Lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) rose 16 per cent year-on-year to £5.3 billion in the first quarter of 2026, according to UK Finance’s Business Finance Review. This was the highest level of SME lending since 2021 and demonstrates both strong demand for SME finance and the continued role of high street bank lenders…
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4.7 million businesses will be required to submit additional financial data to Companies House under major transparency reforms confirmed by the Government. From April 2028, small companies and micro-entities will be required to file profit and loss accounts with Companies House under changes introduced through the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. The reforms are…
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UK SMEs trading internationally are facing a tipping point, with seven in ten warning they could be pushed into bankruptcy if disruption linked to the Iran war continues according to new research from SME funder Bibby Financial Services (BFS). The data reveals the growing financial toll of the conflict on UK importers and exporters, with…
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ICAEW has announced that Caroline Smale has become its President for 2026/27. Smale succeeds Derek Blair and will remain President until June 2027. As President, Smale will support the implementation of the ICAEW strategy, Direction 2030, which focuses on equipping members with the skills for the future; upholding public trust and professional integrity; and building…
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Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB) has announced it has appointed Nick Clayton as Lending Director within its development finance division as the bank continues to expand its London and South East origination team. Clayton joins from Close Brothers Property Finance, where he spent more than a decade across a range of roles spanning origination, portfolio management…
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Small businesses and the self-employed struggling with their finances to receive a helping hand through new £4 million funding boost to business debt advice services through the Money and Pensions Service. The funding will go towards expanding access to expert support to help them get back on track, giving a leg up to an additional…
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Time Finance has announced it has appointed Claudia Ritchie as its new Compliance Manager. Ritchie brings over 8 years of experience in regulatory compliance, risk management, and governance within the financial services sector. In her new role, she will be responsible for overseeing the company’s compliance framework, ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements, and strengthening internal…
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Britain’s construction sector is heading for a cash flow crisis, with firms battling late payments and rising costs on contracts that are now being delivered at a loss, according to new research from UK accountancy and advisory firm Menzies. The firm’s latest report finds that 86% of construction and property firms are already in or…
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Spark Finance Group has announced the appointment of Simon Carter as Chief Commercial Officer. Carter will lead the group’s commercial function across its FCA-regulated brokerage, Spark Finance, and its technology business, Clover Technology. He joins from Investec, where he was co-head of Investec Capital Solutions, with co-head responsibility for the bank’s working capital book. He…
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A housebuilder who transferred development land worth £250,000 out of his failing construction company to a firm controlled by his partner has been sentenced. Ishfaq Hussain signed over the two pieces of land from Reeson Homes Ltd, a company where he was sole director, to Paddington Homes Ltd, as creditors closed in and the company…
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The IoD Directors’ latest Economic Confidence Index, which measures business leader optimism over prospects for the UK economy, rose to -53 in May 2026 from -64 in April. Business leader confidence in their own organisations also rose, to +23 in May from +8 in April. This is the indicator’s highest reading since August 2024 (+23).…
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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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