Economic uncertainty is on the rise for the UK’s 5.6 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) following the Autumn Budget, according to iwoca’s Q3 2024 SME Expert Index. The percentage of brokers reporting pessimism among their SME clients about the future has more than doubled, rising from 15% last quarter to 34%. Meanwhile, only one in […]
The British Business Bank today announces that its Growth Guarantee Scheme has supported more than £250m of finance to smaller businesses, since its launch as a successor to the Recovery Loan Scheme in July 2024. The Growth Guarantee Scheme is designed to support access to finance for UK smaller businesses as they look to invest […]
Brits are embracing shopping small, with shoppers willing to pay more to prioritise purchases from small businesses over larger competitors this holiday season, reveals new research from GoDaddy. Over half (54%) of shoppers aim to have their gift shopping for the festive season completed ahead of December, with seven in 10 reporting that, despite cost-of-living […]
Those who are looking to start a new hospitality business in the UK are being encouraged to offer added-value services for customers, as they look to navigate current market challenges. The call comes from The Cumberland Building Society, who said those who are new to the sector will face pressures such as rising costs, a […]
Small businesses across the country are urging government to honour their pre-election pledge to support the sector to enable the UK to hit future growth targets and save jobs. The National Enterprise Network (NEN), the country’s leading representative of enterprise support for start-up, small and micro-businesses, has released the results of its 2024 Business Barometer […]
Following the launch of its development finance pricing from 9.35% p.a., Assetz Capital, a leading funder in SME property finance, announces the launch of a series of lower priced products – all under 10% p.a. These are designed to support the residential refurbishment market as well as property developers involved in town regeneration schemes. The […]
Less than 100 working days (from Friday, 15 November] left for entrepreneurs to cash in before new higher rate on capital extraction kicks in to 14% from current 10%. Thousands of business owners in the UK are now in a race against time to wind up their companies solvently and extract capital before the chancellor’s […]
A cross-party group of MPs has launched an inquiry into access to banking which will look at issues such as the problem of branch closures and access to banking services and financial products for SMEs. The Future of Financial Services APPG has published a call for evidence seeking views and submissions from consumers, SMEs, financial […]
Ahead of COP 29 next week, London-based Two Blues Solar is one of the small businesses helping to drive progress in the UK’s journey to Net Zero. Small businesses are crucial in the journey to achieving Net Zero goals, proving an opportunity to implement changes and innovation from the ground up. Two Blues Solar serves as inspiration […]
Wbg, one of Scotland’s leading independent specialist full-service accountancy firms, has urged SMEs seeking equity finance to get themselves investment-ready. While research from the British Business Bank shows that equity deal activity involving smaller businesses in Scotland picked up during the first half of 2024, one of only two parts of the UK to experience […]
