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Latest News:

  • Call blocker firm fined £190,000 for making the nuisance calls it claimed to stop
  • Burnham’s business rates adviser called for £9bn tax cut for high streets
  • Colman’s Mustard put up for sale as Unilever clears path for £48bn McCormick merger
  • Britain’s 240 crypto millionaires revealed in first HMRC cryptoasset tax data
  • EY urges junior staff back to the office as AI puts a premium on human skills
  • Young investors trust AI more than TV, radio or influencers, FCA finds
  • UK business confidence rebounds but firms want policy certainty first
  • Balcony solar panels reach UK shelves with promise of £110 a year off bills
  • Applied Nutrition closes in on £1bn valuation after raising guidance for third time this year
  • One of Britain’s oldest family firms to save £250,000 a year as energy scheme opens to forges

Category: News

The latest news affecting small and medium sized (SME) businesses in the UK

Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt will host some of the UK’s most prominent industry leaders on Friday as part of a drive to drum up fresh investment to revive the UK’s struggling economy.

IFS Urges Caution on Tax Cuts in Upcoming Budget

27 February 2024 News Business Matters 0 Comments

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has cautioned against implementing tax cuts in the upcoming Budget unless the government can provide clear details on how they will be funded.

Starting from June 2024, travellers will have the opportunity to experience the first electric coach service between London, Bristol, and Newport in South Wales.

First Electric Coach Service to be Trialled in England and Wales

27 February 2024 News Business Matters 0 Comments

Starting from June 2024, travellers will have the opportunity to experience the first electric coach service between London, Bristol, and Newport in South Wales.

The British arm of The Body Shop has officially entered administration, casting uncertainty over 200 stores and jeopardising thousands of jobs.

Next Expresses Interest in Acquiring Assets of The Body Shop

27 February 2024 News Business Matters 0 Comments

Next has shown interest in purchasing assets of The Body Shop, the cosmetics chain currently facing insolvency.

Consumer confidence has edged higher as shoppers prepare for a pre-Christmas spending spree despite soaring inflation and the prospect of an interest rate rise, a closely watched survey suggests.

Consumers Show Increased Confidence as Retail Sales Decline Slows

27 February 2024 News Business Matters 0 Comments

Consumer confidence appears to be on the rise as the balance of retailers reporting falling sales has dropped to its lowest point in ten months, signaling a potential resurgence in spending among Britons.

As Chancellor Jeremy Hunt prepares to unveil the government's latest tax and spending measures in the upcoming spring budget, all eyes are on the Conservative government's strategy to alleviate the heavy tax burden on British workers and stimulate growth following the recent recession.

Budget Giveaways Likely to Be Offset by Record Tax Rises, Warns Think Tank

27 February 2024 News Business Matters 0 Comments

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has cautioned that any tax cuts announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in the upcoming budget are likely to be overshadowed by record tax increases over the course of the current parliament.

Homebase, the DIY and garden chain, could soon change hands once again as talks with several potential buyers, including The Range and B&M European Value Retail, have emerged.

Homebase Faces Second Sale in Four Years as Talks with Potential Buyers Emerge

27 February 2024 News Business Matters 0 Comments

Homebase, the DIY and garden chain, could soon change hands once again as talks with several potential buyers, including The Range and B&M European Value Retail, have emerged.

Amidst tumbling energy costs and a fierce price war among supermarkets, food price inflation in the UK has reached its lowest level in almost two years, offering a respite to households grappling with stretched budgets.

UK Food Price Inflation Hits Nearly Two-Year Low in February

27 February 2024 News Business Matters 0 Comments

Amidst tumbling energy costs and a fierce price war among supermarkets, food price inflation in the UK has reached its lowest level in almost two years, offering a respite to households grappling with stretched budgets.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled plans for what he terms a "patriotic economy," with a primary focus on bolstering home ownership and revitalising communities through the creation of new towns.

Sir Keir Starmer Advocates ‘Patriotic Economy’ with Focus on Homeownership Boost

26 February 2024 News Business Matters 0 Comments

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled plans for what he terms a “patriotic economy,” with a primary focus on bolstering home ownership and revitalising communities through the creation of new towns.

A coalition of industrial leaders has launched a last-ditch effort to implore Rishi Sunak not to scale back the HS2 rail line, warning that “constant changes” to the project were damaging Britain’s reputation among overseas investors.

North and Midlands to Benefit from £4.7bn Local Transport Fund Following HS2 Northern Leg Cancellation

26 February 2024 News Business Matters 0 Comments

In a strategic move to redistribute funds and prioritise local transport infrastructure, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has unveiled plans to allocate £4.7 billion to the North and Midlands regions of England.

Recent disruptions to shipping routes in the Red Sea have reverberated across Britain's export and manufacturing sectors, with more than half of exporters reporting adverse effects ranging from increased costs to significant delays.

Red Sea Shipping Disruption Sends Ripples Through UK Exporters and Manufacturers

26 February 2024 News Business Matters 0 Comments

Recent disruptions to shipping routes in the Red Sea have reverberated across Britain’s export and manufacturing sectors, with more than half of exporters reporting adverse effects ranging from increased costs to significant delays.

