Businesses expected to be named and shamed over minimum wage breaches November 22, 2025 The government will regularly name and shame employers who breach national minimum wage rules as part of reforms expected to be announced by Rachel Reeves. A Treasury source said the expected changes will provide further protection to vulnerable workers and ensure businesses have no place to hide. The reforms are also aimed at clearing a [...]
Britain’s business spirit still alive at Global Entrepreneurship Week November 19, 2025 There is more to be done to smooth the path for future founders, but Britain should be proud of its strong pool of entrepreneurs, writes Timothy Barnes.
Company directors now required to verify identity under new rules November 18, 2025 In one of the biggest changes at Companies House for years, its new ID powers kicked in today – forcing company directors to verify their identity or risk facing new enforcement powers. Starting from 18 November, anyone who becomes a company director or person with significant control will need to verify their identity via GOV.UK [...]
Santander: UK businesses shift away from China as tensions flare November 18, 2025 UK businesses are moving away from China as risks mount amid flaring geopolitical tensions. Over half of firms are taking steps to bring their supply chains closer to home, with one in five having already relocated their network closer to the UK. The moves come amid questions over China’s dominance in the supply chain, with [...]
Budget could hand economy £60bn if small businesses supported November 18, 2025 Small businesses could provide a £60bn injection to the UK economy if the Autumn Budget meets firm’s needs, fresh research has indicated. Fresh research from Barclays Business Prosperity Index showed small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were playing it cautious ahead of the Budget, even more so than their larger corporate counterparts. Firms hit pause on [...]
Forget the naysayers, banks are still committed to climate action November 18, 2025 Headlines have decried the end of green finance, yet the vast majority of institutions remain committed to climate action, writes Bob Wigley.
Crinkled paper to fake logos: Businesses face surge in expense scams November 18, 2025 Businesses are experiencing a sharp rise in fraudulent attempts at expenses, as AI has made it easier to replicate receipts. Over the last three months, Google searches for ‘AI receipts’ have soared by 340 per cent, as employees look to take advantage of AI-generated capabilities to submit fake expenses. A recent study by SAP Concur [...]
Confidence in audit quality surges despite knowledge gaps November 17, 2025 Confidence in audit quality has increased but many stakeholders have reported only a partial or limited understanding of the scope of auditor responsibilities, according to new findings. A document from the Centre for Public Interest Audit (CPIA) shows that all three stakeholder groups surveyed – finance directors, equity investors and audit committee chairs – reported [...]
NHS woes fuel private healthcare boom, with lawyers reaping the rewards November 13, 2025 Private healthcare in the UK is experiencing unprecedented growth as NHS waiting lists soar and public services struggle to keep up. This surge in demand is also fueling a flurry of legal activity, keeping lawyers busy. Deals lawyers in the UK are generally the busiest and most important practices for most law firms; however, with [...]
AI becomes UK businesses’ first line of defence amid regulatory uncertainty November 12, 2025 AI has moved from an experiment to the primary ‘first line of defence’ for UK businesses facing regulatory scrutiny and operational uncertainty. According to new data from consultancy firm Elixirr, nearly half of UK businesses stated that all resilience-focused investment now flows to technology and AI. This comes as an overwhelming number of UK business [...]