Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Business lending growth is forecast to more than halve from 5.3% last year to 2.1% this year, then rise modestly to 2.8% in 2027, according to a new EY UK Bank Lending Outlook analysis. Higher costs and economic uncertainty weigh on investment demand. From 2027, stronger spending on AI and wider digital technology is expected…
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The IoD Directors’ Economic Confidence Index, which measures business leader optimism over prospects for the UK economy, fell to -54 in September, from -49 in August 2026. In contrast, business leaders became significantly more optimistic about the prospects for their own organisations, with confidence rising to +10, from -5 in August. The data showed that…
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The UK economy expanded by 0.5% in the second quarter, an upgrade from the initial 0.4% estimate and following 0.6% growth in Q1, official figures from the Office for National Statistics show. Annual growth was also revised higher to 1.4%, although the estimate for full-year 2025 growth was reduced to 1.2%. Consumers continued spending during…
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Prime Minster, Andy Burnham has announced plans to reform the state pension triple lock from 2030, with the changes intended to generate savings to help fund a proposed national care service in England. The Prime Minister said the triple lock – which sees pensions rise each year by whichever is highest of inflation, average earnings…
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Business confidence fell 12 points to 41% in September, the lowest level since April 2025, according to the Lloyds Business Barometer. This decline follows August’s reading of 53%, the second highest recorded this year, and buoyant results since May. While confidence remained well above the survey’s long-term average of 30%, it was six points below…
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Firms across the private sector expect activity to fall in the three months to December (weighted balance of -14%), according to the CBI’s latest Growth Indicator. The latest results extend a period of negative predictions for growth that has persisted since late 2024. Declining volumes in distribution (-34%), business & professional (-10%) and consumer services…
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The UK risks developing an AI adoption divide between businesses embedding AI across their operations and those still experimenting with the technology, according to new NatWest research. The study of 1,400 UK SMEs and mid-market businesses found that 44% currently use AI and a further 41% expect to adopt it within five years. However, only…
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The Chancellor must use next month’s Budget to give businesses the breathing space they need to deliver growth – including by freezing the business rates multiplier for one year – according to the chartered accountancy body ICAEW. Research from ICAEW, which was used to form its Budget submission to HM Treasury, pointed to a clear…
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Bank lending to small businesses across Great Britain falls £27bn in three years, with nine in 10 postcode sectors receiving less finance. The data has revealed a sustained and widespread decline in high street bank lending to UK small businesses, with total outstanding SME credit falling to its lowest level in more than a decade.…
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UK inflation accelerates to 3.1% per cent in July, up from 2.6 per cent in June, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Motor fuel was the biggest driver of the latest rise, with the energy shock feeding through to household costs. This figure sits above the Bank’s 2% target…
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HM Treasury, the UK’s economics and finance ministry, has recorded more than £62 million in invoices were paid late over the past three years, despite the announcement of the landmark reform to crack down on late payments earlier this year in May. The data obtained via a Freedom of Information request and analysed by the…
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Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have shown that the UK economy grew in July, despite the impact of the Iran war. The data showed a 0.4 per cent increase in gross domestic product, compared with 0.3 per cent in June. The warm weather and World Cup were cited by some businesses…
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The Institute of Directors is calling on the Chancellor to focus on restoring business confidence in his next budget, encouraging private investment and creating the conditions for stronger long-term economic growth. The IoD argues that while the UK economy has delivered stronger growth than many comparable advanced economies in recent years, persistent weaknesses in investment,…
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