The number of pubs in England and Wales that shut their doors for good rose sharply in the first half of 2023, prompting warnings to the government that planned rises in business rates could force further closures in the beleaguered sector. Figures show that 383 pubs, or more than two a day, “vanished” in the first six months of this year, almost matching the total for the whole of 2022, when 386 were lost. The data, from the commercial real estate analysts Altus Group, measures the number of pubs that have closed down permanently because they have either been demolished or converted for use as homes or offices. The chief executive of one of Britain’s leading pub groups joined Altus in warning the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, that more closures could follow if he goes ahead with plans to scrap a discount on business rates. Chris Jowsey, the chief executive of 1,000-strong chain Admiral Taverns, said the relief was vital for many pubs. “Without it, costs for many pubs will rise dramatically by many thousands of pounds, fuelling inflation and forcing closure for many independents,” he said. “Having survived Covid-19 and the cost of living crisis, it would be tragic if the government now chose to increase rates bills and brought about pub closures.” Pubs, like other hospitality, leisure and retail businesses, now benefit from a 75% discount on their business rate bills, capped at £110,000. Hunt announced the £2.1bn relief scheme at his autumn statement in November 2022, but the discount is scheduled to end in March 2024. The effect of the relief being phased out will be exacerbated by a scheduled rise in the headline business rates in line with inflation, an increase set to take effect in April next year. This could add 6% to bills, Altus Group said, calling on Hunt to continue rate relief beyond March next year. “With energy costs up 80% year-on-year, in a low-growth, high-inflation and high interest rates environment, the last thing pubs need is an average business rates hike of £12,385 next year,” said Alex Probyn, the head of property tax at Altus Group. The pubs industry, one of the hardest-hit by the restrictions on socialising imposed during the pandemic, has struggled to recover in the face of sky-high energy bills, the soaring cost of ingredients and difficulties in hiring staff. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Business Today Free daily newsletter Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Britain’s biggest pub group, Stonegate – the owner of chains such as the Slug & Lettuce and Yates’s – has told patrons it will start charging them a 20p premium on pints during busy periods, such as the weekend. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is also urging the government to extend the 75% rates relief discount for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses beyond next spring’s cutoff, and to increase the threshold for small business rates relief from £12,000 to at least £25,000. That would remove more than 250,000 small businesses from the rates system, they say. “For many small businesses on the high street and town centres, the current relief is a lifeline, said the FSB’s national chair, Martin McTague. “In April this is due to end, creating a cliff edge that will be hugely damaging to thousands of businesses. Ensuring the relief is maintained for those businesses that need it most will be key to their survival.”

Mid-sized Businesses Face Uphill Battle Amidst Soaring Costs and Economic Uncertainty

26 February 2024 News Business Matters 0 Comments

As the spectre of inflation and escalating energy bills looms large, mid-sized businesses across the UK find themselves navigating a treacherous economic landscape, with challenges such as securing financing and expanding operations looming large on the horizon.

Stella McCartney store on Bond street in london

‘Tourist Tax’ Set to Stay: Spring Budget Unlikely to Reverse Decision

26 February 2024 News Business Matters 0 Comments

Anticipation for a reversal of the controversial “tourist tax” in the upcoming spring budget is dwindling, with warnings from the financial secretary to the Treasury highlighting the complexities involved in such a move.

Leeds Building Society, a prominent UK lender, has embarked on a trial initiative to suspend new holiday-let mortgages in select popular tourist destinations, aiming to address concerns raised by campaigners regarding housing availability in affected areas.

Leeds Building Society Trials Ban on New Holiday Let Mortgages in Tourist Hotspots

24 February 2024 News Business Matters 0 Comments

Leeds Building Society, a prominent UK lender, has embarked on a trial initiative to suspend new holiday-let mortgages in select popular tourist destinations, aiming to address concerns raised by campaigners regarding housing availability in affected areas.

The battle for customers is increasingly heating up in the UK banking scene with one major current account provider now offering 5 per cent interest on balances up to £1,500 for the first 12 months .

Nationwide Building Society Announces Third Round of Job Cuts Amid Restructuring Plan

24 February 2024 News Business Matters 0 Comments

Nationwide Building Society, a stalwart of the UK financial landscape, has unveiled plans for a significant restructuring effort, putting over 300 jobs at risk in its latest round of cuts within the past year.

Household energy bills are forecast to be hundreds of pounds a year lower than expected in the second half of this year, falling below the government’s £3,000 price guarantee after a sharp drop in wholesale prices.

Energy Price Cap in Great Britain to Hit Two-Year Low at £1,690 in April

24 February 2024 News Business Matters 0 Comments

Great news for households in Great Britain as the energy price cap is set to decrease to £1,690 starting from April, marking its lowest level in two years.

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Foreign Spam Calls

Call blocker firm fined £190,000 for making the nuisance calls it claimed to stop

A company that sold devices promising to protect elderly people from nuisance calls has been fined £190,000 by the ICO for making more than 758,000 of them itself, every one to a number registered with the Telephone Preference Service.

Burnham’s business rates adviser called for £9bn tax cut for high streets

Colman’s Mustard put up for sale as Unilever clears path for £48bn McCormick merger

Karl D’Angelo Santa Rosa: Building Success Through Change

Why Private Health Insurance Has Never Mattered More to UK Employees

Britain’s 240 crypto millionaires revealed in first HMRC cryptoasset tax data

EY urges junior staff back to the office as AI puts a premium on human skills

Young investors trust AI more than TV, radio or influencers, FCA finds

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