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…

New research from iwoca, one of Europe’s largest SME lenders, finds that a decade on from the UK’s 2016 Brexit vote, the majority of the UK’s small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) leaders want to rebuild trade ties with the EU, and most are willing to take on more regulation to do so. The poll of over 1,000 UK SME owners finds that almost three-quarters (74%) of SMEs say the UK should have a closer trading relationship with the EU, against just 18% who disagree. Six in ten (60%) would back a closer relationship even if it meant abiding by more…

By Jake Rickhuss MD (Commercial) and co-Founder of Journi, the tech partner To start a tech business, you don’t need to be a technology expert. Many of the most successful founders started their business because they recognised a customer problem  wasn’t being addressed, or they knew there was a better way to do something. If you have a strong business idea, but lack the technical expertise to build it, it can be a challenge, but it’s not the end of the idea. Being a non-technical founder can sometimes be an advantage. It forces you to stay focused on the customer…

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by IR35 compliance specialist IR35 Shield has revealed that usage of HMRC’s Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST) tool fell by a further 43% during the 2025-26 tax year, continuing a dramatic downward trend that has seen overall usage collapse by 71% in just two years. The latest figures show total CEST usage falling from 458,894 determinations in 2023-24 to 135,178 in 2025-26, a 71% reduction. Also, approximately one in five users continues to receive an indeterminate result from the tool.* The findings suggest that firms are continuing to abandon CEST in favour…

When businesses discuss the future of work, conversations often focus on recruitment trends, artificial intelligence, and attracting the right talent. However, one of the biggest challenges facing small and medium-sized businesses often begins after hiring: managing employees, records, processes, and compliance effectively. For many SMEs, HR administration continues to rely on spreadsheets, emails, shared folders, and multiple disconnected tools. While these methods may work for smaller teams, they can quickly become difficult to manage as a business grows. Employee information needs to be accurate and up to date. Important documents need to be stored securely. Leave requests need to be…

Swindon, Wiltshire – Great British Expos has announced the postponement of next week’s South West Expo, originally scheduled to take place at the Steam Museum, Swindon, following forecasts of extreme temperatures across the region. The event, which was expected to welcome hundreds of business owners, entrepreneurs and decision-makers from across the South West, has now been rescheduled to Thursday 26th November 2026. The decision was made following a comprehensive health and safety assessment, which concluded that the venue would be unable to provide a safe and comfortable environment for the anticipated volume of exhibitors, delegates, speakers and staff during the…

Health and safety violations are costing British employers over £44 million per year, a new Freedom of Information (FOI) request issued to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has revealed. Experts at Breathe HR, who support over 17,000 SMEs across the UK with their HR and compliance processes, analysed HSE data on workplace health and safety violations and fines recorded in Britain between January 2021 and March 2026. They found that British businesses collectively were fined nearly £44.1 million per year, on average, for breaching health and safety regulations between 2021 and 2025. The findings come as The Federation of…

By Lisa Picardo, Chief Business Officer UK at PensionBee When the Pensions Commission was relaunched last summer, it was an admission that the UK is facing a retirement crisis, and acknowledgement that our retirement system simply cannot stand still. The original Commission of 2006 was a success, building consensus for the roll-out of Automatic Enrolment into pension saving, with more than 20 million employees[1] currently saving into workplace pensions each month. But two decades later, any serious examination of adequacy and sustainability has to confront a growing structural retirement gap borne from the rise of the invisible workforce. The Commission’s…

 Approximately 1.1 million* fewer people are expected to go to the pub during this big summer of football as new research commissioned by small business insurer, Simply Business, reveals Britain’s independent locals are set to lose out on a potential £197m*, in revenue. As customers swap pub stools for their sofas, the research reveals just how impactful late night kick-offs are to the typical football viewing habits of Brits. Of those who do plan to watch in the pub, just one in five (20%) say they would be willing to go out for a match kicking off as late as…