Roughly a quarter of owners do not report business crimes to the police whilst 46 per cent said that they felt reporting a crime would not result in a positive outcome for their business. This figure has not changed in six years, signalling an endemic lack of confidence in the ability of the police. more»
Britain’s smaller businesses have voiced concerns over the government’s plans to devolve complete business rate responsibility and retention to local authorities following George Osborne’s 2016 Budget speech on 16 March. more»
As another financial year draws to a close council business rates departments across the UK will be starting annual cycles of sending out rates bills. Business rate debt and dispute specialist Steve Adams looks closely at how owners of small firms can better manage business rate responsibilities. more»
New research has found that local councils are not meeting government demands under the Northern Powerhouse initiative, with over half of northern councils missing the government’s pledge to spend £1 in every £3 with small businesses. more»
The government has announced that councils in England can expect income from business rates to rise by £400m in 2017. Meanwhile, the CBI warned that the policy could hold back business, particularly smaller firms. more»
Local councils should be granted greater freedoms to become “public entrepreneurs”, borrowing and spending taxpayer money on investments in key public services to “roll back the tide of privatisation”, according to Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn. more»
As part of its Enterprise Bill, the government has announced a series of measures to devolve Sunday trading laws to local authorities and councils, with the aim of driving custom to high street businesses. more»
Some 87 per cent of people would visit smaller local retailers if paying for parking were not an issue, according to new research by car leasing company Flexed.co.uk – but only a fifth would pay to park on their local high street if an out-of-town supermarket let them do so for free. more»
Chancellor George Osborne has today confirmed the government will abolish its uniform business rate, granting local UK authorities with significantly greater power to determine the cost of business. In his […] more»
Our get funded expert, KPMG's Bivek Sharma, explains what you can do to make sure your firm is as ready as it can be, before seeking funding. more»
