Latest news and industry insights

The new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, delivered her first speech as Chancellor last week outlining her plans for revitalising the UK economy. While her speech was inevitably political and included criticism for the previous government while emphasising her own role, there were also some key takeaways for her plans on tax. Here’s a summary with some comments on what they could mean for you.

This summer has brought with it several major sporting events – The Euros, Wimbledon and the Tour de France are currently all in progress, and the Olympics begin later in July. While this can be good news for businesses working in hospitality and retail, there can also be a dip in productivity as employees take time off or become distracted during major matches or events.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the economy grew by 0.7% between January and March. This is higher than their initial estimate of 0.6%, and means that the country’s emergence from recession was stronger than expected.

So, the election results are in and the Labour party won the country’s mandate to form a new parliament. What could that mean for the tax you pay?

In the wake of the Bank of England's decision to maintain the base rate at 5.25%, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has expressed concern about the impact on small business growth and investment.

The Institute of Directors (IoD) have published a consultation document on a code of conduct for directors.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) provides an ‘Exercise in a Box’ online tool that can help businesses check how resilient they are to cyber attacks as well as practise their response in a safe environment.

Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, have had plans to use Facebook and Instagram user date to train generative AI.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has issued a warning about false claims being made about the deadline for appealing the 2023 list for business rates.

Figures released by the Office of National Statistics show that the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for May 2024 was 2%. This is a reduction from the 2.3% assessed in April and means that inflation has hit the Bank of England’s target rate for the first time in nearly 3 years.

If you are a female entrepreneur in the UK, you can now access a new resource designed to help you access the finance you need to start, grow, and scale your business. The new hub is designed as a one-stop shop that provides the resources and information you need.

The latest labour market report from the Office for National Statistics shows a few important trends that might affect your business.

Shawbrook Bank recently conducted research that indicated that half of small business owners have had to raid their savings to fund their businesses.

The Charity Commission has recently concluded its regulatory compliance case into the Actors’ Benevolent Fund and has drawn out some lessons that can benefit all charities.

The Bank of Canada announced a cut of a quarter of a percentage point to its key interest rate last week, bringing the rate down to 4.75%.