Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) says that the AI Minister’s new cabinet role allows the Government to help small firms adopt the technology with confidence, FSB has a new report, days after Prime Minister Andy Burnham gave AI Minister Kanishka Narayan a seat at the Cabinet table. The report found that 59 per cent…
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GfK’s consumer-confidence indicator rose to -17 in July, returning to levels last seen in January. All measures tracked by the survey improved, including expectations for the general economy and intentions to make major purchases. The World Cup and the Prime Minister’s promises of help with living costs appear to have improved the national mood. However,…
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Reductions to business rates and National Insurance plus support with energy costs top concerns – as only 9% of small businesses looking to hire to support growth this summer As the UK welcomes a new Prime Minister and leadership team, 9 in 10 adults (90%) would like to see the Government do more to support…
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Latest research by Generation Rent has found that, if the price of everyday groceries had risen at the same rate as private rents since 1988, a standard ten-item shop from a supermarket would cost more than five times what it does now. The 1965 Rent Act introduced regulated tenancies with long-term security of tenure and…
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New Prime Minister (PM) Andy Burnham has announced a 20 per cent cut to business rates for pubs, clubs and live music venues from April. The move is expected to save a typical pub around £1,100 next year and benefit nearly 32,000 venues. The plans will be funded by cracking down on businesses like vape…
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A bogus care recruitment company that swindled overseas workers out of more than £19,000 by charging for visa sponsorship services it could not legally provide has been shut down. Medrecruiter Limited claimed to have nearly 6,000 carers on its books and be active in more than 500 care homes across the UK. In reality, Insolvency…
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Creditors are moving to shut down struggling companies at the fastest rate in at least three years, according to new figures obtained from the Ministry of Justice. Courts in England and Wales received 7,049 winding-up petitions in 2025 – up 11% on the 6,337 lodged in 2024 and 35% higher than the 5,220 recorded in…
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Latest ONS data has shown that the UK consumer price inflation fell from 2.8% to 2.6% in the year to June, its lowest level since March 2025. The figure was below the 2.7% forecast and marked the third consecutive month in which inflation undershot expectations. Lower petrol and diesel prices, easing food inflation and clothing…
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More than half (52%) of SMEs are currently struggling to pay tax bills as the full impact of recent tax increases kicks in, new research1 from Premium Credit shows. The biggest tax bill issue currently is Corporation Tax, which more than a fifth (22%) say they are struggling to pay, while 12% say they struggle…
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Complaints escalated to the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) by business customers surged by almost a third, according to the watchdog’s annual Business Customer Complaints report. The 30% increase meant complaints to CCW from business customers about their water retailer rose from 1,966 to 2,562 in 2025/26 – reversing the positive progress seen in the previous year, when…
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Financial resilience among the UK workforce has deteriorated over the last 12 months, with just one in four (25%) of people being classified as financially resilient compared to almost a third (32%) in 2025, according to Hymans Robertson. Meanwhile, those classed as financially vulnerable have risen to 42% compared to 36% in 2025. The drop…
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A luxury car hire company which took thousands of pounds from customers and repeatedly failed to deliver vehicles or refund their money has been shut down. Classic Parade Ltd claimed to operate from an office in Knightsbridge, offering the hire of Ferraris, Lamborghinis and other supercars through its website. However, Insolvency Service investigations found a…
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Finance leaders have become progressively more optimistic about AI improving their own businesses’ performance, as 73% now report an improvement in AI optimism over the last 12 months, compared to 59% in Q4 2025 and 39% in Q3 2024. Nearly all CFOs (96%) expect to see a rise in investment in digital technology and assets…
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