Business confidence edged upwards by three points to 47% in May, according to the latest Lloyds Business Barometer, indicating tentative stabilisation after the decline seen in April. The 12-month average for overall confidence is currently sitting at 48% and trending above the long-term average of 30% since the survey began in 2002. Businesses’ own trading…
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More than half of UK businesses plan to increase investment in AI over the next year, according to a Barclays survey of 900,000 firms. The report found that 68% of companies plan to invest in cybersecurity, while 54% expect overall investment to grow. Six in ten firms are already using AI agents to improve productivity…
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The percentage of UK small businesses citing barriers holding their business back from growing has hit a six-year peak (84%), with the impact of overseas conflict on energy and fuel prices in the UK now a serious concern for one in three enterprises (32%), according to new findings from Novuna Business Finance. The data show…
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New data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has shown that furniture and health and beauty products are among the items that have risen most in recent weeks, driving an increase in shop prices of 1.2% year on year in May, with the rate slightly above the three-month average of 1.1%. High oil prices and…
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Small businesses in sectors including legal, healthcare, and IT could be among the biggest winners from the government’s new crackdown on late payments, according to new research from Hiscox. The Small Business Protections Bill, introduced to Parliament last week and now progressing through the House of Lords, will introduce sweeping new rules aimed at tackling…
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A Newcastle recruitment consultant has been sentenced for a string of offences, including Covid fraud, flouting director disqualifications and running a phoenix company while bankrupt. Lucien Ekamba-Elombe set up a recruitment firm under a similar name to his previous failed company while legally banned from doing so after failing to pay council tax. He secretly…
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A South London man who secured Covid support funds for a construction firm which never traded has been disqualified as a company director for the maximum period of 15 years. Ademilson Nascimento obtained a £46,500 Bounce Back Loan in July 2020 by falsely claiming that his Buildan Construction Ltd company had a turnover of £192,000.…
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The Government has announced that the Small Business Protections Bill has been introduced to Parliament, aiming to end the scourge of late payments. The Small Business Protections Bill (formally known as the Commercial Payments Bill) delivers the toughest crackdown on late payments in a generation – putting a clear duty on large firms to pay…
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A cleaning boss has been banned as a company director after transferring almost £200,000 out of his insolvent business into his new company. Leicestershire-based Philip Walker was the director of Solus Facilities Limited, a company providing cleaning services for restaurants. However, by April 2023, the company was in financial difficulty and unable to pay its…
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More than half (57%) of businesses say a combination of supply chain pressures and higher energy and fuel costs are among their biggest challenges as they grapple with the impact of conflict in the Middle East, according to new research from accountancy and advisory firm BDO. The bi-monthly survey revealed that supply chain pressures including…
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The UK economy grew by 0.6 per cent in the first quarter of the year, the fastest rate of growth in a year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Growth was driven primarily by the services sector, which rose 0.8 per cent over the period. The ONS data also reported that GDP grew…
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Small businesses have welcomed new legislation aimed at curbing late payments, calling it a historic moment. The King’s Speech introduced measures that empower the Small Business Commissioner to investigate and fine firms that consistently delay payments. The Late Payments Bill enforces a maximum payment term of 60 days and mandates interest for late payments at…
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New figures released today by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that total asset finance new business (primarily leasing and hire purchase) grew by 9% in March 2026 compared with the same month in 2025. In Q1 2026, new business was 3% higher than in Q1 2025. The plant and machinery finance sector reported…
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