News for Small Business

Small firms now able to bid for �1bn RGF money

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 09:29:48 +0100

Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg believes it will help create or protect 330,000 jobs.

HMRC extends campaign against tax avoidance to the motor trade

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:48:00 +0100

The department will also look at clothing retailers, market stallholders and landlords in Scotland.

High streets can be revitalised by BPRA tax relief, expert says

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:26:32 +0100

The under-used Business Property Renovation Allowance can help revitalise the nation's high streets, says Huw Witty.

Moira Stuart avoids tax through private company

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:14:32 +0100

The public face of Inland Revenue, Moira Stuart, paid £4,380 in corporation tax through Moira Stuart Ltd in 2010-11.

HMRC extends deadline for appeals against late tax returns

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:23:42 +0100

The department will now consider appeals until March 31st, not the usual 30 days after a penalty is issued.

George Osborne looking to 'root out' tax loophole

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:24:31 +0100

The chancellor is thought to be looking at ways to close a tax loophole that has benefitted senior civil servants.

Small businesses are staying resilient, FSB survey finds

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:40:58 +0100

Three-quarters of small firms are looking to widen their client base, according to new research.

HMRC set to issue 850,000 tax return penalties

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:19:27 +0100

Around 850,000 tax return penalties are set to be issued by HMRC.

Small firms in Scotland continuing to expand, figures suggest

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:23:52 +0100

Permanent and temporary hiring increased marginally in Scotland last month, according to Bank of Scotland.

Four new lenders join govt's Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:26:50 +0100

The government has announced that four new lenders have joined its Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme.

Brits urged to start up a new business

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:25:25 +0100

Britons could be tempted to set up a business in light of another unemployment rise.

Flexible workers are more engaged, says expert

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:35:28 +0100

Flexible staff are more committed to their work, it has been claimed.

Small firms to benefit from new online advice

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:57:18 +0100

Small businesses are set to benefit from new online training aimed at those involved in the government's Get mentoring Scheme.

Small businesses could be urged to offer flexible working

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:55:38 +0100

Small businesses could be encouraged to offer flexible working models following the publication of new research.

Will Brits start new firms as joblessness increases?

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:44:32 +0100

Unemployment rose by 48,000 in the three months to December, new figures have shown.

UK electricians set for tax clampdown

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:43:17 +0100

HMRC has revealed that it is urging electricians to come forward over their tax obligations.

Is a tax return penalty notice coming your way?

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:33:16 +0100

HMRC is to begin issuing penalties notices later this week to those who failed to meet the tax return deadline.

FSB: Lending targets are not the answer

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:32:36 +0100

Lending targets are not the way to boost small businesses, the FSB has claimed.

Project Merlin will not be repeated this year

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:31:33 +0100

Project Merlin will not be repeated this year, the government has confirmed.

CBI: UK to avoid double-dip recession

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:32:10 +0100

The UK will see its economy expand this year, according to one leading industry body.

Unemployment to hit almost three million

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:31:56 +0100

Unemployment will host almost three million before the year is out, it has been claimed.

FPB: Banks no longer giving money freely

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:30:38 +0100

Banks are no longer "freely" giving money, according to the FPB.

UK banks miss small business loan targets

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:02:24 +0100

The UK's five main banks have failed to meet a target for lending to small firms.

BoE pumps further �50bn into UK economy

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:14:19 +0100

The BoE has agreed to extend its quantitative easing programme by £50bn.

UK's financial services sees record growth in January

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:13:04 +0100

Demand for financial services in the UK is on the rise.

Govt hopes new centre will boost green sector

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:11:25 +0100

The government hopes a new £50 million green technologies centre will boost the green energy sector and create thousands of new jobs.

Taxpayers urged to seek professional advice

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:36:33 +0100

Taxpayers have been urged to seek professional advice following a recent announcement by HMRC.

FSB welcomes new Entrepreneurship Inquiry

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:40:24 +0100

The new Entrepreneurship Inquiry will help to identify a range of finance issues faced by smaller firms, it has been claimed.

Circle closes on offshore tax evaders

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:39:21 +0100

Offshore tax evasion is being clamped down on following recent moves by HMRC.

HMRC's online advice to help small businesses

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:38:26 +0100

Small businesses are to be offered free lessons from HMRC in a new series of webinars.

HMRC to launch new tax crackdowns

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:37:11 +0100

HMRC is to launch a range of new campaigns in order to clamp down on those avoiding their tax obligations.

AWR has not dampened demand for flexible workers, REC says

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:22:57 +0100

Small businesses are still making use of temporary workers despite the introduction of the AWR, it has been claimed.

Treasury 'surprised' by �11bn tax write off

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:21:44 +0100

The Treasury was "surprised" to learn that HMRC wrote off almost £11bn in unpaid taxes, it has been reported.

