HMRC is urging young people who have yet to claim their Child Trust Fund (CTF) to do so during National Apprenticeship Week. HMRC’s figures show 758,000 young people could be missing out on cash as they have yet to claim…
The government must reform the apprenticeship system to make it fit for the 21st Century, according to a new report published by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). The report says that the current framework is too rigid, lacks clarity,…
The confidence of business leaders in both their own organisations and the wider UK economy rose markedly in January, according to data from the Institute of Directors (IoD). The IoD Directors’ Economic Confidence Index, which measures business leader optimism in…
An estimated one million taxpayers missed the self assessment deadline for the 2024/25 tax year, according to HMRC. Over 11.48 million taxpayers filed their self assessment tax returns before midnight on 31 January. However, more than 12 million self assessment…
The UK can expect to see big falls in the rate of inflation this year, according to the Resolution Foundation. The think tank’s prediction comes despite an increase in December 2025 that saw the UK end the year with the…
Five major UK banks have agreed a £11 billion lending package aimed at SMEs to support small business growth, the government has announced. The lending commitment is one of the largest collective moves by the banking sector in over a decade. The government says this represents an ‘historic show…
Pubs and live music venues in England will be given a 15% discount on their business rates bills from April and will not see increases for two years, the government announced. It comes after a backlash against November's Budget, which…
Despite falling behind its peers the UK economy could be on the brink of a turnaround so the government must up rather than run-down its growth strategy, says the Resolution Foundation. A report by the think tank warns that the…
Small businesses such as cafes, shops and hairdressers are facing three years of business rates misery with an average 52% hike in bills, analysis from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has revealed. This is due to the removal of…
More than 4,600 self assessment taxpayers filed their tax return on Christmas Day, according to data from HMRC. In total, 37,435 customers filed between 24 and 26 December. Christmas Eve was the most popular day with 22,350 tax returns filed…
