Turbulent times The current turbulent political landscape is having a detrimental effect on the confidence of UK businesses and consumers. Recent surveys indicate that August saw a dip in confidence for both businesses and consumers with confidence draining away as the Brexit crisis deepens. Consumer confidence A survey of consumer confidence from market research company […]
There are many reasons why SMEs fail to recover money they are owed; a lack of time, a lack of the skills and expertise needed to successfully recover the debt, embarrassment at approaching clients for the money and a genuine fear of alienating their clients and losing out on possible future work. These are all understandable reasons but not having money you are owed for goods or services you have provided puts your business in danger.
UK firms not ready Figures seen by Newsnight suggest that many UK businesses are woefully unprepared for a no-deal Brexit. In February HMRC launched a scheme aimed at easing imports if the UK left the customs union and single market suddenly. The Transitional Simplified Procedures scheme (TSP) has been designed to help UK businesses import […]
This is a blow to the construction industry with both output and new orders declining to their largest extent since the first quarter of 2018. This weakness has also affected the hiring sector as employment numbers for May fell at their sharpest rate for more than six years.
“For many small businesses, the difference between getting paid in 60 days and 90 days can be vital. Cashflow problems due to late payments are a real problem for SMEs in this country and with first quarter figures showing a rise in insolvency among smaller businesses, it is an issue that needs to be robustly addressed.
There are now hundreds of miles of road that have been converted to smart motorways meaning that the hard shoulder can be used as an additional lane in order to ease peak traffic congestion. The red X above the lane indicates that the lane is not open, and it is potentially hazardous to use due to an accident or break down waiting to be cleared.
London ULEZ The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has come into force in central London, with Birmingham and Leeds’ Clean Air Zones set to follow by January 2020, and cities such as Manchester and Sheffield also looking at ways to charge the most polluting vehicles entering their cities. This is all good news for campaigners […]
Some of the largest companies in the UK made a loss this year with Kier, Keller and Laing O’Rourke all reporting an annual loss.
Energy Regulator Ofgem under pressure after third energy supplier in three months goes bust. Energy regulator Ofgem is facing renewed calls to toughen up on start-up energy suppliers as the number of failed energy groups reaches three in less than three months. Ofgem sought to encourage more competition in the energy market and intentionally lowered […]