The latest news affecting small and medium sized (SME) businesses in the UK
At the Government’s National Manufacturing Summit being held at the Bristol & Bath Science Park today, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is set to announce that the government has provided an extra £1 billion for businesses seeking support to help them create new jobs and grow.
A leading UK entrepreneur said today that the predicted increased marketing spend for 2012 was evidence of the ‘first shoots of the economic revival’.
2011 saw big high street chains close an average of 14 stores a day across Britain. In this difficult retail market entrepreneurs are being encouraged to take advantage of a government-backed scheme which offers market stalls for £10 over a fortnight this summer.
The CBI calls on the Chancellor to use his March Budget to score the growth and investment policy goals he put forward in his Autumn Statement and give the UK economy and jobs a real boost.
Jean-Claude Baumgartner, who bagged a £230,000 investment on Dragons’ Den for his Satski business, has been jailed after pleading guilty to defrauding his famous investors.
Compulsory quotas for women in the boardroom are a key way forward, according to a new poll of influential women’s business networks, carried out by leadership consultancy, White Water Group.
The government has announced that four new lenders have been accredited to offer loans to small businesses under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) scheme.
An innovative online training tool has been launched to help get thousands of experienced business people mentoring small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
The Insolvency Service has released the latest figures for company insolvencies in England and Wales for the fourth quarter of 2011, which shows there were 4,260 in total – an increase of 7.2 per cent on the same period a year ago.
Prime Minister David Cameron announces new round of Government funding to support thousands of apprenticeships up to degree equivalent making available a £1,500 apprenticeship incentive for small firms to take on youngsters eager to learn.
Business Secretary Vince Cable has launched the fifth annual Apprenticeship Week, and it is set to be the biggest they with over 500 events across the country celebrating the countless achievements of learners and employers.
A new programme that will provide dedicated and structured coaching support for up to 10,000 high growth potential businesses a year has taken another step forward as The Coaching for Growth Consortium has signed a contract to deliver the programme, which is scheduled to be fully operational by March 2012.
New data out today on business insolvency claims that SMEs have seen a reduction in sales volumes and also experienced decreased profits compared to big businesses and many are calling for urgent government assistance to help businesses survive, not just to start.
A new comprehensive and interactive calendar of key enterprise, entrepreneur and SME events throughout 2012 has been unveiled by Business Minister Mark Prisk.
LinkedIn has announced its support of the Government initiative to promote new enterprise in the UK by reducing the burden of regulation with the creation of a “Red Tape Challenge” LinkedIn Group enabling UK businesses to connect and participate in the discussion about regulations that are holding back innovative new businesses.
