Prompt payment code is launched

The government has launched a code aimed at encouraging larger businesses to settle invoices on time.[more]

Mixed business reaction to the Queen’s Speech

Proposed new legislation set out in the Queen’s Speech has received a muted reception from the business community...[more]

Banking code to become legally binding

The voluntary code of conduct, governing the way that banks deal with both individual and business customers, is to become compulsory.[more]

Pre-Budget Report 2008: tax cuts, tax rises

The Chancellor, Alistair Darling introduced his pre-Budget Report to the Commons against what he described as a “background of uncertainty not seen for generations”. [more]

Pre-Budget Report 2008: tackling the recession

The Chancellor used his much-anticipated pre-Budget Report to announce a package of tax reductions, public-spending initiatives and, in the future, tax rises.[more]

Pre-Budget Report should include ‘small business’ support

The government needs to aim specific measures in the pre-Budget Report at helping small firms, a leading business group has argued. [more]

Prime Minister points to tax cuts

The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown has suggested that tax cuts may be used to help families and small businesses survive the economic downturn. [more]

Capital gains tax

Capital gains tax changed as from 6 April 2008, with the introduction of a flat rate of 18 per cent and the abolition of taper relief. The changes mean that CGT planning is essential. [more]

Extracting profits from your business

The rules on pensions, the IR35 regulations, and the question of salary/bonus versus dividend can all make the task of extracting profits from your company harder to get right.[more]

Giving to charity

How Gift Aid can help make donations to charities go further.[more]

Health and safety at work shows some improvement

Figures released by the Heath and Safety Executive (HSE) have revealed a drop in the number of people injured or made ill at work.[more]

Forum to allow small businesses to meet banks

The government is to set up a special forum at which small businesses will be able to meet the UK’s major banks and to voice criticisms of lending policies.[more]

Welcome for government’s small business support package

The business community has welcomed the government’s announcement of a series of measures designed to help smaller firms survive the economic downturn. [more]

Banking rescue deal offers boost to small businesses

The government’s commitment to plough £37 billion into a number of high street banks should bring hope of easier finance to the small business community.[more]

Financial turmoil feeding through to small business sector

Small firms have experienced increased costs, a loss of trade, hikes in the cost of borrowing and growing late payment problems over the last year. Those were the findings of a snap survey carried out by the Federation of Small Businesses. The business organisation said that the credit crunch was trickling through to the small enterprise community and urged banks to up their lending and large companies to settle invoices on time. [more]

Bank fears over lending could pose problems for small firms

The reluctance of banks to lend during the credit crunch could be having an adverse effect on small businesses. According to the Forum of Private Business, reports have indicated that high street banks are cutting back on services to small enterprises at precisely a time when, with the economy slowing down, funding is needed most.
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Taxpayers' charter must be 'founded' in legislation

The proposed new taxpayers' charter must have a proper legal basis.[more]

Downturn exacerbating late payment problems

Late payments are posing more of a threat than ever to small businesses in the current economic climate, the Forum of Private Business (FPB) has argued. [more]

Businesses welcome retirement age decision

Business groups have expressed relief at the decision of a senior adviser at the European Court of Justice to reject a challenge to the right of UK employers to set a compulsory retirement age for employees.

Campaigners supporting the case had argued that forcing someone to retire is age discrimination. However, the court's advocate-general ruled that a fixed retirement age does not necessarily break EU regulations. [more]

Town centre parking policies need 'rethink'

Local authorities have been urged to reconsider their parking policies.[more]

2008/09 Financial Planning Guide

This year there has been a wide range of changes to the tax system. Further the Government has announced future changes that will continue to see taxes increase. With the reduced rate of economic growth and the impact of the credit crunch taking effect, a review of your financial and tax planning is important. Maximising your net income, business and family assets should be high on everyone's agenda.[more]

Government urged to adopt rate relief measures

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has called on the government to implement two important business rate measures that would help small businesses cope with the current challenging economic conditions. [more]

Economy to experience 'shallow' recession

The UK economy will suffer a moderate recession this year, the CBI has forecast. Growth in the second half of 2008 will fall, the employers' group said, while next year will see only weak expansion. However, the CBI said it believes that inflation will return to close to its target of 2 per cent in 2009 and that the Bank of England will opt to cut interest rates, perhaps as early as November, in an effort to restore business confidence. [more]

Small firms get minimum wage reminder

Small employers are being urged to make sure that they comply with changes to minimum wage rates due to come into effect in October. [more]

More employers embrace flexible working

Increasing numbers of firms are adopting flexible working patterns, a new survey from the CBI has found. According to the survey, there have been significant rises in those employees who work from home, as well as in term-time working and job sharing. However, the poll also revealed that businesses are concerned about the effects that additional employment regulation may have on the flexibility of the labour market.[more]

PAYE & National Insurance

Why pay more tax and NI contributions than you need to? We can help you to minimise your liabilities, while ensuring that you comply with your obligations. Just view our PAYE and NI guides to find out more.[more]

More small firms experience problems finding finance

Increasing numbers of small firms are struggling to secure funding for their business operations, a new survey has claimed.[more]

Training rights exemption urged for small businesses

The government should take steps to minimise any extra administrative burdens on smaller employers if it goes ahead with plans to give employees the right to request time off for training. [more]

