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System to measure office fit-out sustainability

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

A system claimed to rate the total environmental impact of office fit-outs has been launched by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Comprising 99 measures - and claimed to assess...

Bank of England pledges extra £25 billion

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Bank of England is to pump an extra £25 billion into the financial system to further stimulate the UK economy. Members of the Bank's nine-strong Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted in favour...

Small business owners "should stop moaning" says Sir Alan

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Sir Alan Sugar has labelled some businesses owners "moaners" who have being 'living in a Disney World'. Sugar, who is the Government's enterprise champion, made the comments at a business...

SMEs optimistic despite declining orders

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

SME confidence is riding at its highest level in two-and-a-half years as firms' order books move towards stabilising, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). While the business...

Apprentices - to hire or not to hire?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:49:55 +0000

What are the pro and cons for small businesses considering taking on an apprentice?

Loss of local shops 'could damage communities'

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Shoppers fear that losing local stores will damage their communities, according to a new survey. In a poll of over 1,000 people, commissioned by the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), 65% of...

Equal Pay Day highlights gender gap

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Women are paid half as much as their male counterparts in some areas of England and Wales, according to an organisation that campaigns for greater equality between the sexes. The Fawcett Society...

Postal strikes 'could cost SMEs £5,000'

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The real cost of the postal strikes to small firms could be as much as £5,000, according to a survey of Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) members. As the second wave of Royal Mail strike action...

'Don't increase tax on small firms', FSB says

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Increasing the tax burden on small firms will lead to higher unemployment, a business group has warned ahead of the Government's pre-Budget report. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is...

'Don't cut small business support', Government urged

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Government must maintain its support for small businesses in the face of any public spending cuts, the Forum of Private Business (FPB) has said. And, ahead of a 'crucial' 18 months for the...

Business confidence 'on the up'

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Confidence among UK businesses has risen to its highest level in 18 months, according to the results of a survey published today. In research conducted for professional services firm KPMG, 19% of...

Retail groups welcome consultation on re-pricing extension

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Retail groups have welcomed news of a possible extension to January's VAT re-pricing period. The Government today announced that it will consult on an amendment to the Price Marking Order, which...

SMEs 'still reliant on Royal Mail'

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Small businesses still rely heavily on Royal Mail and are set to lose out in the backlog created by today's nationwide postal strike, according to a recent survey. And the strike action - called...

Optimism improves in manufacturing sector

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Improved export prospects have helped lift manufacturers' optimism, an industry survey has revealed. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI)'s quarterly industrial trends survey suggests that...

New dads 'scared off' taking full paternity leave

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

New fathers are not taking their full paternity leave because of career and money worries, according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission. A report from the non-departmental public body has...

Broad-brush alcohol polices 'not working' says trade body

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Policies aimed at the general population are not working in the fight against alcohol-related illness, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has said. The BBPA today released figures showing...

HMRC logs 10,000 phishing attempts in one day

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Eighty-three thousand fake emails offering non-existent tax refunds were logged by HM Revenue & Customs in September, the body has announced. And the record level of attempted scams peaked with...

Red tape delayed to aid recovery

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Personnel and business groups have welcomed the delayed introduction of new employment regulations, saying that postponing extra red tape will help small firms remain competitive. The Government...

MPs back tobacco vending machine and display ban

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

MPs have backed a change to legislation that will see cigarette vending machines and tobacco displays banned. The amendment to the Health Bill was passed by the Commons without going to a vote,...

'Growth clubs' launched for SMEs

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Informal workshops aimed at using big business expertise to lift SMEs out of the doldrums are being launched this month. Business Growth Clubs - the brainchild of the British Chambers of Commerce...

Identity fraud targeted in national prevention week

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Almost a third of employees (32%) throw sensitive documents in the bin without first shredding them, according to research highlighted for National Identity Fraud Prevention Week. Starting today,...

Businesses' dismay at national post strike vote

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Business groups have reacted with dismay to a vote by postal workers in favour of further industrial action. Yesterday, the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) announced that 76% of its 121,000...

