Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Around 1.5 million businesses face a greater risk of having their energy supply disconnected than the average household, and of exploitation by unscrupulous energy brokers. This is all due to a lack of protections in the microbusiness market, according to a new report from Citizens Advice. Microbusinesses, which make up 96% of all UK businesses,…
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Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) has released official statistics reporting company insolvencies in Scotland for the second quarter (July to September 2019) of 2019-20. The number of Scottish registered companies becoming insolvent or entering receivership increased slightly in the second quarter of 2019-20, with 235 companies becoming insolvent compared with 232 in the same quarter of…
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681,000 UK individuals and businesses are so far behind on their tax bills that they have been forced to reschedule their payments with HMRC, research UHY Hacker Young shows. Taxpayers are able to reschedule their tax payments with HMRC by agreeing ‘time to pay’ arrangements. These allow taxpayers to pay their taxes over a longer…
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The Federation of Small Business (FSB) is calling on Sajid Javid to bring forward radical interventions to address an unprecedented long-term slump in small business confidence, slowing economic growth and a widening trade deficit when he publishes the 2019 Autumn Budget on 6th November. Writing to the Chancellor, the group calls for a major reduction…
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The Office for National Statistics (ONS) data has shown that UK retail sales were flat last month after a decline in August, with volumes in the three months to September up 0.6% on the previous quarter. An increase in online sales in July was largely responsible for the growth. Sales were up 3.1% year-on-year in…
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New research from Begbies Traynor has revealed that numbers of businesses in significant1 financial distress has increased 40% in the three years since the EU referendum, affecting 489,000 UK businesses with the real estate and property, construction, retail and travel sectors the most severely affected. The latest data for Q3 2019 found that a large…
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New legislation is being proposed by the government to create a new class of special administration to allow failed insolvent airlines to be able to fly passengers home. Under the existing system, when an airline folds its planes are grounded, leaving passengers at risk of being stranded The government believes enabling the CAA to use…
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Chief Finance Officers (CFOs) are intensifying their focus on cost control, with 58% saying it is a strong priority for the next 12 months, according to Deloitte’s latest CFO Survey. This is the highest level for ten years. Almost two-thirds of CFOs (65%) say their business faces high or very high levels of external financial…
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SMEs are least likely to invest in their businesses during the remainder of 2019 according to the latest Global Business Monitor from Bibby Financial Services (BFS) and trade credit insurer, Euler Hermes. The report offers insight into the opportunities and threats faced by SMEs worldwide, based on a survey of businesses across 13 regions, with…
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Paul Uppal has stepped down from his role as Small Business Commissioner. Fiona Dickie, the Deputy Pubs Code Adjudicator, will provide oversight in the Small Business Commissioner role until early November, pending the appointment of an Interim Commissioner. An open recruitment campaign to appoint a new Small Business Commissioner will get underway immediately. The role…
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Over three quarters (76%) of freelancers have experienced mental health issues as a result of late paying clients in the last 12 months, according to new research. In its latest report Late Payments: The Cost to Business and Our Health, Hitachi Capital has investigated the mental health impact of late payments on the UK’s SMEs…
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New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that total asset finance new business (primarily leasing and hire purchase) held steady in August 2019, but was up by 6% in the twelve months to August, compared with the same period last year. The commercial vehicle finance, and plant and machinery finance sectors…
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One third (33%) of UK businesses are concerned about the potential impact Brexit will have on their suppliers and customers, according to new research from R3, the insolvency and restructuring body. The research, a survey of 1,200 senior business financial decision-makers, carried out for R3 by BVA BDRC, found that 11% of businesses have reviewed…
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