The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), show that the total number of businesses registered within the UK as of March 2022 was 4,894,356, an increase of 3.8% when compared with the end of March 2021. However during that same time period 581,824 filed for dissolution proving that starting a business is often a lot easier than running one; at least when you don’t have the correct skillset. To help out budding entrepreneurs, in the age of the side hustle, Caunce O’Hara, the specialist insurance broker for freelancers and small businesses, reveal their Top Tips for success…
Author: sme-admin
Despite the efforts of the former Chancellor, investment into UK SMEs remains stagnant according to new research from solution-led alternative finance provider Nucleus Commercial Finance (NCF). Aimed at bolstering the investments made by small and medium enterprises (SMEs), just 13% say they have increased investments as a result of the two year “super-deduction”. In fact, a greater percentage (16%) say they have in fact decreased investments in that period. A closer look at the findings reveals that medium sized businesses are most likely to have upped their investment following the announcement (25%). However, even within this cohort a similar number…
Recent research from the ONS has revealed shocking inequality amongst pensions across the UK – as a result of inflation and the rising cost of living – with one third of UK employees not expecting to have any pension provision beyond state pension when they retire. Those who are self-employed or on lower incomes will be impacted the most by pension wealth inequality. With the number of older workers steadily increasing over the last decade, Nick Jones – Head of Retirement Living at Lottie – warns of the impact the pensions crisis will have on older workers approaching retirement: “The…
With Boris Johnson’s resignation, speculation is rife with what he will do next – whether it’s a return to the world of business, or even sales. But despite being a good salesperson, it seems most businesses wouldn’t hire him as part of their sales teams. John Cheney, CEO of Workbooks gives a view on good practice when it comes to ethical selling. “If Boris Johnson were to re-enter the jobs market, could a career in sales be his calling? There can be no denying he knows how to sell. But would you hire him as a Sales Director at your…
Award-winning Oxfordshire photographer and Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society Philip Joyce captured these stunning images of various animals at Cotswold Wildlife Park being treated to cooling enrichments in the heatwave. They feature the Park’s oldest resident, George the Giant Tortoise (86-years old), enjoying a shower from Reptile keeper Meg & Tamanduas (also known as Lesser Anteaters) sticking their long noses into watermelons. Meanwhile, in Lemur exhibit ‘Madagascar’, a Red Bellied Lemur youngster named Matiz adored the frozen rainbow smoothies so much, he wouldn’t let his mum Maren anywhere near the ice enrichment. The most surprising reaction came from the breeding Emu pair,…
Most of the UK is experiencing a heatwave this week, with the hot weather set to get hotter beyond the weekend. For those of us not fortunate enough to enjoy air-conditioned offices it’s certainly uncomfortable, but what exactly are your rights when it comes to working in the heat? When is it legally too hot to work? SME Today got comments from an employment lawyer and a personal injury lawyer . Marcin Durlak, Managing Partner at IMD Solicitors says: “Under the law, there is no maximum temperature that makes it too hot to work, however employers are under obligation to…
NatWest has announced the launch of its Carbon Planner, a free to use digital platform designed to help UK businesses manage their future fuel and operational costs, and reduce their carbon footprint to help them go and grow greener. NatWest research* revealed that more than 72% of businesses expect their business will face increased difficulty in light of inflationary challenges citing increased costs of energy (56%), increased costs of materials (56%), and increased interest rates (37%) as the most challenging effects of inflation. Alison Rose, Chief Executive of NatWest Group, said: “Climate change is one of the biggest global challenges we face…
Nominations for KPMG’s Black Entrepreneurs’ Awards (BEA) have opened for 2022. The annual awards support entrepreneurs from Black Heritage backgrounds, with the chance to win a cash prize and gain access to expertise from within KPMG to accelerate growth for up to 10 finalists. Under 1% of venture capital investment in the UK has gone to Black Heritage entrepreneurs over the last 10 years [i] – highlighting the systematic barriers Black-owned businesses face when securing finance. KPMG is determined that no barriers to progression should exist for those with Black Heritage backgrounds and the Black Entrepreneurs’ Awards (BEA), now in its third year, is a celebration of Black…
Emails have held their position as a centrepiece of workplace communications for years — they’re quick, simple and free to use. But recent data suggests that the email is slowly being replaced by real-time communication apps like Slack and Microsoft Teams. So, in a time of instant messaging, is the email still a relevant business tool? Here, Kristian Torode, Director and Co-Founder of unified communications specialist Crystaline shares his insight into the future of business communication tools. Emails are a huge part of most people’s day, and from a business perspective, they do have a purpose. Email is excellent for…
Former British wheelchair tennis player Louise Hunt will be returning to the British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships this year as a commentator – 26 years after she first competed in the tournament at the age of five. The 31-year-old will be commentating on the event between Wednesday July 13 and Sunday July 17 just a few short days after doing the same job at the iconic Wimbledon championship. This event though is very special because Louise first competed there in Nottingham in 1996. “I was really humbled to be asked to be a part of the British Open Wheelchair Tennis…