UK shoppers are getting more cautious again, and that matters for the smaller firms that rely on everyday discretionary spending. GfK’s Consumer Confidence Barometer fell two points to -21 in March, while expectations for the…
The government has agreed to invest up to £100 million to reopen the mothballed Ensus plant on Teesside as part of a contingency plan against possible carbon dioxide shortages linked to the Iran war. That…
Packaging compliance is becoming harder for UK businesses to shrug off as a problem for someone else. The latest sign came on 23 March, when PackUK announced that UK Packaging PRO has been appointed as…
Fresh warnings from British Gas and the wider oil market point to another cost squeeze for UK small businesses. The fastest pain may show up at the pump, but utility contracts, delivery costs and customer demand could all come under pressure if higher prices stick.
Northern Ireland’s hospitality sector is seeing tourists return, but jobs still fell by about 2,000 over 2025. For small businesses, that gap matters: fuller streets do not automatically mean healthier margins, steadier rotas or easier hiring.
A new government business rates support package for retail, hospitality and leisure firms has moved a step closer after the Subsidy Advice Unit published its report on HM Treasury’s proposed scheme. For small businesses, that…
Fresh forecasts of a sharp rise in household energy bills this summer are another reminder that UK small businesses may not get much breathing space on costs either. Cornwall Insight now says the household price…
A new government-backed energy-saving tool could be worth a look for hospitality SMEs that are tired of watching margin leak away through lights, fridges, extraction systems and other everyday power use. The scheme, announced on…
Small employers across the UK have been handed a new reason to look again at apprenticeships and entry-level hiring. The government says a fresh £1 billion youth employment package will help unlock 200,000 jobs and…
Higher oil prices are already feeding through into the day-to-day costs that many UK small businesses feel first: fuel, deliveries, supplier charges and customer confidence. Over the weekend, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the government…