Arnold Clark counts the cost of Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes Transport and infrastructure Car dealership giant Arnold Clark has revealed the tax hikes announced by Rachel Reeves in her first Budget as Chancellor will cost it an extra £30m a year. The Glasgow-headquartered group said the increase in employer’s National Insurance contributions and the rise in the National Minimum Wage will mainly be responsible for the rise. Arnold [...]
Warburtons family in the dough after record sales and profit Retail The family behind Warburtons almost doubled their dividend after sales and profit at the bakery giant hit new records. The Bolton-headquartered business, which is run by the fifth generation of the Warburton family, issued an interim dividend of £27.2m in the year to 28 September, 2024, it has been revealed. The pay out is up [...]
Reeves’ tax hikes force Timothy Taylor to raise price of a pint Business Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes have forced brewer Timothy Taylor to raise its prices as it slammed the “hostile fiscal and regulatory environment” it now faces. The family-owned brewer said its industry is facing “significant input and labour cost increases” as well as dealing with the fall in business rates relief. Timothy Taylor added that it [...]
Yorkshire Tea: Profit more than doubles as sales pass landmark May 23, 2025 Sales at the owner of Yorkshire Tea have passed the £300m mark for the first time in its history as its profit more than doubled during its latest financial year. The Betty’s & Taylors Group, which can trace its roots back to 1886, has reported a turnover of £319.2m for the 12 months to 31 [...]
Major Companies House change launched as business leaders called to action April 8, 2025 Business leaders can now verify their identity on Companies House as part of a major drive designed to slash economic crime. As of today, 8 April, directors can voluntarily verify their identity before it becomes a legal requirement later this year. More than six million individuals will need to comply in the 12 months after [...]
200,000 jobs to go after Labour’s inheritance tax raid March 24, 2025 Family owned businesses and farms across the UK are cutting jobs, halting investment and selling assets to stay afloat in response to sweeping tax changes. According to research by CBI-Economics, commissioned by Family Business UK, the government’s move to cap business property relief (BPR) and reform agricultural property relief (APR) has triggered a wave of [...]
Pukka Pies: Price rises ‘inevitable’ at chip shop favourite March 3, 2025 Chip shop favourite Pukka Pies has warned prices rises are “inevitable” as it battles “significant levels of power and labour inflation”. The Leicester-headquartered company said it delayed increasing its prices during its latest financial year “assess the mid to long-term implications from the underlying inflation” but has since concluded that rises should be introduced. The [...]
Shadow Chancellor slams inheritance tax changes as an “absurdity” February 26, 2025 Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride has slammed proposed changes to business tax relief, saying that the policy will force many to “shut down or be forced to sell”. Stride’s comments echo those of prominent businesspeople and politicians who have been railing against the higher taxes announced in Labour’s budget for the last four months. “British institutions, [...]
Thatchers: Historic cider maker cheers record sales after Aldi legal battle win February 25, 2025 Sales at family-owned cider maker Thatchers have surged to a new record as they passed the £200m mark for the first time in its 120-year history. The Somerset-headquartered business, which was established in 1904, has reported sales of £203.9m for the 12 months to 31 August, 2024. The new figure comes after the firm’s turnover [...]
‘This is Keir Starmer’s Poll Tax’: Labour warned inheritance tax protests won’t stop February 17, 2025 The Labour government’s reforms to farmers’ inheritance tax announced in the Autumn Budget has been branded as “Keir Starmer’s Poll Tax”. William Lees-Jones, who owns and runs Manchester-based JW Lees, which has produced real ale since 1828, added that the Prime Minister is “losing the argument and feeling rattled”. The pubs boss has liked the policy, which [...]