SME Business News

Chancellor Alistair Darling has been forced into a U turn over Capital Gains tax for small businesses. Darling has announced that the rate of 18%, that he introduced just 3 months ago, would now be cut to 10%, for the first £1 million of gains on business assets.
The Chancellor told the commons that he would [...]

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A staggering 20% of SMEs will miss the self assessment tax return deadline on 31st January and recieve a £100 fine by the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) , according to a poll by accounting software company, Kashflow.The result being the Inland Revenue is set to receive an extra £200m in late payment charges.
When asked [...]

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The most common problem facing all small businesses in the UK appears to be maintaining a steady cashflow. Factoring can offer SME’s a solution to this prevalent issue.
Factoring companies are now the largest provider of finance to small businesses in the UK, accounting for even more than banks, according to an article in New [...]

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The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has launched its 2008 search to find the best thriving SME UK based business that is well managed and highly regarded by both its staff and customers.
To qualify for the British Small Business Champions 2008 (BSBC) UK business award, businesses must have been trading for at least five years [...]

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A report from Davos states that leading economists say that a full blown and prolonged recession is inescapable for America. Predicting that the US economy will drag down those in Britain, Europe and much of Asia.
There is a general consensus that the Federal Reserves emergency interest rate cut is “too little, too late”, to stave [...]

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A growing number of over 50’s in Britain are setting up their own SME’s according to an article on the Small Business UK website.
Marketing and research officer Ian Stobie of Enterprise company Prime, says that there are two different types of older entrepreneur going into business. The first group are looking at starting a [...]

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The first major victim of the UK’s post Christmas spending slowdown, on the high street, is the former shoe giant Dolcis. More than 1200 jobs are at risk after the company went into administration today.
Dolcis was purchased last year by Scottish retail entrepreneur John Kinnaird, in a £2.7 million deal, backed by Epic Structured Finance, the [...]

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London’s FTSE index crashed to an 18 month low amid fears of an American recession, following US President, George Bush’s speech last week in which he spoke of a stimulus package of $140 billion to prop up the US economy. 
 There was concern last week that the proposal  was not enough, and having dwelt on it over [...]

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The legalities surrounding home-based businesses are very confusing and local authorities need to make them clearer and more consistent, according to an article on the Timesonline website.
The UK’s home-based SME businesses want their legal position to be clarified by local councils and mortgage providers as confusion over legal regulations continues to grow.
The article, which first [...]

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UK SMEs are still optimistic, even though the City is predicting a credit crunch and recession.

Three quarters (72%) of UK businesses stated that they feel confident about their future prospects this New Year, according to a recent poll from The Orange SMS Business Jury commissioned exclusively by The Observer Newspaper. New equipment or technology and [...]

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