Two freeports have been confirmed for Wales by the UK and Welsh governments. Celtic Freeport, covering Milford Haven and Port Talbot, and Anglesey Freeport will each be backed by £26 million in seed funding by the UK government. The sites were chosen to exploit opportunities from renewable energies and the government said they would ‘make… Read more…

The end of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) on 1 April could threaten the future of hundreds of thousands of small firms, according to research by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). The Energy Bill Discount Scheme (EBDS) offers a far lower level of support for small businesses. Although market prices have stabilised for… Read more…

We are excited to announce the re-launch of Xpert Leave Management, the human resources software that is specifically designed to cater to the needs of small businesses. As a small business owner, managing your employees rotas, holidays, personal data and payroll can be a daunting task. We understand that these can often take up valuable… Read more…

Salhan Accountants are very pleased to announce that they are providing all their U‑Deliver customers with a complimentary bank account that surpasses initial impressions. It is designed specifically with sole traders in mind and provides much more than a traditional business bank account. Free Banking! After extensive research into what small business people really need… Read more…

An Individual Savings Account or ISA provides a tax efficient alternative to savings and investments. Any gains which are made from an ISA, whether they be interest from savings or returns on an investment, are free from tax. Of course, this is an attractive alternative to a standard savings account, particularly for those with a… Read more…

HMRC is reminding VAT-registered businesses to file their VAT returns and pay on time ahead of new penalties being applied. The tax authority says that the new penalties will be ‘fairer and more proportionate’ for businesses who submit their VAT returns or pay their VAT late. The first monthly returns and payments affected by the… Read more…

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has urged Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to use the upcoming Spring Budget to help ease cost pressures on small businesses. Research carried out by the BCC revealed that 65% of firms are planning to raise prices due to cost pressures. In addition, 47% of firms stated that paying their energy… Read more…

Inflation remains close to a 40-year high despite falling in January, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The ONS found that inflation fell to 10.1% in the year to January 2023 from 10.5% in December 2022. The Bank of England has also reported that inflation ‘might now have turned… Read more…

The UK narrowly avoided falling into recession in 2022 after the economy saw zero growth between October and December, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Although the economy shrank between July and September, a recession is defined as when the economy contracts for two consecutive three-month periods. Over 2022,… Read more…

A record 11.7 million self assessment taxpayers submitted their tax returns by the 31 January deadline, HMRC has revealed. The final day for self assessment returns saw 861,085 customers file online to meet the deadline, some with minutes to spare. There were 36,767 customers who filed in the last hour before the deadline, but the… Read more…