UK retail sales see modest Christmas rise following Budget January 23, 2026 UK retail sales inched up slightly in December, as consumers returned to the high street for Christmas shopping after the Autumn Budget, but failed to halt an overall fall in purchases during the final quarter. Retail sales volumes are estimated to have increased by 0.4 per cent in December, following falls of 0.1 per cent [...]
Tough year ahead as businesses face compliance and investigation storm January 17, 2026 A wave of complex regulations and cross-border probes is set to test the resilience of businesses worldwide in the coming year; at the same time, resource constraints expose vulnerabilities. A staggering 82 per cent of global businesses fear being hit by cross-border or multi-agency investigations this year, according to a new report by law firm [...]
Manufacturers warn UK faces ‘tipping point’ on competitiveness January 12, 2026 The Labour government has been handed a major warning over the future of the manufacturing industry as the sector battles rising costs and pressures to shift business to shift overseas. A fresh survey from the sector’s industry body Make UK showed senior executives in manufacturing firms feared cost pressures would soon reach a “tipping point”. [...]
Hackney tops London’s entrepreneurial boroughs for startup loans January 12, 2026 Startup founders in Hackney racked up the highest volume of loans in London as fleets of British entrepreneurs launched their business in the capital. Some 1,309 loans were taken out by founders in Hackney through the Start Up Loans initiative since its launch in 2012 topping £11.4m in value. The borough has benefitted from being [...]
Starmer and Reeves ‘credibility shot’ after pubs tax U-turn, says Badenoch January 11, 2026 The credibility of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves has faced a bruising after they were forced to make a dramatic U-turn on their business rates reform for pubs, the leader of the Conservative party has said. Ministers are set to water down the business rates bombshell slapped on pubs following fierce [...]
City businesses warned of disruptions from surge in protests January 9, 2026 City based businesses are being warned to brace for a potential rise in damage or disruption next year, as the UK is predicted to see an increase in protest activity in 2026. A new analysis by Verisk Maplecroft suggests Europe will be among the regions most exposed to protest-related disruption in the coming 12 months, [...]
Starmer summons business chiefs to join China trip January 7, 2026 Downing Street officials are asking business leaders to join Keir Starmer on a visit to China later this month, it has been reported, amid tensions over the approval of its mega embassy near the City of London. The government is still looking to gather new business representatives to accompany Starmer to Beijing despite some concerns [...]
Football-style firings in SMEs: A risky game for business owners January 5, 2026 HR professionals are seeing SMEs start to copy football’s “sack the boss” culture when things go south for the company, but warn that this strategy could turn into an “expensive legal headache”. Managers of major football teams, especially those in the Premier League, can operate like a revolving door when the team is in a [...]
New Companies House ID rule triggers 30 per cent slump in registrations December 29, 2025 Companies House’s new rules to prevent fraud have sparked a dramatic fall in new company registrations. As of 18 November, a new law came into effect requiring company directors to verify their identity, with failure to do so carrying enforcement risks. The new rules were part of Companies House’s new ID powers, which aim to [...]
Mothercare shares dive as firm warns future in ‘significant doubt’ December 23, 2025 Shares in retailer Mothercare plunged by 10 per cent on Tuesday after the group cast “significant doubt” over its future on Tuesday. In a trading update it said it had breached an emergency loan agreement leaving the firm on the hook for millions of pounds. The AIM-listed company was set to repay an £8m loan [...]