Andy Burnham’s first speech as Prime Minister has placed regional growth, the re-industrialisation of Britain and tackling youth unemployment at the centre of his government’s agenda, with a commitment to spread economic opportunity “to every postcode in the land”. The new Prime Minister’s focus on empowering communities beyond London has drawn a mixed but broadly optimistic response from business leaders, who have called for action to support small businesses, reduce barriers to growth and create greater certainty for entrepreneurs. Kevin Fitzgerald, UK Managing Director at employment platform Employment Hero, said Burnham’s “Manchesterism” approach could provide a positive framework for regional…

Culture vs Legislation: Why the Small Business Protections Bill is only half the battle As the Government settles into its change of leadership, Ed Rimmer, CEO of independent SME lender, Time Finance, calls for a continued focus on the culture of late payment and more momentum for the Small Business Protections Bill, dubbed the toughest crackdown on late payment in over 25 years. The UK has been trying to legislate its way out of a late payment crisis for nearly three decades. From the original Late Payment of Conduct Debts Acts in 1998, to the creation of the voluntary Prompt…

Data released by the Insolvency Service shows that 3,280 directors have been disqualified since 2023, with more than half of all cases linked to the abuse of COVID-19 financial support. A total of 1,683 disqualifications, 55% of the figures, were related to cases involving the misuse of financial assistance during the pandemic in the UK, highlighting the impact on businesses due to directors improperly accessing or using government-backed support. While director disqualifications peaked in 2023/2024, with 1,222 cases recorded, the majority of disqualifications (3,054) were issued under Section 6 of the Company Directors Disqualification Act. This relates to unfit conduct by…

More than two-thirds (67%) of companies are concerned about a government led by Andy Burnham, a snapshot survey revealed today. DJH’s Future of Business report, which took the pulse of 200 owners from across the UK, paints a picture of further uncertainty with most owners sceptical about the prospect of growth under the new Prime Minister. When asked about their biggest concerns, three quarters of firms are worried about a rise in taxation, with nearly half (46%) viewing more red tape as another significant barrier to growth. The potential for a Number 10 in the North generated a divided response…

55% not prepared for new digital tax deadline on 7 August 40% stated new process made them more organised, 28% said it reduced last-minute tax stress 93% want to manage tax admin through their banking app or online banking  With just weeks remaining until the first Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax submission deadline, new research from Lloyds suggests more than half of small businesses (55%) still have work to do before they are ready to comply with the new rules. Based on HMRC estimates of the number of sole traders and landlords in scope, that could mean around…

By Tom Kidwell, Co-founder & Director of Ecliptic Dynamics.  Despite years of headline‑grabbing cyber attacks and the noise around breaches causing some serious operational, financial and reputational damage to major brands like Marks and Spencer and the Co-Op, too many SMEs are still failing to act to improve their cyber resilience, operating with a mindset of “it won’t happen to me.” According to the UK’s latest Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2026, the proportion of businesses reporting a cyber breach or attack has held steady at 43%, which is a stark reminder that, for many SMEs, cyber resilience is simply not…

Danielle Robinson, Senior Insurance Adviser at Cavendish Online, a UK life insurance broker specialising in business protection insurance for owner-managed SMEs, discusses key person cover, shareholder protection, critical illness disruption and the questions SME directors may want to consider when reviewing business continuity arrangements..  For most SME directors, risk isn’t ignored. It just gets pushed down the list. There is always something more immediate. Sales targets. Staffing. Cashflow. The next contract. Protection tends to sit in the background until something forces the conversation. By that point, decisions are often reactive rather than planned. When a Business Relies on a Few…

Manmohan Singh Bhachu, Partner at Oury Clark Chartered Accountants, discusses why the rise of AI is making professional bookkeeping more important than ever.  AI is changing the way businesses manage their finances. From automating data entry to generating reports in seconds, AI tools are helping businesses save time and improve efficiency. As these systems become more sophisticated, some business owners may start to wonder whether they still need a bookkeeper at all. The reality is that whilst AI can make bookkeeping processes faster, it cannot replace the role of a professional bookkeeper. In fact, the more businesses rely on…

More than one in five (22%) SMEs fear they could be forced out of business over problems paying tax bills in the next five years, new research1 from Premium Credit, a leading provider of finance for businesses, shows. Its study with SME owners and managers found nearly two out of five (39%) say they have missed up to four tax bill deadlines in the past three years, highlighting the need for solutions to help SMEs pay bills on time. More than seven out of 10 (71%) firms said they would consider using a scheme enabling them to spread the cost of…

A new study from MyPerfectCV® , a leading UK CV platform, finds that the rise of tech is making human skills the ultimate workplace commodity in 2026. As AI and automation reshape the workplace, many professionals fear that machines will replace human roles entirely. But UK employers are sending a different message: human skills are not only still essential – they’re becoming more valuable than ever. The UK Human Skills Roadmap reveals that employers are increasingly de-prioritising formal academic credentials to focus on candidates who can bring not only confidence and communication, but also AI and digital literacy skills. Key Findings Prompting…