The UK’s new Industrial Strategy, launched in June 2025, is a 10-year plan to boost business investment and drive growth in key sectors. It focuses on making it easier and quicker for businesses to invest, providing stability for long-term decisions, and creating 1.1 million new jobs. The strategy identifies eight high-growth sectors and includes tailored plans for each. Responding to the publication of the new Industrial Strategy, Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said: “Through opening up procurement, helping to tackle late payments, and supporting new sectors adopt new technologies, this document outlines ways to help the UK’s 5.5…
Author: sme-admin
Simon Heath is a Partner of Heligan Group with 20 years of mid-market M&A advisory experience, having previously been a Director at KPMG Corporate Finance. In this article he explains how to sell a business in plain terms, breaking down the process into six key steps: There comes a moment, after years of building something from scratch, when a business owner looks up and wonders: “Is it time to move on?” It’s rarely just about the money. More often, it’s about timing, identity, and legacy. Selling a business isn’t just a transaction. It’s a turning point. For many, it’s the…
Swindon-based health and safety business, Secure Safety Solutions, is issuing a warning for business owners to protect staff as UK temperatures rise. Secure Safety Solutions’ Director and Senior Safety Consultant, Andrew Wilkinson, has been advising businesses on their health and safety since 2019 though he’s been a specialist for many years, previously working at Heathrow Airport. With UK temperatures set to rise exponentially in the summer of 2025, Andrew wants local companies to take care of their staff. “As there is no maximum set in legislation for upper levels of temperature, it can be difficult for employers to know when…
To stay competitive, business leaders must align with Managed Service Providers that deliver strategic value, drive innovation, and support to scale. Now firmly into 2025, it’s becoming clear what HY2 has in store for the IT landscape. For SMBs, the message is clear: business growth must be matched with smarter, more scalable managed services. The demand for cyber-resilient, cloud-first and AI-integrated solutions is no longer a forecast – it’s a reality already shaping business priorities. According to leading global technology market analyst firm Canalys’ MSP Trends 2025 report, the MSP model is transforming under growing pressure to deliver more strategic value, tighter cybersecurity integration and…
New research reveals that the government’s decision to cut levy funding of Level 7 apprenticeships for apprentices aged over 21 from January next year, will cost UK employers around £214m* in additional training costs. With 89 percent** of Level 7 apprentices aged over 21, research from the University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC), the higher and degree apprenticeship voice for over 80 universities, also reveals the extent to which cuts will widen the skills gap, hinder social inclusion and stifle economic growth. Level 7 apprenticeships, which are the equivalent to a Master’s degree and proven to enable firms to upskill and develop future…
The Manchester Fashion Institute has developed a powerful digital platform to help UK fashion and textile businesses stay compliant, competitive, and future-ready. FASHTRAX, created by the Institute’s Textiles Transparency Team (MFITT) at Manchester Metropolitan University, puts easy-to-follow regulatory guidance at businesses’ fingertips, allowing them to stay ahead of rapidly evolving legal standards, including the upcoming EU Digital Product Passport (DPP). At the heart of the platform is the Compliance Navigator, an intelligent diagnostic tool offering tailored advice based on company size, product type, and supply chain footprint. “FASHTRAX is designed to simplify compliance in a complex world,” said project co-lead…
In a new study from free company formations agent Startup AZ, they dive in to understand what it takes to be a FTSE 100 CEO. Looking into the profiles of FTSE CEOs, they found data on how much experience is needed, how many internal roles it takes and whether or not you’re rewarded for length of service. Key findings: FTSE CEOs spend an average of 10 years in the company before promotion 8 of the FTSE 100 CEOs have worked at their companies their entire careers 29 CEOs were hired straight into the chief executive role 30 CEOs have spent…
Expense fraud remains one of the most overlooked risks to a business’ bottom line. From falsified receipts to inflated mileage claims, fraudulent claims can quickly mount up, leading to significant financial losses. According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, UK businesses are losing over £2 billion every year due to fraudulent expense claims. According to James Rowell, founder of cloud-based expense management platform Capture Expense, there are four steps businesses can take to tackle expense fraud. What are some of the common types of expense fraud? Expense fraud can take many forms, but among the most frequent is the misuse of corporate…
Investing for the first time can feel overwhelming; with so much misinformation floating around, it’s easy to make costly mistakes. In 2024, Action Fraud received nearly 26,000 reports of investment fraud, with victims collectively losing over £650 million, marking a 13% year-on-year increase.1 With this in mind, the forex broker experts at BrokerChooser have shared the ten most common mistakes new investors make, alongside advice on how to avoid them and invest wisely. Chasing Tips from Fin-fluencers Without Research Social media has made financial advice more accessible than ever, but there’s a downside to this, too. Many new investors get drawn in by…
Leading global business travel and expense management platform, TravelPerk, launches new research revealing nearly half (44%) of business travellers have no official company-level travel insurance, with 24% relying on personal policies and 15% on credit card insurance – leaving many exposed to risks. Whilst travel can be unpredictable, with research showing 78% of global business travellers faced travel disruption, employers are missing key areas to support employees on the road. TravelPerk’s recent travel disruption survey revealed the types of travel disruption with 13% of travellers experiencing lost or delayed luggage, and 11% having health or medical emergencies. Today’s research launch uncovers the…