Guidance to help firms avert equal pay tribunal claims

A free guide has been launched that could help employers safeguard themselves against tribunal claims on equal pay issues. The guide has been put together by Acas and its aim is to provide employers with practical advice on how best to make sure that their wage structures are fair to all their staff. [more]

Call for tax changes to help retailers

The government has been urged to introduce a number of changes to the tax regime in order to help retailers cope with the economic downturn. [more]

Tax reforms needed to cut business waste, says Lords

More action is required to reduce the amount of waste produced by businesses, a House of Lords committee has argued.[more]

Business views sought on handling flexible working requests

Employers have been invited to give their views on how the administrative burden of dealing with employee requests for flexible working can be eased. The government plans to extend the right to request flexible working to parents of children aged 16 and under. To simplify the proposed regulations, a consultation has been launched to find ways of making the request process less time consuming for businesses. [more]

Apprenticeships to see reduction in red tape

The administrative burdens of taking on apprentices are to be cut, the government has announced.[more]

Smaller firms need extra help to win public sector contracts

The government has been urged to introduce special measures to help the smallest of firms pitch for public sector business.[more]

Ad campaign to remind employers of new migrant worker rules

An ad campaign is to roll out on national television highlighting the new rules governing immigration that come into force in November. [more]

Threat of recession facing UK economy

There is a danger that the UK economy could experience two successive quarters of negative growth between now and next spring, the British Chambers of Commerce has forecast. That would amount to a technical recession. With unemployment also predicted to rise to a ten-year high, the BCC has urged the Bank of England to cut interest rates as a way of stimulating consumer activity and heading off an even sharper downturn. [more]

The Credit Crunch IV: Business profitability

Staying profitable during the credit crunch.[more]

The Credit Crunch III: Business cashflow

Keeping control of cashflow in difficult trading conditions.[more]

The Credit Crunch II: Household and personal finances

Managing personal finances during the credit crunch.[more]

The Credit Crunch I: How it began

It is a year since the term ‘credit crunch’ became a familiar one. The financial turmoil has had a serious impact on individuals and businesses alike. There are, however, steps that can be taken to help weather the economic uncertainty, as the following series of articles examines. [more]

Commons Committee gives support to vehicle excise duty increases

A Parliamentary Committee has come out in support of government proposals to raise vehicle excise duty on older cars. Its report suggested, however, that the differences between the various tax bands are not sufficient to encourage people to buy less polluting vehicles. [more]

Firms urged to prepare for payroll changes

Employers are to get a letter from HM Revenue and Customs explaining the new tax codes and rate bands that must be used from the first payday on or after 7 September. The changes are the result of the new personal allowance for 2008/09 which was introduced by the Chancellor to compensate for the abolition of the 10p tax rate. [more]

New rules on disclosing VAT errors

For many years, taxpayers discovering net errors on previous returns have only been allowed to make an adjustment to the VAT return for the period in which they discover them if the net errors were up to £2,000. [more]

Simple energy policies cut business costs

Small businesses have been urged to review how they manage their energy consumption. The Carbon Trust said that SMEs could be saving as much as £1.3 billion a year collectively by introducing some straightforward energy efficiency measures. [more]

Businesses get fuel duty reprieve

The government has said that it does not intend to implement the fuel duty increase planned for October. The 2p per litre rise has been postponed for six months, the Treasury announced. The Chancellor said that the decision would help businesses get through a difficult time. [more]

Government urged to keep local business scheme

A funding programme that allows local authorities to support entrepreneurs should be maintained and developed, a leading business organisation has argued. The Local Authority Business Growth Incentives scheme is due to be replaced after three years. However, the Federation of Small Businesses has called on the government to extend the life span of the present programme, describing a reprieve as a vital "shot in the arm" for the country’s 4.5 million small firms. [more]

Pension opt-out inducements for employees to be banned

Changes to the Pensions Bill mean that employers will not be allowed to offer their staff inducements to opt out of workplace pensions. The incentives include higher salaries and one-off bonuses. The ban will come into force when automatic enrolment pensions are introduced in 2012. [more]

New employment rules will allow workers to ask for time to train

New regulations, which will give employees the right to ask for time in which to train, could be in place by 2010. The government has launched a consultation on the rules to find out how best they can be implemented. It is believed that the new right would operate in the same way as the right to request flexible working currently does. [more]

The government has been urged to use the rise in tax revenues from

The government has been urged to use the rise in tax revenues from North Sea oil to cut fuel duty. The Federation of Small Businesses said arecent poll indicated that the soaring cost of oil is now hampering the ability of many small firms to grow and develop. One way of softening the impact of the extra costs on small businesses would be to introduce a link between increases in oil tax revenue and a corresponding reduction infuel duty, the FSB argued [more].

Business relieved and dismayed over EU employment proposals

British business has seen good and bad news in the agreements reached by the UK government on the EU Working Time and Temporary Workers directives. The revised Working Time Directive has preserved the opt-out right of employees to agree to work longer than a 48-hour week,while the new Temporary Workers Directive entitles agency employees to the same pay and conditions as permanent staff after 12 weeks.

Employers 'unaware' of planned pension changes

More than half of businesses are in the dark about major changes that are being planned for workplace pensions, a new survey has revealed.