A large number of UK SMEs are holding back on investment, despite sitting on significant piles of cash. Peter Gallanagh, UK CEO at international accounting and advisory group Azets, says business owners are ready to spend pent-up capital but are “paralysed by fear” due to geopolitical uncertainty and a lack of clear economic policy. The […]
New research from iwoca shows alternative lenders are surging ahead in the SME finance market, as high street banks lose their foothold among growth-focused businesses. According to iwoca’s latest SME Expert Index, almost two thirds (61%) of SME finance brokers report submitting over half of their loan applications to alternative lenders in the last four weeks. The shift […]
With nearly half of UK adults (47%) considering starting a business or side hustle this year, up 12% from the year previous, it’s clear that entrepreneurial ambitions are more alive than ever before. But amid factors such as a challenging economic climate, fears of failure, and struggles to scale due to access to finance, what is […]
New Council brings together private sector, academia and civil society to enhance business mentoring across the UK Business mentoring is widely recognised as a vital resource for entrepreneurs and business leaders. Recent research has shown that 8 out of 10 SME leaders credit mentoring as playing a vital part in their growth; and 7 out […]
The National Enterprise Network (NEN) welcomes the government’s Backing Your Business plan and its renewed commitment to creating an environment where small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can thrive. With over 5.5 million SMEs in the UK forming the backbone of the economy, the plan’s ambitions closely align with the core mission of our members, who […]
Small businesses could boost their savings by up to £190 a year by being more aware of how interest rates are structured on business savings accounts, according to new analysis by Moneybox. The findings highlight a significant opportunity for small businesses to improve their cashflow by making simple, informed decisions about where to hold their […]
New research from leading employment platform Employment Hero has highlighted that payroll compliance is a considerable risk for small businesses – 84% have admitted to payroll errors and more than a third have faced fines costing them thousands of pounds. The survey of 1,000 small business leaders found that 40% have incurred penalties due to payroll issues. […]
The percentage of small businesses working on new initiatives to power future growth has fallen to a four-year low (65%) and is significantly down on the start to the year (71% for Q1 2025), according to research from Novuna Business Finance. The tracking study of a representative sample of 1,000 small business owners also revealed […]
Mayor Richard Parker has today announced that the West Midlands Business Festival is to return in 2026 following the huge success of its inaugural event earlier this year. Between 2 and 13 February next year, thousands of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and the wider business community will get another opportunity to come together […]
iwoca’s latest SME Expert Index reveals that the Labour Government has had a negative impact on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during its first year in power, according to SME finance experts. 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 […]
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