Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Reductions to business rates and National Insurance plus support with energy costs top concerns – as only 9% of small businesses looking to hire to support growth this summer As the UK welcomes a new Prime Minister and leadership team, 9 in 10 adults (90%) would like to see the Government do more to support…
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The percentage of small businesses predicting growth has fallen to 24% – its lowest level for 12-years, with significant downturns in the construction (15%), retail (21%) and hospitality (21%) sectors. Whilst small business growth forecasts rose modestly in the north west, they fell in every other region of England and Wales – with the position…
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UK businesses are under growing strain as supply chain costs surge, with nearly three-quarters (72%) of business leaders reporting increases in the past year – double the level seen over the previous two years (36%), according to RSM research, The data showed that almost a third of businesses said they recovered from price shocks within…
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Latest data from Allianz Trade showed that the Cash Collection Cycle (CCC) rose again in 2025 (67 days) and appears to have settled at a structurally high plateau, with the driver being inventories, with companies moving away from ‘just-in-time’ efficiency toward ‘just-in-case’ resilience. The UK maintained a 40-day cash collection cycle in 2025, shorter than…
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More than one in five (22%) SMEs fear they could be forced out of business over problems paying tax bills in the next five years, according to new research from Premium Credit. The study of SME owners and managers found nearly two out of five (39%) say they have missed up to four tax bill…
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New data from Purbeck Insurance Services has revealed that applications for personal guarantee-backed finance rose 63% year-on-year in Q2 2026, reflecting sustained and growing demand for borrowing among small and medium-sized businesses. Behind every loan application is a director who has personally guaranteed a business loan, and the scale of that exposure is growing as…
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Business activity in the UK financial services sector has sharply declined, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). The net reading for business activity fell from 65 in March to -58 in June. Firms reported deteriorating profitability and cited poor investment returns as a key growth limitation. The quarterly survey also found that sentiment…
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Around two-thirds (63%) of people are set to take a holiday this summer, bringing a related boost to the UK retail economy according to KPMG UK’s latest quarterly Consumer Pulse survey. The data showed that demand, other spending plans over the coming three months, as well as the impact that the Iran conflict had on…
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New data from Zempler Bank has shown that confidence among operators remains low, with just under one-quarter (24%) saying they feel confident about growth and nearly one in five (18%) questioning their long-term viability. In response to ongoing economic challenges, 75% have raised prices in the past 12 months, 55% have cut staff hours and…
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Delayed finance approvals are having a significant impact on the UK’s mid-sized businesses, with more than one in five (22%) losing opportunities to competitors as a result of funding delays, according to new research by Shawbrook. These delays have led to a series of setbacks, with 22% having. to delay significant investment whilst 20% have…
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UK small business profit growth reached 7.4% in the year to the first quarter of 2026, according to Sage’s latest SME Pulse report. The figure was up from 5.5% in the previous quarter and marks the strongest pace since Q1 2022. The difficulty is that stronger profits are still not always turning into available cash. Sage found that…
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The ICAEW has warned that proposed UK reporting requirements for close companies could unfairly burden small businesses. The association says that under the new proposals, close companies will need to report details of transactions with participators to HMRC, placing a disproportionate administrative burden on compliant businesses, while doing little, if anything, to reduce the small…
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A new report released has revealed that significant strides are being made to improve the accuracy of the Companies House register and disrupt economic crime. The report is the latest part of the implementation of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCT Act), which brings about the most significant reforms to UK company…
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