Firms face fresh fines for making late payments to small businesses July 31, 2025 Firms could be slapped with million-pound fines for late payments to small businesses in a new government effort to boost growth in local economies. As part of reforms aimed at supporting businesses with fewer than 50 employees, Keir Starmer has vowed to crack down on delayed payments “holding Britain back”. The Prime Minister said the [...]
UK SMEs paralysed by fear despite ‘sitting on piles of cash’ July 17, 2025 Small-to-medium sized companies in the UK (SMEs) are “paralysed by fear” because of geopolitical uncertainty and a lack of clear economic policy, according to new research. Accounting and advisory group Azets said a large number of SMEs are “sitting on significant piles of cash” but are nevertheless holding back on investment. The warning, issued by [...]
Companies House reforms: 1 in 5 firms shift addresses July 16, 2025 More than one in five UK companies changed their registered address between January 2022 and February 2025, highlighting the extent of internal corporate changes taking place ahead of major Companies House reforms. Moody’s data, shared exclusively with City AM, also found that nearly 14 per cent of companies changed legal status during the same period. [...]
Three big opportunities for SMEs in 2025 July 14, 2025 We've heard enough about the tough times for small businesses, here are three big opportunities all SMEs can go for, writes Emma Jones.
Personal guarantees ‘overuse’ holding UK growth back July 7, 2025 The “overuse” of personal guarantees in borrowing arrangements is holding businesses back and stifling UK growth, innovators have warned, with only a small minority of companies claiming they would borrow from banks with their personal savings or assets on the line. A new survey of some 1,400 small business owners by the Federation of Small [...]
New Companies House filing rules risk ‘own goal’ for UK start-ups and SMEs June 30, 2025 Thousands of UK small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are bracing for sweeping changes to Companies House rules that will force them to disclose detailed profit and loss (P&L) statements from April 2027 – a shift that founders and investors say could hurt competitiveness, innovation and growth. “This is just making it harder than it [...]
British Business Bank set on delivering Labour’s growth ambition June 28, 2025 Arguably one of the biggest winners from Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ latest spending splurge, the British Business Bank had its lending capacity beefed up and pledged to back the UK’s innovators with its expanded range. The bank had its funding capacity increased to £25.6bn in the Spending Review from near £15.6bn as it targets eight key [...]
Profit triples at SME lender Iwoca as loans near £1bn June 26, 2025 Profit has almost tripled at business lender Iwoca as its revenue jumped by nearly £100m in 2024, it has been revealed. The London-based firm, which provides credit to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), has posted a pre-tax profit of £59.1m for its latest financial year. The total comes after the business reported a pre-tax profit of £21.7m [...]
Government accused of ignoring SMEs as firms fight for survival June 26, 2025 Three in five small business owners feel ignored by the government, according to a fresh survey, an increasing amount firms raise the alarm on their fight to stay afloat. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are calling on Westminster to take further measures to support businesses after 57 per cent fear for their survival in the [...]
BGF: Profit almost doubles at major UK investor June 25, 2025 Profit at the Business Growth Fund (BGF) has almost doubled thanks to a series of successful exits in 2024, it has been revealed. The organisation, which is one of the UK’s most prominent equity investors, has reported a pre-tax profit of £131.1m for its latest financial year, up from the £67.9m it achieved in 2023. [...]