Freelancers are ready to fill the skills gaps in the UK workforce but face a host of regulatory hurdles. New research from Malt, Europe’s leading freelance management platform that hosts a community of one million independent experts, has revealed the compliance challenges facing businesses looking to take on freelance talent. The research found that 80% of those with a freelance management system take just six days from initial sourcing to the project starting, whereas 47% of organisations without one said they take over 15 days to source and contract new freelancers. The Malt Freelance Maturity Report, based on custom research by…

After several years of turbulence, the global fintech sector is entering a new growth phase. In Europe, however, fintech penetration remains below 3% even as consumers trust digital platforms more than legacy banks. According to an investor, the next phase of European fintech growth will depend on startups that can build regulatory capability early and use AI to compete with better-funded incumbents. Last year, global fintech companies generated approximately $650 billion in revenues, representing a growth rate of about 21% year over year from 2024, according to a recent McKinsey report. Investment data by CB Insights shows that in Q1 of this year,…

As the UK experiences another heatwave, Emily Alexander, Senior Associate Scientist at Tunley Environmental explores why climate risk is accelerating in 2026 and what this means for businesses. Against a backdrop of record-breaking temperatures and more frequent severe weather events, it highlights how climate change is no longer a distant concern but an immediate operational and financial challenge. The evidence is difficult to ignore. 2023, 2024, and 2025 were the three hottest years on record, and the UK’s Met Office expects 2026 to rank among the warmest years ever observed, with global temperatures projected to remain around 1.46°C above pre-industrial…

A new study by instantprint has revealed the extent of Britain’s summer sickie culture, with childcare costs emerging as an unexpected driver behind workplace absences. Surveying 2,000 UK office workers, the research found that 43% admit they have pulled a summer sickie, while almost a third (31%) of working parents say they have used a sick day to manage childcare challenges. The findings suggest that while sunshine still tempts workers away from their desks, rising childcare costs and mounting family pressures are creating a new set of challenges for working parents during the summer months. According to Pregnant Then Screwed’s State of the Nation…

Worldline [Euronext: WLN], a European leader in payment services, has become the first payment provider in Europe to enable Click to Pay for recurring payments, bringing one-click checkout to the full subscription lifecycle for international merchants. Click to Pay is a fast, secure digital checkout that removes friction and improves payment success across recurring payments.   Available on Global Collect, Worldline’s global cross-border payments platform, this new capability enables digital-first businesses to scale subscription payments seamlessly across markets, while increasing conversion, reducing involuntary churn, and protecting recurring revenue. Conversion friction at checkout and payment failures remain major barriers to growth in…

Partner Sue Dowling, in law firm Blandy & Blandy’s Employment Law team, offers a reminder of important health and safety laws in light of the recent soaring temperatures in England and Wales. Heatwaves of the kind recently experienced are set to become more common, so what should employers be aware of during periods of hot weather? Employers’ obligations during hot weather  Employers are required to take reasonable steps to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees at work. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 deal with the control of temperature and ventilation and the Management of Health and…

The UK’s Fair Work Agency is urging employers to self-report employment law breaches before they are identified through inspection. Speaking on the Inside the Workroom podcast with Kevin Fitzgerald, UK Managing Director of Employment Hero, Chief Executive Lisa Pinney MBE said the agency is seeking a cooperative approach with responsible employers. “Everybody makes mistakes. If you find a problem, put it right and let us know. We want to work with legitimate businesses that want to do the right thing.” Lisa explained the agency’s approach to self-reporting and enforcement: “Where businesses do come forward, the agency works with them. Those that don’t,…

Business owners looking to improve cash flow and unlock hidden equity from commercial property could be missing out on significant opportunities by approaching a remortgage unprepared. When a business has a commercial mortgage, a major benefit is long-term stability, with repayments usually spread over 10 to 25 years. Similarly, because commercial mortgages are secured against property, they often come with lower interest rates, acting as another huge advantage. Commercial remortgages are also a great strategic tactic to help improve cash flow and increase capital due to both the loan length and competitive interest rates. However, unlike standard residential mortgages, commercial…

Xero is capturing the stories of young entrepreneurs to share how they began to engage with ‘the numbers’ more confidently Young people in the UK are reconsidering how they enter the world of work. Our latest research found that nearly three quarters (72%) are attracted to entrepreneurship, with only one in five young people (20%) planning a traditional career path. But there are barriers that are holding young people back from starting their own business – and it’s not for lack of wanting. Over a third (37%) say they’re held back by a lack of financial skills – more so…

Julia Payne, founder of  Fractional CMO Services, explores why founder-led businesses often hit a ceiling as they expand and highlights five warning signs that growth is beginning to outpace operational capability. You’d be hard pressed to find a business that doesn’t aim for growth, be it visibility, customer numbers, and market share, or service reach and scope. Ultimately, it all means revenue. There’s just one thing to be aware of. Many founders assume the techniques that took their business from day one to early success will keep driving wins. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Start-up structures were never…