to Portas
The British Property Federation has welcomed the Government response to retail guru Mary Portas’s review of the high street.
Stamp price changes ‘bad for business’
Small businesses will be hit with significant increases in the cost of postal services after an Ofcom announcement allowing Royal Mail bosses to set stamp prices themselves.
Over three million firms see radical tax simplification
The Treasury has set in motion a dramatic simplification of the way the smallest companies have to keep trading records and pay taxes.
Germany launches strategy to counter ECB largesse
Germany is preparing a raft of measures to safeguard its financial system and prevent excess stimulus from the European Central Bank leaking into an inflationary credit boom
Number of apprenticeships continues to rise
New statistics published today show an increase in the number of people starting an apprenticeship.