HMRC to be given new powers

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:23:32 +0100

The department will use the new powers to tackle businesses dodging PAYE or National Insurance contributions.

Late payment is the 'scourge' of small firms

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:16:50 +0100

Late payment decimates cashflow and threatens the survival of small firms, it has been claimed.

Small firms urged to be more assertive over late payment

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:15:49 +0100

Small businesses have been urged to take a more assertive stance when it comes to chasing late payments.

207,000 make use of extra filing days

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:47:24 +0100

Some 207,000 taxpayers made use of the extra penalty-free day HMRC added to the tax return deadline.

FPB: Small firms are vital to UK's economy

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:16:51 +0100

Small businesses are vital to the UK's economy, according to the FPB.

Flexible working is a 'solution to more competitiveness'

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:15:24 +0100

Flexible working is offering small businesses a "solution to more competitiveness", it has been claimed.

Business records checks to be 'more targeted'

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:38:03 +0100

HMRC is to make its business records checks programme "more targeted", it has been announced.

New record as 9.45m file tax returns on time

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:22:39 +0100

A record 9.45 million people filed their self-assessment tax returns on time this year, new figures have shown.

UK economy to contract in first half of 2012

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:15:56 +0100

The UK's economy is set to dip in the first six months of this year, it has been claimed.

What constitutes a 'reasonable excuse' for missing the tax return deadline?

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:12:45 +0100

The ICAEW has claimed that all is not lost for those who have missed the tax return deadline.

HMRC could issue �100m in late filing penalties

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:30:04 +0100

HMR could issue in excess of £100 million worth of penalties to those that have missed the deadline.

Setting up a business to become 'more attractive'

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:26:56 +0100

Changes to the UK's tax system will make setting up a business more attractive from April this year, it has been claimed.

Small firms to benefit from pension system delay

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:31:14 +0100

Small businesses have been given an extra two years to prepare for auto-enrolment pension rules.

Employees should be top priority, report shows

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:30:21 +0100

Businesses should make their employees the number one priority, according to a new report.

Online tax return take-up on the rise

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:27:38 +0100

The number of people filing their tax returns online is on the rise, new figures have shown.

Grants work better at small firms, report finds

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:13:03 +0100

Small firms are better placed to create new jobs from government grants, a new report has shown.

Business Link support is 'inadequate', survey shows

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:11:40 +0100

The support offered by Business Link is "inadequate", according to a new survey.

Govt launches new business support programme

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:28:28 +0100

Up to 10,000 UK firms are to benefit from a new dedicated coaching service.

Innovation comes easier to small firms

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:53:30 +0100

Small businesses can be more innovative than larger firms as they face fewer restraints, it has been claimed.

Govt calls for investment through the Business Finance Partnership

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:28:25 +0100

The government has called on fund managers to invest in the UK's businesses.

Small firms to benefit from new govt e-calendar

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:47:02 +0100

The coalition has unveiled a new calendar documenting hundreds of enterprise events.

HMRC warns against cash payments

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:40:13 +0100

Britons have been warned that paying cash for services could lead to greater economic turmoil.

HMRC announces deadline extension

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:07:33 +0100

HMRC has extended the tax return deadline amid planned industrial action.

REC to flag up EU red tape

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:48:45 +0100

The REC is to flag up the issue of EU red tape in a forthcoming media appearance.

Manpower Group calls for new flexible strategy

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:47:08 +0100

Businesses are being urged to adopt a more flexible approach to their workforce.

HMRC to target electricians

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:41:12 +0100

HMRC is set to embark on a new campaign to crack down on the UK's electricians.

FPB: Schools must play a bigger role in encouraging entrepreneurship

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:36:02 +0100

Schools must do more to encourage entrepreneurship among the UK's younger generation, it has been claimed.

Union threatens further HMRC strikes

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:48:53 +0100

HMRC's staff are set to strike on January 31st, the tax return deadline day.

Business reminded of new VAT return rules

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:30:37 +0100

Business must file their VAT returns online from this spring, HMRC has confirmed.

Business in You scheme welcomed by FPB

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:29:08 +0100

The govt's latest small business support scheme has been welcomed by the FPB.

Govt launches new business support scheme

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:29:22 +0100

The coalition has announced the launch of a new support scheme for small businesses.

Taxpayers face fines of up to �1,600 for late filing

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:19:35 +0100

Taxpayers yet to receive activation codes for online tax return filing could face fines of up to £1,600.

Cut VAT campaign gathers pace

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:30:29 +0100

A campaign calling for VAT to be cut from 20 per cent to five per cent in the UK's leisure sector is gathering pace.

