Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
The Government has announced new plans to tackle late payments, which it says is part of the most significant legislative reform in 25 years. Late payment is an issue that costs the UK economy £11 billion a year and shuts down 38 businesses every day Late payments are one of the biggest barriers to small…
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Iwoca’s latest SME Expert Index reveals that the Government has hurt small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during its first year in power. The research showed that almost three-quarters (70%) of SME finance brokers say that conditions for small businesses have deteriorated during the Labour Government’s first year in office. The Government has made little progress…
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The Institute of Directors’ Economic Confidence Index, which measures business leaders’ optimism in prospects for the UK economy, fell to -72 in July 2025 from -53 in June.This exceeds the previous record low of -69 in April 2020 and marks the lowest reading of the Index since its introduction in July 2016. Business leaders’ confidence…
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Firms across the private sector expect activity to fall in the next three months (weighted balance of -18%), extending a run of negative sentiment that began in late 2024, according to latest Confederation of British Industry research. The downturn is expected to be broad-based, with business volumes in the services sector set to decline (-19%),…
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The UK economy is projected to grow by 1% in 2025, surpassing earlier forecasts, which suggests that the economy would expand by just 0.8% according to an EY Item Club forecast. However, the EY ITEM Club Summer Forecast predicts that persistent uncertainty in the global economy and international trade policy, alongside tightening fiscal policy, a…
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Latest research by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has shown that that the rise of inflation has shaken consumer confidence. The data showed that consumer expectations over the next three months with the state of the economy worsening to -33 in July, down from -28 in June. Personal financial situation worsened to -7 in July, down from…
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New data from Atradius has shown that insurance claims rose in June, reversing the downward trend observed since the start of the year. Despite this uptick, several sectors are showing signs of recovery – highlighting the resilience of UK businesses amid ongoing economic uncertainty. Claims rose notably in: · Consumer durables – up 140% YoY,…
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UK-listed companies issued 59 profit warnings during Q2 2025, a 20% rise compared to the same period last year (49), according to EY-Parthenon’s latest Profit Warnings report. The leading factor behind profit warnings during the second quarter was policy change and geopolitical uncertainty, cited in nearly half (46%) of warnings. This marked a significant increase…
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British businesses are struggling to cover expenses, pay debts and invest in their businesses, as half have said cash flow is an issue for them (49%), with one in ten (10%) businesses admitting it is a significant issue, according to research from Shawbrook. 46% say their cash flow issues are primarily driven by an increase…
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Latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data has shown that inflation has increased to 3.6 per cent in the year to June, up from 3.4 per cent in May. The figures exceeded analysts’ predictions that inflation would remain at May’s level. The rise was driven by motor fuel and food costs, with food price inflation…
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More small businesses expect to downsize or close than grow over the next 12 months, according to a survey by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). In the first quarter of the year nearly half of small businesses (48 per cent) expected to grow over the coming year, while only around one in six (18…
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Four in ten (39%) senior financial professionals working in the UK say the country’s dominance in financial services has weakened in recent years, according to research by CRIF. As a result, nearly half (44%) say they no longer consider the country a global leader in financial services, with the top reasons behind this including Brexit’s…
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Latest ONS data has shown that GDP unexpectedly fell by 0.1 per cent in May, marking a second consecutive monthly decline. This follows April’s decline of 0.3 per cent and underscores the challenge the Government’s faces in terms of the overall economy. Manufacturing, retail, and energy sectors saw notable drops, including weaker car production and…
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