business
-
Start-up number suffer five year fall
Business start-up numbers have fallen significantly in the last five years, according to Lloyds Bank analysis - 19% fewer new businesses were launched in the UK in November 2016 compared to November 2011. Regionally, the data from BankSearch shows that Wales has seen the largest decline in start-ups, falling by over a quarter (26%).
-
£120 million support for rural communities
£120 million of funding will be made available to support farmers, grow businesses and generate jobs in rural communities in the next round of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) Growth Programme. According to Environment Secretary, Andrea Leadsom, funding has already benefited dozens of businesses across England, including the Biddenden fruit handling company in Kent, which received ...
-
Business conditions show further improvement
Businesses across England and Wales reported another month of solid growth in November, with output levels and employment both rising at faster rates, according to the latest Lloyds Bank Regional Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI). The PMI for England rose to a ten-month high of 55.8 up from 54.9 in October. A reading greater than 50 signifies growth in business activity, and the greater the divergence ...
-
Expansion of UK Registered Traveller Service
Business travellers and frequent visitors from a host of countries will be able to benefit from faster entry to the UK as the Government’s Registered Traveller Service is expanded. From 21st November, frequent travellers to the UK from 16 new countries will be eligible to apply for membership of the scheme, which provides the ...
-
Launch of inclusive economy unit
The Government has launched an Inclusive Economy Unit which will focus on supporting mission-led business plus strengthening the social investment market and social impact bonds. Key aims are as follows: Encourage better use of private investment and support markets that deliver social impact as well as financial returns. Improve delivery of public services: increasing social impact while bringing value for money in the commissioning of public services Encourage responsible business, from social enterprise start-ups to companies that aim at ...
-
Business confidence falls into negative territory
New research from The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) shows that UK small business confidence has continued to fall, dipping into negative territory for the first time since 2012. Business owners feeling confident are outnumbered by those that feel the opposite. However, FSB found many immediate economic conditions improving, with small firms reporting greater access to finance, a rise in new employment and reduced spare capacity in their businesses. In the first data gathered ...
-
UK services economy revives
The UK service sector returned to growth in August, according the Markit/CIPS UK Services Business Activity Index. Following abrupt contractions in output and new business in July, linked to the EU referendum, the latest data signalled a return to growth as companies reported that uncertainty had abated somewhat. The business activity index rebounded to 52.9 in August, from 47.4 in July. The month-on-month gain was the largest recorded over the 20-year survey history, following a record drop ...
-
Unfair contract terms costing small firms billions
New research from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) suggests half (52%) of small firms have been stung by unfair contract terms with suppliers, costing nearly £4 billion in the last three years. Suppliers are failing to make auto-rollover clauses clear up front (24%), tying businesses into lengthy notice periods (22%), charging high early termination fees (20%) and concealing details in small print (20%). Two in five (40%) respondents said ...
-
UK business confidence falls
UK business confidence levels fell by 26 points to 6% in the past month, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking. The survey was conducted in the week after the EU referendum - overall confidence fell to the lowest level for over four years but remained above the lows seen during the global financial crisis. Despite this general shift downwards there are some positive signs. Although confidence and ...
-
Business rates appeal reforms
Businesses in England should soon benefit from a quicker and more efficient service for their business rates issues with the launch of a new “check, challenge, appeal” process that should see genuine disputes settled more quickly. The Government is launching the online process in April 2017 after which businesses will be offered a three-stage process:
