Experts have outlined key actions businesses should take to comply with the new entry-exit system (EES), as British travellers are told to expect six-hour queues at European airports this summer. The new EES system has replaced the manual passport stamping process with a fully digital system that registers biometric data, such as fingerprints and facial images, to track entries, exits, and stays in real time. Unlike the previous system, which relied on human checks, this shift aims to streamline border management, reduce wait times, and improve security by combating identity fraud and overstays. The corporate travel experts at Booking.com for Business have…
Author: sme-admin
New lending data from Funding Circle points to a structural shift in how UK small businesses are using external finance, with borrowing for tax payments, working capital, and debt refinancing all rising significantly, while growth-focused lending loses ground. The findings carry practical implications for accountants and finance professionals advising SME clients, as more businesses turn to credit to manage cash flow timing pressures rather than to fund long-term investment. Tax-related borrowing is rising, and loan sizes are growing with it Borrowing to cover tax payments increased 29% year-on-year to £25m in 2025. Notably, tax-related lending also recorded the strongest increase…
By Simon Landivar, Partner, Parfitt Cresswell Solicitors in Windsor May’s local elections signalled the very real possibility of a Reform UK government in two years’ time. What would a Reform Government mean for personal wealth, inheritance and estate planning? For many businesses and families, financial planning has become increasingly complex. Frozen tax thresholds, changes to inheritance tax reliefs, higher scrutiny of trusts, and the growing ownership of digital assets such as cryptocurrency have all made it more important to plan carefully. Reform has not yet set out a fully detailed programme for wills, trusts and probate. However, its wider tax…
With the latest government figures revealing that more than one million young people are out of work, upskilling is high on the government’s agenda. According to Jonny Phillips, Managing Director at UK training provider Strive Training, the skills needed to rejoin the workforce aren’t highly technical or out of reach for the majority of jobseekers. In fact, many of them are skills that people already have, and just need the confidence to apply to work. “A lot of talk relates to the skills needed to beat AI job cuts, but those outside of work are now planning to join a…
As businesses grapple with the rise of AI-powered search, specialist agency SEO Results says one lesson from the past 15 years has become increasingly clear: visibility alone no longer drives success online. According to the Gloucestershire-based agency, the businesses consistently generating leads, enquiries and revenue from search are not necessarily those attracting the most traffic. Instead, they are the organisations investing in trust, credibility and long-term authority online. The insight comes as SEO Results marks its 15th anniversary, having worked with businesses across sectors including financial services, legal, hospitality, property and e-commerce since 2011. “Many businesses still judge SEO success…
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a blanket ban on social media for children under the age of 16, calling it a “line in the sand” to protect children’s mental health and safety. The legislation builds upon similar restrictions passed in Australia but introduces even tighter regulations. However, while the government promises a safer digital environment, experts on the ground argue that a top-down ban misses the complex reality of how young people actually use technology. Among the leading voices urging caution is Jason Michaelides, founder of Orbiri—a parent-founded technology company currently running a pilot across schools in London…
Criminals have registered dozens of lookalike FIFA domains to harvest fans’ personal and banking data. The same tactic threatens any brand with customers online. The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off last week, with billions of fans worldwide turning to the tournament, and millions scrambling for tickets, hospitality packages and last-minute travel. That demand is exactly what criminals are counting on. With official tickets scarce and prices high, fraudsters have built convincing fake versions of FIFA and tournament ticketing websites designed to take fans’ money and personal data. The threat is serious enough that the FBI issued a public warning…
AI could soon choose what we buy, sustainability has shifted from nice-to-have to non-negotiable, and second-hand shopping is rapidly becoming mainstream, according to new DHL eCommerce research. The 2026 E-Commerce Trends Report, based on survey findings from 29,000 online shoppers and 5,800 e-commerce businesses across 29 countries, highlights the biggest shifts retailers need to prepare for in the coming years and how best to respond to the changing e-commerce landscape. The global e-commerce market is experiencing rapid behavioral shifts, widening an expectation gap between what modern shoppers demand and what online businesses are prepared to deliver. AI is transforming buyer habits and accelerating innovation across…
Written by Tim Popiolkowsk, HR Director at Blackfinch Group Too many companies treat wellbeing as a safety net, something to catch people when they’re already struggling. But in a growing business, wellbeing can’t be a reactive, tick box exercise. It should be designed to drive performance. Organisations are already investing heavily in employee support, often spending between £100-£200 per employee each month on benefits and wellbeing initiatives. But much of that investment goes underused or fails to deliver meaningful impact because support is fragmented, difficult to access, and disconnected from what employees actually need. The impact of getting this wrong…
Global spending on corporate events is projected to reach £441.95 billion by 2029, revealing the continued importance of business travel and face-to-face networking.1 Against this backdrop, the business travel experts at Booking.com for Business have revealed the six key trends defining the corporate event market now: Corporate event spending continues to rise The global corporate events market is projected to grow from £241 billion in 2024 to £441.95 billion by 2029, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.61%.1 B2B events alone generate approximately £1.26 trillion in direct spending globally each year, making it more important for businesses to treat events as…