With late payments costing SMEs £22,000 a year and 56 million hours in lost productivity, new research has revealed the UK sectors most affected by late payments.1 The FSB has described late payments as one of the “biggest problems” facing small businesses. As a result, the government has announced plans to crack down on late payments with stricter laws to help smaller businesses and grow the UK economy. With this in mind, the business finance experts at money.co.uk business credit cards have analysed data from the Department for Business and Trade to show how late payments affect UK businesses. Rank Industry* Median days…

Attara—a firm dedicated to simplifying hedging solutions for SMEs—has recently launched its inaugural trends report, The World at Unrest. Founded by former Bank of America and Barclays FX trader Richard De Meo, Attara aims to equip businesses with the tools to manage price volatility effectively. This comprehensive report unpacks the key forces shaping commodities markets in 2025. In this article Richard De Meo shares his expert insights and predictions, offering a deep dive into the trends that will impact industries worldwide. The economic outlook for the year ahead is painted with a brush of uncertainty. The hopeful group consensus is…

According to data, the average small business energy bill in the UK can surpass £3,600 each year, and with rising energy costs crippling businesses around the country, how can business owners get the best energy deal possible? Business energy experts, Utility Bidder, have shared 6 factors business owners should consider before switching to a new energy deal, including the best time of the year to switch. 1 – Don’t wait until the last minute One of the biggest mistakes business owners make is leaving a new deal until the last minute, which can often result in their current deal renewing and potentially rising in…

Romantic relationships aren’t just for Valentine’s Day – Brits are also keen on partnering with their other halves professionally, according to new research from Three Business.   Nearly 9 in 10 Britons credit their significant other as vital to their career achievements, while 50% are open to starting a business together, confident that love and work can thrive side by side. Additionally, almost half of Brits say they’d prefer to work in a couple – romantic or otherwise – to striking out solo (46%), as shared responsibilities (36%) and decreased pressure (23%) were highlighted as key benefits of having a business…

When Cold Town Beer was founded in Edinburgh in 2017, its vision was to combine tradition and innovation, crafting small-batch artisan beers that honour Scotland’s rich brewing heritage while pushing the boundaries of modern brewing. Named after Edinburgh’s Calton Hill – historically known as “Caltoun” or “Cold Town” – this brewery quickly became a local favourite, celebrated for its commitment to quality, sustainability and community. Today, Cold Town Beer continues to create a meaningful impact, not only with its craft beer but also through initiatives such as Doddie Beir. Honouring Doddie Weir with Doddie Beir Doddie Beir is more than…

Exotec®︎, a global warehouse robotics provider, has today announced the commercial launch of the Next Generation of its Skypod®︎ system, offering higher performance, improved storage density, and advanced software features. The Next Generation of Skypod comes with a number of design improvements, including a new and more compact Skypod robot, a workstation for robot-to-robot picking, a high-throughput exchanger, and denser storage. These redesigns, combined with new software features, improve the throughput at a single workstation by 50%, while enhancing storage density by up to 30% compared to the previous generation. The key differentiator for the Next Generation of Skypod is the ability to…

Unique Property Investment Group, a multi-tier investment firm centred around government-funded housing providers for assisted living in the UK, and WestOne Capital Group, a prominent Knightsbridge-based family office, are pleased to announce a strategic partnership aimed at addressing the critical supply shortage in the UK assisted living sector. This partnership is built on a foundation of shared values and complementary expertise. Unique Property Investment Group brings its specialised knowledge in the assisted living property sector and strong relationships with government funded housing providers. WestOne Capital contributes its extensive experience in property investment, a robust portfolio pipeline, rigorous due diligence processes, and…

Data suggests that deep-fake celebrity endorsement scams saw a 22% rise last year alone, with celebrity money saving expert Martin Lewis being among those most used to scam consumers out of up to £150,000. As these scams are set to grow in 2025, it is key to ensure you know how to spot a deep-fake celebrity scam, to prevent falling victim to financial fraud. In light of this, the experts at AI prompt management tool AIPRM have provided insight on how to spot a celebrity impersonation scam, the financial impact of these scams, and essential tips to keep you and your loved ones safe. Expert…

