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No extension to quantitative easing

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Bank of England has decided not to announce extra money for its quantitative easing (QE) programme, to the dismay of some business groups. The July meeting of the Bank's Monetary Policy...

Employers 'should be inclusive' despite rising job applicants

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Appointments to permanent jobs are still falling, but at the lowest rate since June 2008, according to a new report. The target="_blank"Report on Jobs for June, produced by professional services...

Recession: "worst over" says BCC

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The worst of the recession is over but recovery is not yet secure, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has said. The BCC's Economic Survey for the second quarter of 2009 suggests that were...

Cost of trade credit insurance claims doubles

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The cost of trade credit insurance claims has more than doubled over the last year, new figures have shown. The number of claims made by UK companies against defaults on payments rose 48%...

Government unveils 'consumer power' plans

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Government has announced new measures to tackle debt and enhance consumer powers. The plans are set out in a Consumer White Paper, introduced by Business Secretary Lord Mandelson as a way to...

Royal Mail sell-off mothballed

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has said that "now is not the time" for the proposed minority sell off of Royal Mail. Lord Mandelson told the House of Lords that the sell off would not go ahead...

Birmingham seeks 'balti monopoly'

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Indian restaurants outside of Birmingham could be prevented from describing dishes as "balti", if the city's council is successful in a bid to protect the name by law. Birmingham City Council...

Small businesses 'show signs of recovery'

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Small businesses are reporting "tentative" signs of recovery, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has said. In a recent survey by the FSB, 23% of respondents reported an increase in trade in...

Royal Mail privatisation plan delayed

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Plans to sell a minority stake of the Royal Mail are being delayed, Business Secretary Peter Mandelson has said. When asked for a date for the Second Reading of the Bill that would allow partial...

Government to create e-crime centre

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Government has announced plans to create a centre to tackle electronic crime. The Cyber Security Operations Centre will aim to reduce online risks, improve public knowledge of potential...

Workplace deaths at record low

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The number of people fatally injured at work is at an all- time low, new figures show. Statistics from the Health and Safety Executive reveal that 180 people died in workplace accidents between 1...

Campaign calls for amendments to smoking ban

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A new campaign is calling for amendments to the smoking ban to help struggling pubs and clubs. Launched yesterday, Save Our Pubs & Clubs (SOPAC) wants the public smoking ban curtailed when it is...

Recession has 'changed employment landscape'

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The recession has created a new employment landscape, an employment trends survey has suggested. The survey, by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and recruitment consultants Harvey Nash,...

Huge job losses predicted for business support sector

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The business services sector will be one of the biggest victims of the credit crunch, shedding more than 334,000 jobs over the next three years, according to an economic think tank. Once one of...

Government "in time-warp" over Digital Britain pledge

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Government is "stuck in a time-warp" over its pledge to provide universal access to a broadband internet connection, a business group is warning. According to the Federation of Small...

Unemployment at 12-year high

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Unemployment has hit a twelve-year high, with 2.26 million people out of work in the three months to April 2009. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the...

Small business running costs continue to fall

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The cost of running a small business has fallen for the second consecutive quarter, according to the latest Business Inflation Guide. The report, which is produced by More Than Business and...

Relevant training needed to close London's skills gap

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Small businesses in London are calling for more relevant training as skills shortages threaten to hamper recovery, new research suggests. Echoing the views of 45% of the capital's senior...

'Slow recovery' expected in 2010

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The worst is behind us, but it will be next year before the UK sees any GDP growth, business leaders have warned. In its latest forecast, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) predicts that...

Risk Assessment: Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:37:10 +0100

Low Pay Commission to look at apprentice minimum wage

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Government has asked the Low Pay Commission to look into the feasibility of introducing a statutory minimum wage for apprentices. Under existing rules, apprentices under the age of 18 are...

Eateries slash prices to beat recession

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Restaurants and pubs are slashing prices as competition increases, say industry experts. Having risen for five consecutive years, meal prices could now fall to 2006 levels, foodservice analysts...

Government boosts trade credit insurance scheme

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Government is to extend its trade credit insurance top-up scheme, in a move welcomed by business groups. Launched on 1 May, the scheme was designed to protect the suppliers of...

Risk Assessment: Use of Mobile Phones Whilst Driving

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:31:46 +0100

Tobacco display ban "need not harm small businesses"

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A ban on tobacco displays in shops need not damage small retailers, the new health secretary has said. Speaking at the debate on the second reading of the Health Bill, Andy Burnham said that the...

Apprentice star or Enterprise Tsar? Sugar must choose, say Tories

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Sir Alan Sugar must choose between working for the BBC and his new role as "Enterprise Tsar" in Gordon Brown's government, say the Conservatives. The Apprentice star, who will also be made a lord,...