Card fraud falls, but 'businesses still at risk'

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The cost of credit and debit card fraud has fallen by almost a quarter in 2009, according to an industry group. And figures for the first six months of the year, released by Financial Fraud Action...

Carbon Reduction Commitment "could hit small businesses hard"

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Government's Carbon Reduction Commitment, details of which were announced today, could push up the energy bills of small businesses, an industry group has claimed. The Forum of Private...

Conservatives 'will waive NI' on new jobs

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Jobs created by new businesses in the first two years of a Conservative government would not attract employers' National Insurance contribution, the party claims. Shadow Chancellor George Osborne...

Buy-to-let mortgages 'should be regulated'

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Housing investors' group the British Property Federation (BPF) has called for buy-to-let mortgages to be regulated by the Financial Services Authority. The group, which represents the interests of...

Consultation on new event licensing system

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

A new event licensing system that works online will make it quicker and easier to obtain a licence, according to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). And the department has opened...

Tipping law change signals "Fair deal"

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Restaurants, pubs and hotels can no longer use tips to top workers' pay packets up to the minimum wage, following a change in the law. Billed by the Government as a "fair deal" for workers, the...

Lobby groups respond to PM's small business pledges

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Business groups have responded to pledges made by Gordon Brown in his speech yesterday to the Labour Party conference. In an address lasting almost an hour, the prime minister tackled a number of...

Small businesses 'owed £30 billion' in late payments

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Small and medium firms in Britain are now owed £30.4 billion in late payments, according to Bacs. Research conducted by the bank payments clearing service suggests that the total amount owed to...

Business groups make demands of next Government

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Business groups are stepping up their lobbying efforts, as the political parties hold their last conferences before the general election. The Confederation of British Industry has created a...

Small business minister leaving role

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Baroness Shriti Vadera, who is credited with having fought for the interests of SMEs during the economic crisis, is leaving the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Government has...

SMEs creating jobs 'in 3-6 months'

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Recruitment by small firms will begin to outstrip redundancies within the next three-to-six months, according to the Forum of Private Business (FPB). And, in contrast to research released earlier...

SMEs pessimistic on recession end

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

More than half of small business owners believe that the recession will continue well into next year, it has emerged. In research conducted by online communications company Amplify, 57% of SME...

Vulnerable worker helpline launched

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Workers' groups have welcomed the launch today of a Government helpline, intended to let vulnerable employees report abuse they suffer at the hands of their employers. The Pay and Work Rights...

Business and students must pay more for university - CBI

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Business needs to take more responsibility for funding higher education, according to a new report by the CBI. The business group is highlighting what it says are "tough choices" for the UK's...

Flexible hours 'top priority for working mums'

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Flexible working remains the most important element of family-friendly employment, according to an annual survey. The poll of 1677 people by Workingmums.co.uk found that 85% felt that offering...

Alcohol code 'put on hold'

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Plans to introduce a mandatory code governing the sale of alcohol appear to have been postponed by the Government. The code, subject to a Home Office consultation that closed only a month ago, is...

A beginner's guide to paid search

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:12:13 +0000

The web has helped to level the playing field for small businesses - have you tried the 'paid search' approach to targeted advertising?

Youngest hit hard as unemployment nears 2.5 million

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Unemployment has risen close to the 2.5 million mark, according to official figures released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The number of UK jobless swelled by 210,000 in the...

Jobcentre Plus reform needed, says FSB

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Far-reaching changes are needed in the Jobcentre Plus network to reconnect job seekers with job creators and to tackle rising unemployment, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has said. And...

One in five shops 'will sell tobacco to children'

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

One in five shops in the UK is willing to sell tobacco to children, Government research has suggested. The review of trading standards figures, carried out by the Local Authorities Co-ordinators...

Lead scientist warns of power blackouts

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

One of the country's leading scientists has warned that the UK risks blackouts by 2016 if it does not commit to finding new sources of electricity. And the choice lies between industrialising...

Call for increased lending as rate remains unchanged

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Bank of England has maintained the Bank rate at 0.5% for the seventh month, as the economy shows mixed signs of recovery. The move was widely expected, and is considered sensible by most...