Govt announces plans for empty premises

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:49:13 +0100

Small business owners could soon benefit from new plans to make empty government buildings available for cheap rent.

UK needs support network for new businesses, says REC

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:47:25 +0100

The REC has highlighted the need for a nationwide support network for new businesses.

BRC calls for end to quarterly rent system

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:38:22 +0100

Small businesses would see their cashflow improve if landlords operated on a monthly basis, the BRC has claimed.

Royal Mail price hike will hit small firms hard, says FPB

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:33:11 +0100

The FPB has lamented plans to increase the price of Royal Mail services.

Small businesses told to 'go micro niche'

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:25:42 +0100

Small businesses need to find a niche in order to stand out from their competitors, it has been claimed.

IT firms set for high demand

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:20:33 +0100

Small businesses working in the IT sector are set to notice increased demand for their services.

Cut red tape for small businesses, says BCC

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:19:41 +0100

The BCC has called on the coalition to cut the amount of red tape faced by the UK's small businesses.

Small businesses set for million-pound tax fine refund

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:31:27 +0100

HMRC is "deliberately" waiting months to tell small firms they have missed important tax dates, it has been ruled.

More Brits are starting a new business

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:36:23 +0100

The number of Brits working for themselves is on the rise, according to new figures.

HMRC issues further tax return reminder

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:52:04 +0100

HMRC is looking to ensure that all taxpayers are aware of the forthcoming tax return deadline.

Millions yet to file tax returns

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:53:25 +0100

Millions of Britons face penalties as they have yet to file their online self-assessment tax returns.

Forums sets out to ease oil and gas tax issues

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:32:29 +0100

The Fiscal Forum has met for the first time to discuss a range of tax issues in the UK's oil and gas sector.

Will tax officers' strike action affect tax returns?

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:33:19 +0100

Tax officers are set to strike over plans to privatise their jobs, it has been reported.

Reports reveals mixed bag for Scottish business

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:41:07 +0100

Business activity in Scotland improved marginally in December, according to a new report.

Small firms underwhelmed by Olympic legacy

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:31:20 +0100

The majority of small businesses believe the Olympic Games will not have a positive impact on their operation.

Business owners put their homes on the line

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:01:29 +0100

Small business owners are increasingly using their own homes to raise funds for their enterprises, according to new figures.

HMRC to crack down on tax fraud

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:33:16 +0100

HMRC is set to introduce tougher procedures for civil fraud investigations.

HMRC issues bogus rebate warning

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:04:54 +0100

HMRC has warned taxpayers to be wary of bogus tax rebate emails.

Everyone 'should start a new business'

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:25:52 +0100

Starting a new business is something everyone should attempt, it has been claimed.

HMRC announces new dispute scheme

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:22:01 +0100

HMRC is piloting a new dispute resolution service, it has been announced.

Small businesses are UK's best hope, says expert

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:40:04 +0100

The UK needs its small businesses to lead its economic recovery, it has been claimed.

Small firms facing growing late payment problem

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:48:04 +0100

The late payment issue in the UK is getting worse, new figures have shown.

HMRC issues tax return reminder

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:26:25 +0100

Taxpayers have been reminded of the forthcoming deadline to file their online tax returns.

Small firms to face HMRC spot checks

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:24:34 +0100

HMRC is to carry out 20,000 random spot checks in 2012.

Have yourself a self-assessment Christmas

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:41:56 +0100

More than 1,000 tax payers submitted their tax returns on Christmas day, new figures have shown.

REC issues AWR reminder

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:37:20 +0100

The REC has issued a reminder that AWR is an issue for both agencies and clients.

HMRC's treatment of larger firms is 'infuriating'

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:30:52 +0100

One tax expert has revealed her fury over HMRC's treatment of larger firms.

Britons consider starting a new business

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:56:34 +0100

A number of Britons are preparing to start up a new businesses, it has been suggested.

HMRC to investigate Premier League footballer perks

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:25:13 +0100

The department is set to focus on secret perks enjoyed by soccer stars.

UK sees growing number of start-ups

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:32:01 +0100

The number of new businesses opening in the UK is on the rise, according to the new figures.

2012 could mean growth for small firms, says FSB

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:27:22 +0100

The New Year will bring opportunities for small businesses to expand, according to the Federation of Small Businesses.

Small firms struggling to access finance

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:29:50 +0100

Small businesses are still struggling to secure loans despite numerous government initiatives.

Unemployment set to rise in 2012

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:31:53 +0100

Small firms will be under increased pressure to create jobs in the New Year, it has been suggested.

CIOT warns of new penalties for the New Year

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 09:29:24 +0100

HMRC is to take a tougher stance on tax evasion and avoidance in 2012, the CIOT has warned.