The UK tech sector is growing increasingly nervous about the upcoming UK budget bringing a rise in Capital Gains Tax (CGT), say leading audit, tax and business advisory firm, Blick Rothenberg. Simon Gleeson, a Partner at the firm, said: “It has been a roller-coaster of a week for the UK tech sector. The mixed messaging from Keir Starmer playing down the tax rises Rachel Reeves could enact in the Budget at the inaugural International Investment Summit 2024 in London this week has only created more anxiety.” He added: “There is increasing fear that changes in CGT in the Budget will…
Author: sme-admin
From an early age, Derek Bell was captivated by the game of football, playing on the fields and in the backyards of the West End of Newcastle. Growing up in an area marked by deprivation and social poverty presented challenges for many of his peers. However, Derek was fortunate; both his parents held full-time jobs, ensuring that he never had to worry about getting a new pair of football boots or a Newcastle home kit. Derek’s father was a professional footballer with Partick Thistle in the late 1940s, winning the Scottish Cup final against the mighty Celtic in 1945. After…
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make up a whopping 99.9% of the UK’s business population. However, despite their significant presence in our economy, many are feeling the pressure to keep up with the digital advancements of larger corporations. There is a constant demand for digital upskilling and a deep knowledge base required for implementation, particularly within SMEs. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) revealed that 38% of SMEs in the IT sector are finding it tough to grow due to a shortage of appropriately skilled staff. A focus on digital training is crucial in allowing businesses of all sizes to…
Insurance comparison experts from Quotezone.co.uk have highlighted six ways businesses may have unknowingly invalidated their business insurance. Business insurance protects against financial loss if something goes wrong while undertaking business related activities. From small business start-ups with a couple of employees, to large-scale corporations with a team of hundreds, insurance protection is key and it’s not uncommon for providers to deny claims, if the agreed terms have not been met. The main types of business insurance can range from commercial property insurance to public and employer liability and professional indemnity insurance – protecting the property, staff, the public and even their reputation. Employers’ liability cover is…
Microplastics are seen today as the main problem with plastics. They are tiny pieces of plastic, which are being found on land, in the sea, and now even in the air we breathe and the water we drink. Some of the microplastics are coming from tyres and man-made fibres, and recycling can also be a source of microplastics, but most of the microplastics found in the environment are caused by the fragmentation of ordinary plastic and there is a solution to this available today. Michael Laurier, CEO of Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc, said “We knew that our d2w oxo-biodegradable technology could prevent…
Creative Nature, a leading advocate for allergy-friendly foods, is launching its new social media campaign, ‘May Contain’– to try to push for truly ‘free from’ supermarket aisles. The campaign aims to tackle the smoke and mirrors around food labelling which allows products to be called ‘free from’ when they are not. According to a report by barcode specialist GS1 earlier this year 56 per cent of those questioned with food allergies had had an allergic reaction from mis-labelled or unclear food packaging. Food allergies are on the rise with around two million people in the UK believed to be affected…
As today’s children and teens navigate the growing challenges of modern life, facing bullying, anxiety, and rising mental health pressures, Staardom Ltd. is proud to announce that their young artist, 9-year-old singer-songwriter Aastha Vakil, is providing a much-needed voice of empowerment. With her newly released single “Believe in Yourself,” Aastha aims to inspire young people to embrace their self-worth, build confidence, and rise above adversity. A Powerful Message for Today’s Youth from Staardom’s Aastha Vakil At an age when most children are just beginning to explore their own identities, Aastha is already making a profound impact through her music under…
The highly anticipated Thames Valley Expo, Reading’s largest business networking and educational event, is set to take place on Thursday, 24th October 2024 at Green Park, Reading. Running from 10:00am to 3:00pm, this flagship event is designed to support small business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals looking to expand their networks, gain valuable industry insights, and explore opportunities for business growth. Thames Valley Expo 2024 brings together businesses of all sizes to showcase products, share expertise, and engage with fellow entrepreneurs in a vibrant, supportive environment. Whether you are a start-up aiming to build connections or an established company seeking to…
Our phones have become indispensable – but could you go a full workday without picking it up? instantprint asked this very question in a survey of over 1,000 workers and the responses were pretty divided. Surprisingly, 39% of people believe they could get through the day without succumbing to the temptation of their mobile devices. That’s almost two in five workers who think they could stay focused and avoid their phones entirely – an impressive display of self-control in a world where we’re constantly connected. However, the majority aren’t so sure. A significant 60% admitted that they wouldn’t be able…
A Structured Query Language (or SQL) injection attack was listed as the third-most critical safety risk to organisations by the OWASP Top 10, and is still a threat to 21% of organisations, costing them millions in recovery and reputational damage each year.1 2 Despite this, Google searches in the UK for ‘What is SQL Injection’ have surged by 550% in the last 30 days, highlighting the growing prevalence and importance of such attacks.3 In response to this, the application security SaaS company Indusface has detailed the potential financial impact of SQL Injection attacks on businesses. Additionally, they offer best practices to help organisations effectively mitigate the risks associated…