Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Business volumes in the financial services (FS) sector fell at the quickest rate since June 2020 in the third quarter of 2025, according to the latest CBI data. Despite the sharp deterioration in activity, sentiment was broadly flat in the three months to September, marking an improvement compared with the previous quarter’s steep drop. The…
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The percentage of small business owners predicting growth has fallen for the fourth consecutive Quarter to a new five-year low (25%) – and in every industry sector, the percentage of enterprises predicting growth is down on the start of the year, according to new tracking research from Novuna Business Finance. Following last summer’s General Election…
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More than eight in ten small business owners (83%) cite barriers holding their businesses back from growing – and in the Manufacturing (96%) sector the figures have hit a 10-year high – according to new research from Novuna Business Finance. The findings come at a time when the Government is grappling with delivering on its…
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New research from Uswitch has found that nearly a quarter of entrepreneurs (23%) are pushing back against the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their small businesses. Among the 29% who see AI as a threat, over half (52%) say they fear it could replace their jobs. When asked what’s influencing their stance, 27% of…
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The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published its latest Consumer Prices Index, which shows the rate of inflation rose to 2.3 per cent in the 12 months to October, up from 1.7 percent in September 2024. The increase showed that core Inflation (excluding food and energy) rose to 3.3%, up from 3.2% in September.…
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A third of commercial finance brokers struggle to find lenders prepared to fund business acquisition deals according to latest survey data from Asset Advantage. Alongside difficulties with lender appetite, two-in-ten brokers said they find it hard to secure the right loan value for potential acquisitions. Respondents also shared challenges with securing all the necessary information,…
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More that half of business owners (54%) think the latest recession was an opportunity for entrepreneurs, whilst 51% think British entrepreneurship is about to boom. This rises to 57% of serial entrepreneurs, who have started multiple businesses in their time, according to new research from Charles Stanley. The research, has found that the opportunities driving…
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New data from Iwoca has shown that three in every ten (29%) small business owners in the UK have received financial backing from a family member – with three-quarters (74%) saying it was essential for setting up their business. Over a third (36%) said they had received more than £25,000 from their relatives, with a…
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The continued recovery of the service sector has boosted business confidence, according to analysis from BDO. The firm’s Output Index shows that output rose for the third consecutive month in January, hitting 99.42. This marks the highest level since July 2022. Meanwhile, the Services-Sub Index reached 100.05 – the highest reading since August 2022. This…
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The IoD Directors’ Economic Confidence Index, which measures business leader optimism in prospects for the UK economy, leapt upwards to -14 in January 2024, up from -28 in December 2023. This represents the Index’s highest value since May 2023 (-6) and the biggest jump in a single month (+14) since this time last year (+30).…
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The IoD Directors’ Economic Confidence Index, which measures business leader optimism in prospects for the UK economy, remained subdued at -25 in October 2023, similar to September’s reading of -26. This is the fifth consecutive month in which economic confidence has been relatively low, following a large drop in June. However, there were some more…
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Small companies have been left with “nowhere to turn for justice” during banking disputes following a decision not to extend the reach of the Financial Ombudsman Service, according to an Federation of Small Businesses. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has decided that it would not be proportionate to provide access to the ombudsman’s dispute resolution…
Read moreThe British Business Bank (BBB), the Government’s economic development agency, reported a loss of £135 million in the year to March. The bank, which supports investments in SMEs, was affected by a drop in valuations across its portfolio. Despite this, the bank’s performance remained ahead of expectations. Louis Taylor, CEO, British Business Bank, said: “The British Business…
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