Finance & Banking

Top tax tips for small business people

Enjoy these top tax tips for SMEs from Russell Cockburn, who is the author of Small Business Tax Planning, published in February 2011 by Harriman House.

By Russell Cockburn

Current inconsistent VAT rules create barrier to EU trade

Uniformity of VAT rules across EU Member States is critical to strengthen and simplify the system, according to Baker Tilly’s response to the European Commission consultation on the future of VAT.

By Brooke DuBois

Double bank holiday weekend could cripple cashflow

The ‘double bank holiday’ could cause cashflow problems for UK companies, warns IGF, a UK-based independent commercial finance company.

By Brooke DuBois

SMEs urged to review terms to avoid payment disputes

Debt collection agency Daniels Silverman warns many small and medium sized enterprises are vulnerable to payment disputes because of ineffective terms and conditions.

By Brooke DuBois

UK's GDP growth forecast at only 1.2 per cent

In its latest UK economic outlook published today, the Institute of Directors (IOD) forecasts UK GDP growth will be just 1.2 per cent in 2011. This is unchanged from its previous quarterly forecast in November 2010.

By Brooke DuBois

Hike in fuel duty hampering small firms' growth

Small businesses will have to lay off staff, freeze wages and reduce investment in new products and services if fuel duty prices continue to rise, a snap poll by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) shows.

By Brooke DuBois

First round of bidding for regional growth fund comes to a close

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has received nearly 450 bids in the first round of the Regional Growth Fund.

By Brooke DuBois

UK interest rates remain at 0.5%

Interest rates remain at 0.5% for what seems like years. For most business people this is good news, but are we just being lulled into a false sense of security.

By Brooke DuBois

Lloyds sees the Olympics as fair game for SMEs

Lloyds Banking Group is urging small and medium-sized firms to bid for their share of untapped business opportunities in the run up to the London 2012 Olympics.

By

A win for small gaming businesses

Support for the video game industry has entered the next level, with the UK Government announcing a new fund to help small businesses working in the industry to get their game on.

By Brooke DuBois

'Tribunals costing businesses millions'

British businesses are losing more than £2.6 million a week in lost time due to increasingly lengthy tribunal cases, employment law experts estimate.

By Paige Price

Business confidence droops over debt

Ongoing fears over sovereign debt appear to be dampening businesses' confidence in the wider economy, but firms are remaining relatively upbeat about their own prospects.

By Aimie Noble

Breakdowns costing businesses big bucks

It's never much fun for anyone when utilities like power or hot water give up the ghost. But such breakdowns can be particularly devastating for business people, with lost earnings and repairs costing UK SMEs £598 million a year, according to a new survey.

By Paige Price