Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Retail footfall in the UK increased by 2.4% in March, driven by Easter shopping, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). However, this boost fell short of retailers’ expectations. Total UK footfall increased by 2.4% in March (YoY), up from -4.7% in February. High Street footfall increased by 2.0% in March (YoY), up from -5.4% in…
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Business optimism among UK CFOs has fallen to a six-year low, according to Deloitte’s latest survey of Chief Financial Officers (CFOs). CFO confidence fell to a net -57% from -13% in the previous quarter, with concerns around energy prices, inflation and interest rates surging in the wake of the situation in the Middle East. As…
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Increasing numbers of businesses are seeking protection against bad debt as they navigate tough trading conditions, according to SME funder, Bibby Financial Services (BFS). BFS’s latest SME Confidence Tracker reveals that the average amount SMEs are owed in unpaid invoices is £66,770 – a 10 per cent increase year-on-year – and 30 per cent have…
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The ICAEW’s Business Confidence Monitor shows sentiment has fallen for a fifth consecutive quarter, reversing earlier signs of recovery. Before the conflict, businesses had reported improving domestic sales and easing inflation, but rising geopolitical tensions have sharply dented optimism. Labour costs and energy price volatility remain the biggest pressures on firms. Business confidence in the…
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Small business confidence is crawling back from historic lows, but without Government action, fresh cost pressures could drag it straight back down, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has warned. FSB’s Small Business Index (SBI), which tracks how optimistic small firms are feeling, registered at -53 in Q1 2026, 18 points up from Q4 2025’s…
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Rising energy costs, supply chain disruption and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty linked to the Middle East conflict are already impacting the majority of UK businesses with two thirds (66 per cent) reporting experiencing energy and fuel cost pressures, while shipping and logistics costs (43 per cent) are also weighing on margins. According to the latest Barclays…
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Small businesses say that the hike in energy prices following the war in the Middle East will cost them an average of £2,273.90 extra a month, according to new research conducted by Novuna Business Finance. Whilst many consumers have noticed prices soaring at the pumps, small businesses need energy in various other ways. The national…
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The IoD Directors’ Economic Confidence Index, which measures business leader optimism over prospects for the UK economy, fell to its lowest ever reading of -76 in March 2026, from -63 in February. Business leaders’ confidence in their own organisations also fell, to -2 in March from +1 in February. Underlying indicators also largely worsened with…
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New survey results from UKHospitality, the British Beer and Pub Association, the British Institute of Innkeeping and Hospitality Ulster reveal the damaging impact another year of significant cost increases will have on hospitality businesses. As a direct result of April cost increases, businesses will cut jobs (64%), cancel investment plans (51%) and reduce trading hours (42%). Around one in seven venues (15%)…
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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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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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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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