One of the questions we are most frequently asked at Company Bug is “how many limited companies are there in the UK”, or similar questions relating to the business population as a whole
Small Business News
The Government has made numerous financial provisions to support businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), also known as the furlough scheme. The scheme has meant that many businesses have been able to continue paying their staff whilst they haven’t been able to operate at full capacity, or at all. Fundamentally, it has allowed them to retain valued employees whilst saving on monthly costs, of which, payroll is often one of the largest.
[continue reading…]A new survey of the UK’s SME workforce shows just what employees want from their employers.
[continue reading…]As anticipated, Rishi Sunak’s budget on 3 March 2021 was focused on protecting jobs and livelihoods, with a focus on extending and opening further access to COVID-19 support measures. This was a required move by the Government, particularly with lockdown restrictions prevailing until 21 June at the earliest.
[continue reading…]After the hardest year for businesses, the optimism for 2021 is falling short. Small businesses are yet to face even more difficult challenges that may even lead to their closure. A report carried out by Take Payments looked at the challenges small businesses will face in 2021 by looking at 1,000 SMEs in the UK across 19 different sectors. Some of the main challenges expected are the Coronavirus restrictions (35%) and the new Brexit regulations (19%).
[continue reading…]With the pandemic creating thousands of job losses across the country, the government has launched the ‘Kickstart’ scheme to create jobs for young people. There is a risk, especially for young people who may face a long time of unemployment. This scheme looks to help young people gain skills and training in their field.
[continue reading…]Throughout lockdown, the Government has made significant financial contributions to UK businesses to help mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic by way of a £330bn war chest. Now that Britain is re-opening and adjusting to a new normal, HMRC will want to recoup as much of that initial outlay as possible through taxation.
[continue reading…]The Women in Tech Employer Awards 2020 have been launched by the team at WomenInTech.co.uk. They are looking for dedicated employers who are helping to narrow the gender gap in the tech sector. These awards will aim to put a spotlight on those businesses and employers who are doing right by women in tech and encouraging them to thrive.
[continue reading…]The coronavirus has started to take its toll on the UK economy, the general public and small businesses. There is a lot of panic and anxiety with constant news of new cases and deaths due to the virus. This is an especially difficult time for small businesses, who will struggle to keep afloat with the lack of consumer demand. Whether you run a restaurant or a clothing shop on the high street, the effects of this pandemic are being felt.
[continue reading…]The highly anticipated Budget 2020 has been revealed by the new Chancellor of Exchequer, Rishi Sunak. There was some welcoming news for the small business community as the Chancellor announced the suspension of business rates for SME’s, a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme coming into effect and that the Government will be covering the Statutory Sick Pay for SME’s.
[continue reading…]In a recent study by Purbeck Insurance Services, it was found that just under half of women (46%) entrepreneurs found it difficult to switch off from work compared to the 38% of men entrepreneurs. With the International Women’s Day falling on Sunday the 8th of March this year, it is recommended female entrepreneurs take the day to celebrate and take time off to switch off.
[continue reading…]Changes to IR35 tax rules for contractors may only be two months away, but most contractors remain confused about what the changes will mean – and whether they need to do anything before the 6 April implementation date.
[continue reading…]There are 5.9 million small businesses in the UK and around 60% of people working in the private sector are working for small businesses. However, mental health and wellbeing advice and support is only really given to larger businesses. The FSB (Federation of Small Business) has started a campaign to focus on wellbeing for those in small business sector.
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In a recent study carried out by the Close Brother Asset Finance, it was found that small and medium-size businesses find diversity is good for business. However, they still struggled to achieve a diverse workforce. There are a number of benefits of having diversity in the workplace and SMEs may be missing out on these benefits.
[continue reading…]In a recent study commissioned by Close Brothers Asset Finance, it was found that during the SME recruitment process, older workers are discriminated against and are seen to be less desirable to fill the roles despite their experience. It was also found that SMEs understood and were aware of the number of benefits that came from hiring older workers for the business. Therefore, it was disappointing to see the results suggesting discrimination.
In the latest research carried out by PolicyBee, it was found that small businesses are quite perplexed with Professional Indemnity Insurance and it causes quite the confusion. This confusion and lack of understanding resulted in around 40% of respondents not getting a professional indemnity cover, leaving them exposed.
GDPR has now been in place for a year and, while the ICO has previously claimed it doesn’t intend to come down too hard on businesses still getting their privacy plans straight, the heavy fines are about to hit.
With Brexit and the uncertainty at No. 10, it’s becoming increasingly hard to predict what upcoming legislation will be enforced and when – leaving businesses, landlords and the self-employed all striving for clarity.
In the latest survey carried out by Instantprint, it was found that the East Midlands, Leicester topped the list of places for millennials to start a business. The research took into account what is important to millennials, their core values and the challenges they face when it comes to starting a business.
It is time for the Government to address the destructive impact of late payments on the UK’s small businesses says Inna Kaushan the co-founder of Solna.