Employment survey adds to cautious optimism

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

There was a slight growth in both permanent and temporary appointments during August, a monthly survey of recruitment agencies has revealed. And the Report on Jobs - jointly published by KPMG and...

Low-paid occupations 'worst hit by unemployment'

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Low-paid occupations have seen the largest rise in unemployment over the past year, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has said. In its Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) Claims by Occupation report, the TUC...

Risk Assessment: Occupational Noise

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:03:02 +0000

British workers given longer to fill vacancies

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

British workers will soon have longer to fill job vacancies before they are advertised overseas. From next year, jobs will have to be advertised in Jobcentre Plus for four weeks, up from the...

Chancellor bullish on UK recovery

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The chancellor, Alistair Darling, has rebutted claims by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that the UK is set to lag behind as the other major economies begin to...

Post Offices 'should become business hubs'

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Post offices need to be transformed into "business hubs" in order to safeguard the future of the network, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). The group has set out a range of...

Landlords launch their own database

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has launched an on-line database of members to improve transparency in the sector. The database, www.mynlalandlord.org.uk, allows tenants to check whether...

'Booze ASBO' launched

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Government has unveiled a new 'booze ASBO' as part of a a crackdown on alcohol-fuelled crime. Police and local authorities will be able to apply to the magistrates' court for the Drinking...

Risk Assessment: Hot work safety procedure

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:31:48 +0000

FOI requests probe public sector payment of SMEs

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Every council and health trust across Britain is facing a Freedom of Information (FOI) request aimed at shaming those who are not paying their suppliers on time. The move, which is set to ask...

'Cleantech' tipped as fastest-growing sector

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Business leaders have highlighted 'cleantech' industries as the fastest-growing sector of the economy over the coming decade. The survey, commissioned by the department for Business Innovation and...

Loophole exposed in DVD age act

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

A loophole has been exposed in the act that prevents the sale of DVDs and video games to underage customers. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) issued a letter on Monday in which it...

Navigation tool 'to save on SME transport costs'

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The AA has released a new online navigation tool which it claims can help businesses save money through more efficient planning. Aimed at hauliers and couriers, the pay-as-you-go Route Optimiser...

Prospects brighter for services sector - but prices still falling

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Business conditions in the services sector show improvement, but falling prices continue to affect profitability, new research has shown. The Confederation of British Industry's (CBI) Service...

"Crisis level" unemployment in UK resorts, says TUC

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Traditional seaside resorts are being hammered by above-average levels of unemployment despite a growing appetite for UK residents to holiday in this country, according to the TUC. The...

Mixed impressions from SME Business Link users

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

SMEs have delivered a decidedly mixed verdict on the Government's Business Link service, in a poll conducted by website smallbusiness.co.uk While 33% of the 150 respondents said that the service...

Small businesses show mixed progress on green issues

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Over half of SMEs are actively trying to reduce their impact on the environment, new research has revealed. A survey of 7,000 UK SMEs by NetRegs.gov.uk - a website that advises on business...

Many 'unhappy with provision of local shops'

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Many people are dissatisfied with the provision of local shops in their area, new research suggests. The survey by charity Urban Forum looked at the views of 177 individuals, some of whom were...

Insolvencies 'could reach 150,000 this year'

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The number of personal insolvencies could reach 150,000 by the end of the year, KPMG has predicted. KPMG analysis of figures from the Ministry of Justice reveals a 22% increase in the number of...

Buy-to-let market "starting to pick up"

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The buy-to-let market is showing signs of stabilising, according to figures released today by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). Alongside arrears improving "significantly", the council...

Hidden jobless 'signs of deepening economic distress'

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Millions of the 'hidden jobless' are the only thing keeping headline unemployment figures below the 2.5million benchmark, according to a human resources body. The Chartered Institute of Personnel...

Unemployment jumps by 10%

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The UK's official measure of unemployment has risen to 2.43 million people, latest figures show. According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of jobless working age people in the UK...

UK manufacturing outlook 'most positive in EU'

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Signs of returning confidence in the UK's manufacturing sector are the most positive of any EU country, new research has suggested. The KPMG's Business Outlook Survey found that confidence appears...

