Invest in UK News
SMEs to benefit from vital business services and advice
Tens of thousands of UK businesses can now benefit from unlimited and vital business services and advice as part of their Chambers membership.
Tens of thousands of UK Chamber members now have the opportunity to benefit from unlimited access a range of essential business support services thanks to an exclusive new partnership between British Chambers of Commerce and Qdos Consulting, of The Qdos Group.
Government outlines plan to become the UK’s most inclusive employer by 2020
The Government has today announced the plan for how it will become the most inclusive employer in the UK by 2020.
The Civil Service Diversity & Inclusion Strategy outlines a range of ambitious proposals to achieve this aim, including:
Director scamming small businesses hit by large ban
Sarah White from Manchester disqualified for 10 years for charging small businesses for fake business rates reduction service
Sarah Elizabeth White, also known as Sarah Regan, has been disqualified from acting as a director following an investigation by the Insolvency Service.
British firms are in danger of missing out on boom in online sales
The gap between how much we spend online with smaller British firms and larger companies is growing dramatically, small business support group Enterprise Nation has claimed.
Thousands of Britain’s smallest firms are in danger of missing out on the boom in online sales as the UK’s e-commerce habit continues to explode, a campaign claims.
When is the best time of year to launch a new business?
Almost nine in ten UK businesses that launch in the spring are a runaway success according to their owners, making it the best time of the year.
The latest Aldermore Future Attitudes report reveals the majority of SME bosses are boastful about the performance of their firms, with more than four fifths (85 per cent) viewing their business to be a success. Furthermore, UK small businesses that launch in the springtime are flourishing the most.
Rolls-Royce Director of Manufacturing to speak at Innovate 2017
Hamid Mughal will talk about the potential impact of automation and robotics on our lives, with other big issues of the day also up for debate.
How to boost creativity and innovation in your business
Research reveals 81 per cent of workplaces have failed to create a culture that encourages, creativity, new ideas and experimentation.
UK businesses are failing to support a culture of innovation despite employees believing that their companies would benefit from fresh ideas and innovative ways of working, new research shows.
Small firms benefitted from over £12 billion of government spending
Government spent £12.2 billion with small and medium sized businesses in 2015 to 2016.
Figures out today show that SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) benefitted from £12.2 billion worth of central government spending in 2015 to 16.
They also show that the amount government spends directly with SMEs has continued to climb. This now stands at £5.6 billion, representing a significant increase since 2011 to 12 when £4.4 billion was spent.
Can the new small business commissioner tackle late payments?
A new small business commissioner is appointed to tackle late payments, yet just two per cent of micro-businesses believe he will.
The government has appointed the UK’s first Small Business Commissioner, after a two year search, whose primary role will be to tackle the culture of late payments and ‘become a national spokesperson for small businesses affected by payment issues.’
SMEs turning to big data to seek competitive gains
Nearly two thirds of small businesses are looking to big data to benefit their business, according to new research.
Nearly two thirds (63 per cent) of small businesses are looking to big data to benefit their business, according to research by Smith & Williamson.
Fox/Sky: CMA publishes statement of issues for investigation
The CMA has set out more detail about what it intends to examine in its investigation into the proposed takeover of Sky Plc by 21st Century Fox.
On 20 September, Karen Bradley, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport referred Fox’s proposed takeover of Sky to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on public interest grounds.
New Minister for Trade and Export Promotion starts at the Department for International Trade
Baroness Rona Fairhead will today take up her role as the new Minister for Trade and Export Promotion.
As a former Business Ambassador for UK Trade and Investment with a strong background in global business, Baroness Fairhead brings a wealth of business and economic experience to the department.
Master and vessel owner fined for fisheries offences
Master and vessel owner found guilty of fishing offences in case brought by Marine Management Organisation (MMO)
Kenneth Savels, master of Belgian beam trawler Van Eyck (Z53) and owner Irina NV (represented by Steven Savels) were sentenced at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on 26 September 2017 in a prosecution brought by the MMO.
Think global and export - Welsh Secretary’s message to manufacturers in Wales
Alun Cairns speaks at Barclays Welsh Manufacturing Event
Manufacturers in Wales must think global and capitalise on the opportunities presented by overseas markets. That will be the message from the Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns when he addresses representatives of leading manufacturing companies in south Wales today (Monday 9 October).
'Right Waste, Right Place' spot-checks on Thames Valley waste firms
Waste disposal was the focus of a day of inspections by the Environment Agency.
A number of businesses across Berkshire and Buckinghamshire are on notice to comply with the law on waste disposal, after a series of unannounced checks by the Environment Agency on Tuesday 3 October.
CMA issues strong warning as information sharing fine is upheld
The Competition Appeal Tribunal has ruled in favour of the CMA, upholding its fine on Balmoral Tanks Ltd for illegally exchanging price information.
In December, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that Balmoral, a supplier of galvanised steel water tanks, along with 3 other businesses, had breached competition law by taking part in an exchange of competitively-sensitive information on prices and pricing intentions.
Government plans £80 million smart ticketing rail revolution
The government has this week set out details of its £80 million programme to introduce smart ticketing across England and Wales by the end of 2018.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said:
Passengers across the country want smart ticketing and this government will deliver it.
Brexit curbs planned growth and investments for UK SMEs
There is a strong trend around SMEs struggling with the fight for talent, due to Brexit, net migration and the disparity in retirees and young workers.
When it comes to recruitment, these SMEs are also pushing back plans to increase their total number of employees in the next 12 months and a growing number concede they will not be growing headcount in the next year. This is up from 36 per cent to 43 per cent in the last quarter.
E-Commerce Grow Seven Times Faster Than Global Retail Average
Superstars of e-commerce grow seven times faster than global retail average, according to a new report by OC&C Strategy Consultants.
Improved drug safety and stroke detection: firms get £15 million
UK businesses will use funding to take on some of the biggest healthcare and agriculture challenges.
New approaches and treatments for Parkinson’s disease, stroke and epilepsy and a device to improve detection of plant disease are some of the projects that will share £15 million from Innovate UK.
Among the ideas are:
Brexit curbs planned growth and investments for UK SMEs
There is a strong trend around SMEs struggling with the fight for talent, due to Brexit, net migration and the disparity in retirees and young workers.
When it comes to recruitment, these SMEs are also pushing back plans to increase their total number of employees in the next 12 months and a growing number concede they will not be growing headcount in the next year. This is up from 36 per cent to 43 per cent in the last quarter.
IPO named one of UK's most family friendly employers
Top 30 employers announced by the work-life balance charity Working Families.
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has been named as one of the UK’s most family friendly employers by the charity Working Families.
Bristol company fined for hazardous waste offences
A waste recycling company and two of its directors have been ordered to pay more than £32,450 in fines and costs.
They were fined for illegally supplying thousands of tonnes of hazardous waste to a development site in Avonmouth.
Britain could be just 11 years away from pension crisis
Nearly half of people in the UK aren’t saving into a pension, which could lead to a pension crisis in just over a decade.