Made Smarter has empowered 20 more digital leaders with the strategy and skills to pursue smarter manufacturing through innovation with its trailblazing leadership programme. The Leading Digital Transformation (LDT) programme, part of Made Smarter North West Adoption – a government-funded industry-led initiative – focuses on equipping SME manufacturers with the strategies and skills to adopt cutting-edge digital technologies. Participants hail from manufacturing SMEs that produce aerospace components, cakes, dies, play equipment, and mudguards. They span the spectrum of the workforce, from owners and managers to design and production operatives. The funded programme is delivered over three months with Manchester Metropolitan…

Dr Glenn Mason, Head of Adult Psychological Therapies at Onebright, explores the mental health challenges of working parents, parenting stress & burnout, and different solutions employers can put in place to support them and their families.  Parent Mental Health Day, held on 30th January, served as a vital reminder of the importance of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of parents, guardians, and carers. Parents make up a significant proportion of those experiencing mental health challenges in the UK, (68% of women and 57% of men), highlighting the urgent need for tailored support. However, mental health doesn’t exist in isolation,…

‘Beyond the Balance Sheet’, a new report from private and commercial bank, Arbuthnot Latham, reveals that over 40% of UK entrepreneurs exit to prioritise wellbeing and family. Current market conditions also play a large role, with 65% selling up sooner than they had wanted due to the fear of tax rises. One in five entrepreneurs said they received offers they “couldn’t refuse”, often resulting in hasty decisions and heightened uncertainty. Over 52% experience anxiety during the exit period, but this feeling was nearly twice as likely in women compared to men (78% vs 38%). Anxiety levels are likely linked to receiving…

Trustpilot, the global consumer review platform, has today published research demonstrating the valuable link between online reviews and business growth based on data from over 600 businesses (SMEs) and 2000 consumers in the UK.  Technology has always been an essential driver for growth, and it is no surprise that it plays a fundamental role in the UK Government’s industrial strategy to support businesses as they scale and improve their operations. Trustpilot’s research shows the role online reviews play in this – reinforcing the value of online review platforms in enhancing accountability, insights and transparency to support businesses as they continue…

TWO Belfast based leaders have launched a new programme for UK companies aimed at tackling an often-overlooked issue in the business world. Laura Kearney – who is the founder and Inclusion IQ – and Shelly Higgins – who is Operations Manager at Springvale Learning have created the NICE Framework, a programme aimed at not only supporting professional women back into employment but also championing the benefits of part-time working to employers. Laura says that the programme will help to boost productivity in the UK economy, unlock the ambition of women who want to return to work and help companies offset…

In a world where businesses have been increasingly global since day one, financial systems that support cross-border payments are essential. However, traditional financial channels are often riddled with structural barriers that limit opportunities for emerging businesses, especially those in less economically privileged regions. Codified discrimination—through high fees, opaque exchange rates, and exclusion from major payment networks—often hinders the potential for efficient cross-border payments for startups and SMEs. Meryem Habibi, CRO of Bitpace, a crypto payment gateway and wallet solution, discusses how cryptocurrencies, are now reshaping the landscape, offering startups a way to sidestep these barriers and access a fairer, more inclusive…

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched a free online tool to help organisations ensure their direct marketing activities comply with UK law – namely the Privacy and Electronic Communication Regulations (PECR), and the UK GDPR. By using the direct marketing advice generator, small organisations will get reliable compliance advice, tailored to their own direct marketing activities, in minutes. This allows organisations to reach out and promote their products and services to both new and existing customers, as well as share their aims and ideals – and can assist in making sure they’re contacting people who are happy to hear from them.…

According to Ofcom research, 20% of the UK population listen to at least one podcast a week. With a potential audience of 11.7 million dedicated podcast listeners from varying demographics, podcasting can have huge benefits for the host, brand and advertisers from awareness to tangible traffic and sales generation. But with millions of podcasts, and counting, worldwide, what is the formula for success? To help answer this question, transcription and content creation experts, Trint, have conducted research into the most listened to and profitable podcasts in the UK and beyond. Looking into various data elements including number of listeners and demographic, Trint have analysed…