Redundancies 'damaging survivor morale'

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Recession redundancies are damaging 'survivor' morale, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has warned. In a YouGov survey of 3,000 employees, commissioned by the CIPD, 70%...

Grants announced to help small retailers beat crime

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Government has announced a £5 million grants programme designed to help small retailers defeat crime. Small retailers will soon be able to apply for up to £3,000 of Government money -...

Interest rates unchanged for fourth month

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Bank interest rate will remain at 0.5% - the fourth consecutive month that the rate has remained unchanged at the record low level. Announcing its decision to keep the rate the same, the Bank...

BBC searches for enterprising villagers

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The BBC is looking for enterprising villagers to star in a new television series. With rural village life in decline, the BBC wants to uncover "untapped business potential" that could help...

Competition Commission urges supermarket ombudsman

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Competition Commission (CC) has formally called on the Government to establish a grocery ombudsman. The move comes after the commission failed to reach agreement with the UK's biggest...

Small business optimism 'slowly improving'

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Business optimism among small and medium-sized companies is slowly improving, new research has suggested. According to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI's) latest SME Trends Survey,...

SMEs 'still suffering' from reduced bank lending

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Small retailers are still suffering from contracted lending, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has said. The BRC's Credit Conditions Survey found that 33% of small retailers have experienced a...

Gender pay gap widens

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Persistent gender stereotyping in schools has meant that the gap between men's and women's pay remains, according to the Women and Work Commission. The commission, which was established by the...

Government invests in advanced manufacturing

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Government has announced a £151.5 million investment package for the advanced manufacturing sector. The measures are designed to help manufacturers who use a high level of design or scientific...

Broadband a slouch for many customers

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Broadband providers are not offering users the connection speeds they claim for their services, according to a report by communications watchdog Ofcom. UK Broadband Speeds 2009 found that more...

Banks 'must live up to SME credit promises'

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Chancellor Alistair Darling has hit out at the banks, saying that they must "live up to the promises that they made" for SME lending. Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr programme, Mr Darling...

GDP falls again

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The UK's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) fell by 0.8% over the second quarter of 2009 - twice the drop expected by experts. But despite a decline in output across the board, the fall represents an...

Tweet success: How small businesses are using Twitter

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:29:02 +0000

Three small business owners explain why they use Twitter, and how it's changing the way they communicate

Small firms need swine flu measures, says FSB

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Small businesses need their own set of measures to help them cope with the swine flu pandemic, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). The lobby group has written to Health...

Pub closures hit new high

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

UK pubs closed at a rate of more than seven per week in the first six months of the year, new figures show. The research by the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) suggests that the rate of...

Service charge code of practice published

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

A new voluntary code of practice is urging restaurants to be more open with customers about discretionary service charges and tipping practices. The code, published by The British Hospitality...

'Sick day' gap widens between private and public sectors

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Employee absences in the private sector have fallen over the last year, highlighting a widening gap with the number of sick days claimed by public sector workers. The Absence Management Survey by...

Competition test 'won't help small businesses'

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

New Competition Commission plans for an anti-monopoly test aimed at curbing local supermarket dominance have come under fire from the Forum of Private Business (FPB). The group has criticised the...

Record jump in unemployment

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Unemployment in the UK has risen to 2.38 million after a record period of job losses. According to new figures from the Office for National Statistics, 281,000 people lost their jobs in the three...

Newsagents leave industry forum

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The National Federation of Retail Newsagents (NFRN) has suspended its membership of the news trade's self-regulatory group. The NFRN said that it had become frustrated with the Joint Industry...

UK 'too focused on wind power', says CBI

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Government's energy policy is too focused on wind power, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has said. In Decision Time, a report into the future of sustainable energy, the CBI has...

Supermarkets cut fuel prices to 99.9p per litre

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Supermarket fuel providers have cut petrol and diesel prices to under £1 per litre. Asda announced yesterday that it had dropped its prices to 99.9p a litre, prompting matching cuts by...

No extension to quantitative easing

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

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 +0000

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 +0000

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 +0000

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 +0000

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 +0000

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 +0000

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 +0000

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 +0000

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 +0000

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 +0000

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...

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