Chicken containing beef and pork 'served in restaurants'

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Restaurants and caterers could have been unknowingly serving pork and beef protein to customers who had ordered chicken, new research suggests. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) found that some...

Interest rates unchanged for third consecutive month

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Bank of England today announced that interest rates will remain at 0.5%. It is the third consecutive month that the official bank rate has remained unchanged. The bank's Monetary Policy...

Small business groups call for new bank

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Small business groups have welcomed the idea of a new bank dedicated to SMEs. A Government review aims to establish whether such a bank - a new version of the Industrial and Commercial Finance...

FSB backs call for 'Fair Pint' investigation

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has added its weight to the campaign to free pub tenants from current rules on where they can buy beer. The group is backing the Fair Pint Campaign to push...

UK beer duty third highest in Europe

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Alcohol duty in the UK is the third highest in Europe, a pub campaign group has claimed. Figures compiled by Axe the Beer Tax - Save the Pub reveal that alcohol duty in the UK now amounts to 45.89...

Smallest firms 'need skills council'

Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Micro-firms with fewer than five employees are missing out on Government training schemes, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). And target="_blank"the federation is calling on...

Tourist chiefs claim Met Office "cost us millions"

Thu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Tourist officials in Bournemouth claim that "inaccurate" reports of bad weather over the bank holiday weekend cost small businesses in the town over a million pounds in lost revenue. The Met...

CBI: service sector falls sharply, but outlook improves

Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Businesses in the service sector have continued to decline quickly, but there are signs that the worst falls are over, the CBI has said. Its latest quarterly review collated responses from 179...

Bleak outlook for new jobseekers

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Almost half of UK companies are writing off the prospect of taking on inexperienced workers fresh in the job market, according to a new employment forecast. Spring's Labour Market Outlook,...

SME finance "trickling through" despite Bank trends

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

New loan approval rates for businesses are down, according to the Bank of England's latest Trends in Lending report. Overall, net monthly lending to businesses of all sizes in the UK stood at £7...

Retail sales continue upward trend

Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Hopes of a sustained recovery in the retail sector were boosted today, with the publication of the latest official sales figures. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that the volume of...

Calls for renovation tax cut to boost construction trade

Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Lobby groups are calling for a cut to the tax rate on home renovations to boost trade for small construction firms. The Federation of Small Businesses ( FSB) and the Federation of Master Builders...

Firms warned not to avoid H+S needs in recession

Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

SMEs are being urged not to shirk their health and safety responsibilities during the recession, ahead of the new Health and Safety Executive strategy. 'Be Part of the Solution', published on 3...

Online tool launched to help small firms save energy

Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

British Gas has launched an online assessment tool to help small business customers become more energy efficient. The Business Energy Savers' Report aims to give small firms an action plan, along...

Alcohol sales code will confuse, says ACS

Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Government's draft alcohol code is only set to confuse retailers, enforcement officers, and the public alike, according to the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS). Chief executive James...

Music licensing red tape 'should be relaxed'

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Music licensing legislation should be relaxed for pubs and smaller venues, a parliamentary report has said. A review of the 2003 Licensing Act, which came into force in 2005, recommends that...

Landlords should have beer-tie opt-out, says Commons report

Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Pub management companies should allow landlords to opt-out of beer-ties, a parliamentary review has said. Research by the House of Commons' Business and Enterprise Committee (BEC) found that 78%...

Business praises "right decision" on minimum wage rise

Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Business groups have welcomed the "restraint" shown in the National Minimum Wage increase, despite some having warned that there should be no rise in the face of the recession. The minimum wage is...

Congestion charging 'can benefit business'

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Congestion charging can benefit business, new research suggests, provided schemes are part of a wider transport strategy. Research commissioned by the Confederation of British Industry and the...

Sign up to oppose tobacco display ban, says ACS

Fri, 08 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Convenience store owners can "ill-afford" the estimated £1,000 that a ban on tobacco display would likely cost them, according to an industry body. The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) is...

Bank of England promises £50 billion more

Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Bank of England is poised to create an extra £50 billion in its bid to stimulate the economy by quantitative easing. This will take the total amount pledged by the bank to £125 billion -...

Small manufacturers see 'worst quarter'

Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Small manufacturers have seen orders and output plunge in the first quarter of 2009, the CBI has said. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI's) SME Trends Survey found that the balances of...

National landlord register revealed

Tue, 05 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The swelling ranks of private landlords in England and Wales could be forced to join a register, under Government plans revealed by the Times newspaper. According to the paper, the scheme would...

Insolvencies rocket in first quarter of 2009

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Company failures leapt in the first quarter of 2009, according to the Government's own figures for England and Wales. The Insolvency Service's seasonally adjusted statistics show that almost 5,000...

