Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Business confidence rose 11 points to 55% in March, driven mainly by smaller firms, according to the latest Lloyds Business Barometer. The survey, conducted from March 2nd-16th, showed that over 90% of responses came in the first week, before the potential impact of Middle Eastern conflict affected smaller businesses. Larger firms exhibited less optimism, reflecting…
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A businessman living in Spain, instead of serving a prison sentence for contempt of court, has been banned as a company director. Jack Mason was the director of eight companies linked to his associates Scott Dylan and David Antrobus, who are currently serving lengthy disqualifications for unauthorised banking transactions worth almost £14 million. Mason failed…
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A bankrupt father who illegally transferred tens of thousands of pounds to family and friends to avoid debts has been jailed. Gareth Sowter was declared bankrupt in April 2021 after failing to pay more than £100,000 to the preparatory (prep) school attended by his three sons. Sowter had promised to use a sizeable inheritance to…
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Business energy costs are set to soar, with electricity bills increasing by an average of 10% to 30% since late February, depending on the sector and the size of the organisation. Gas price rises are steeper still, with Cornwall Insight forecasts showing bill increases of between 25% and 80%, as the ongoing conflict in the…
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UK inflation remained at 3% in February, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). On a monthly basis, CPI rose by 0.4% in February 2026, the same rate as in February 2025. Clothing made the largest upward contribution to the monthly change to CPI annual rates; motor fuels made the…
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Latest figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that total asset finance new business (primarily leasing and hire purchase) fell by 6% in January 2025 compared with the same month in 2025. In the twelve months to January 2026, new business was 1% higher than in the same period in 2025. The…
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The Government has announced new legislation which is designed to protect small businesses and aims to ensure that companies pay suppliers within 60 days, with late payments potentially triggering fines. Boards must also detail payment terms in their audit reports. Under the new plans, the Small Business Commissioner will be given sweeping new powers to…
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Business bank Zempler Bank has named its Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Dominic Wade, as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), pending regulatory approval. Wade succeeds Rich Wagner, Zempler’s founding CEO, who stepped down earlier this months, with Wagner moving to a part-time advisory role to the board, led by Chair Mark Sismey-Durrant. The leadership change follows…
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Two in three UK small businesses (67%) are working on plans to strengthen and grow over the spring months, although plans to hire new staff (14%) have hit a new five-year low, according to new research from Novuna Business Finance Whilst 84% of small businesses started 2026 with hopes to grow their enterprises during the…
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A business adviser from Surrey has been disqualified as a company director for a second time after failing to pay more than £100,000 in tax. Richard Beal was the sole director of management consultancy firm Larter Beal Limited, which owed more than £70,000 in corporation tax and £50,000 in VAT when it went into liquidation…
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A jailed fraudster has been ordered to hand back more than £120,000 after securing Covid loans in his wife’s name. Shohid Ahmed applied for three maximum-value Bounce Back Loans on behalf of Red Square Restaurants Limited, using his wife’s name because she had a better credit history. The 41-year-old, of Bardsey Crescent, Bradford, received £100,000…
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The British Business Bank’s Small Business Finance Markets 2025/26 report has found that gross SME bank lending increased by 9% to £68bn in 2025, making it the second highest level in the past 13 years after 2020’s covid peak, as credit conditions eased gradually through the year. Business dynamism is showing signs of improvement, with…
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Alternative SME finance provider, ThinCats, has announced the appointment of Dan Houman as Senior Director. In the new role, Houman will work with SMEs across Yorkshire and the North East to help them access the funding they need to grow. Working closely with the existing regional team, he will support businesses in securing bespoke, flexible…
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