Consumer confidence continues slow ascent

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Consumer confidence is up for the third month in a row, according to the latest research. The Consumer Confidence Index, produced by research group GfK NOP, found that the slow improvement it...

Business groups welcome 'working hours freedom'

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Business groups have welcomed the Government's continued protection of the 48-hour working week opt-out. On Tuesday, talks on the EU Working Time Directive, which limits workers to 48 hours a...

Retail beer sales 'fall faster than pub trade'

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Off-trade beer sales fell by more than on-trade sales in the first quarter, according to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA). Sales of beer in supermarkets and off-licences were down 11%...

Insolvencies up 57%

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The number of business insolvencies has risen by more than half, new research by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) has revealed. The analysis showed that more than 5,483 companies became insolvent in...

GDP fall 'worse than expected'

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The UK's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) fell by 1.9% in the first quarter 2009 - the worst drop since 1979. Analysts had predicted that the economy's contraction would be in the region of last...

Scrappage scheme 'good news for white van man'

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Van drivers will be able to benefit from the Government's new vehicle scrappage scheme, it has been confirmed. The scheme, announced in yesterday's Budget, offers a £2,000 discount on a new...

Business groups give Budget cool reception

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Chancellor Alistair Darling announced a number of measures to help struggling firms and the unemployed in today's Budget, but could not escape widespread criticism from small business groups. The...

Retail prices drop for first time in half-century

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The official measure of retail price inflation has turned negative for the first time in almost 50 years. After hitting zero-growth in February, the RPI (Retail Prices Index) for March recorded a...

CBI predicts 'slow, fragile recovery' in spring 2010

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The UK economy will begin its recovery next spring, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has predicted. Revealing its latest economic forecast, the CBI said it expected the recession to...

SMEs 'worst hit' by reduced lending

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are bearing the brunt of contracted lending, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has said. The BRC's Credit Conditions Survey found that 33% of SME...

Retail sales in further decline

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Retail sales have fallen compared to a year ago, according to figures for March. And the year-on-year drop comes despite unusually weak sales in March 2008. The Retail Sales Monitor, jointly...

Government to unveil credit insurance scheme

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A state guarantee scheme to protect supply-chain insurance is due to be unveiled in next week's Budget, the Financial Times (FT) has reported. The scheme is expected to protect the suppliers of...

"Laudable" empty shop revival misses point

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

New Government plans to revive the UK's high streets fail to address the cause of the problem, business groups have said. Plans to perk up business confidence by finding new community roles for...

Interest rate stays at 0.5%

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Interest rates have been put on hold by the Bank of England, with the Bank Rate remaining at its historic low of 0.5%. The freeze follows six successive months of cuts, beginning in October last...

Rural businesses 'suffering quietly', says FSB

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The plight of rural businesses is slipping under the radar as attention focuses on large scale redundancies and headline city failures, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). A...

Manufacturing declines for full year

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Manufacturing output fell again in February, taking the slump into its 12th successive month, official figures show. However, there are signs that the slide could be easing - the Office for...

Right to flexible working extended

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Extended rights to flexible working for parents of children 16 and under came into effect today. A further 4.5 million people will now be able to ask for flexible working patterns, extending the...

Small businesses 'biggest losers' from G20 protests

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Small businesses in London will have borne the brunt of lost trade due to the G20 protests, according to insurers and business groups. Insurance company Axa told the Financial Times that the...

Employment tribunal defaulters 'named and shamed'

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Businesses that default on pay awards made against them in employment tribunals are now being 'named and shamed' on a

Government pledges support as minimum wage turns 10

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Government is promising tough action to support the National...

Half of professionals 'would use redundancy package to launch start-up'

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Nearly half of professionals would use their redundancy package to launch a start-up if they were laid off, a new survey has found. In the poll, by professional networking site LinkedIn, 48% of...

Government pressured to restore empty property tax relief

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Pressure is growing on the Government to reverse a decision that has seen businesses hit with higher taxes on empty commercial properties. Until a year ago, owners of empty business premises paid...

Business rates hike 'smoothed'

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Chancellor Alistair Darling bowed yesterday to pressure from business groups to halt the immediate effects of the planned 5% business rates increase. However, the Government is still intending to...

Regional Development Agencies 'boosting the economy'

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) are providing a real boost to the economy, according to new research for the Government. A report by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC), commissioned by the...

'Text the chancellor' to scrap alcohol tax increase

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The campaign to protect the beer industry from planned rises in tax has stepped up a gear, with a drive to 'TEXT the Chancellor'. Launched today with an advert in the Sun newspaper, the initiative...

Paternity rights plan 'needs reality check'

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Small business groups have expressed concern over proposals to increase paternity rights, which they say could have a major impact on employment costs. The plans, put forward by the Equality and...

Landlords 'starting to buy again'

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

For the first time in two years, more landlords are buying properties than are selling, according to a survey of agents for the Association of Residential Landlords (ARLA). In its latest Review...

'Knock-on effect to small businesses' from G20 protests

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Small businesses could find themselves losing out as London braces itself for the impact of demonstrations in the run up to the G20 summit. Police in the capital say they are determined it will be...

Government presses on with flexible working

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

A further 4.5 million people will have the right to ask for flexible working when new legislation comes into effect on 6 April. The Government is introducing the change - which extends the right...

Small business employers reminded of online cash incentive

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Employers who run a small business are the target of a Government drive to fill in their Employer Annual Return online - and get £75 tax-free in return. The payment is available to businesses with...

Retailers urge landlords to review rent terms

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is urging commercial landlords to be more flexible with rental terms, as retailers struggle with the downturn. Commercial landlords often demand rent on a...

UK 'stands on brink of deflation'

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Deflation has become a possibility for the UK economy as a key inflationary indicator hits 0% for the first time in almost half a century. Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation - the general purpose,...

Retailers call for cut in card transaction fees

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Banks are being urged to cut their card transaction charges to reduce the strain on retailers. Figures published by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) yesterday show that while cash is used in...

Ofgem 'ban' to give consumers greater power

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

New rules promising to protect energy customers - and small businesses in particular - from "unjustified" prices were put forward today by industry watchdog Ofgem. The proposals, which include...

Plan to curb rogue clampers

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Vehicle clamping firms that charge excessive fees for their services are to be targeted by Government plans. Companies that have been exploiting a loophole will face tighter regulation, the Times...

Small businesses 'fighting back against recession'

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Small businesses are fighting back against the recession despite a lack of help from banks, a business group has said. In a survey by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), 60% of business...

Orders and expectations down, say manufacturers

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Expectations are at their lowest ebb for almost three decades, according to a survey of UK manufacturers. The CBI's monthly Industrial Trends survey painted a bleak picture for UK goods, with a...

Pig 'task force' meets

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Links in the pig meat supply chain have come together for the first meeting of a Government-backed task force, which aims to tackle the challenges faced by the industry. The Pig Meat Supply Chain...

Drop in drinking 'offsets tax rises', says alcohol industry

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Falling alcohol consumption in the UK means "punitive" tax increases are unnecessary, according to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA). The group says figures it compiled using data from...

Unemployment tops 2 million

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Unemployment in the UK has broken the two million mark for the first time in 12 years. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that 2.03 million were registered unemployed in the...

Coalition proposes 'Post Bank'

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The creation of a 'Post Bank' could help create jobs and secure the future of the Post Office, a new coalition of business groups and trade unions are arguing. The proposal for a 'community bank',...

Entrepreneurs show the way for rueful over-60s

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Seven in 10 people in the UK look back over their working lives and have "significant regrets", according to a survey of the over-60s by small business insurer More Than Business. In the poll of...

Minimum alcohol price plan rejected by PM

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Plans designed to cut binge drinking by placing a minimum price on alcohol have been rejected by Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Proposals to price alcohol at a minimum of 50p per unit were put...

One in 56 businesses 'to fail in 2009'

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Business failures are set to accelerate to 36,000 across the UK in 2009, according to new research by accountancy firm BDO Stoy Hayward. This would means one in 56 businesses collapsing - a 59%...

Redundancy bill gets second reading

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

A bill proposing an increase in statutory redundancy pay has had its second reading in Parliament. The Statutory Redundancy Payment (Amendment) Bill proposes raising the cap on statutory...

GPs reject chocolate tax proposal

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Scottish GPs have narrowly voted down a motion to tax chocolate as a way of curbing growing rates of obesity. Lanarkshire GP and nutritionist David Walker opened up the debate by warning that...

FSB calls on councils to sign agreement

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

A new agreement designed to make small businesses part of the local government decision-making process has been launched by the Federation for Small Businesses (FSB). Canterbury City Council...

New mothers 'forced back to work by recession'

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Women are cutting short their maternity leave as the recession forces them to return to work earlier than expected, nurseries say. The industry is seeing an increase in new places being taken up,...

Convenience store group calls for minimum wage freeze

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Businesses hit by the recession should be spared the "double hit" of poor trading conditions combined with rising employment costs, according to the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS). The...

SMEs 'owed £25.9 billion in overdue payments'

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are owed £25.9 billion in overdue payments, according to payment clearing service Bacs. Latest Bacs research found that the amount owed has risen almost...

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