Why every business needs a business plan
See how a business plan can help your business grow You have the idea, the energy, and maybe even your first customers. So why slow down to write a business plan? It can seem like something banks ask for, but not something that really helps you run your business. However, for small and growing businesses, […]
How an employer can use non-disclosure agreements
Guidelines from ACAS on NDAs Employers may worry about the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA) following a series of press stories that have highlighted the abuse of the system. The agreement does have a place for businesses, according to the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS). Companies can ask employees to sign an NDA as […]
The UK’s Growth Delivery Test: Why Business Confidence Matters More Than Ever
Throughout June 2026, business organisations increasingly focused on a single question: how can the UK convert economic ambition into measurable growth? Recent commentary from the British Chambers of Commerce and Institute of Directors suggests that while businesses remain cautiously optimistic about the future, confidence levels continue to be affected by uncertainty around investment, regulation, skills […]
Why Productivity Has Become the UK’s Biggest Business Challenge
While inflation, taxation, and labour costs often dominate headlines, a quieter issue is increasingly concerning economists and policymakers: productivity. During June 2026, the Office for National Statistics highlighted the importance of improving how productivity is measured, while business groups continue to identify productivity growth as one of the UK’s biggest economic challenges. For businesses, productivity […]
Pressure selling tactics ruled to be illegal
Emma Sleep taken to court for failing to address CMA concerns A High Court order has confirmed that Emma Sleep, a mattress seller, behaved illegally and broke consumer law by using misleading countdown timers, false ‘high demand’ messages and ‘discount claims’. Concerns were raised about Emma Sleep in 2022 over behaviour that misled shoppers and […]
The Close Company Crackdown: Navigating HMRC’s New “Anti-Evasion” Reporting Burdens
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has issued a matter-of-fact warning to owner-managed businesses regarding HMRC’s escalating drive toward blanket data collection. In its official response to the government’s latest consultation on “close companies” (businesses controlled by five or fewer participators, which includes the vast majority of family-run SMEs), the ICAEW […]
Mandatory payrolling now to be phased in
Many benefits will not be mandated until April 2028 Mandatory payrolling for Benefits In Kind was originally expected to start in April 2027, but following industry pressure, it will now be introduced in two phases. Phase 1 will continue to be rolled out from 6 April 2027, with Phase 2 starting a year later on […]
Companies House to bring in changes to accounts filing from April 2028
Reforms to affect micro entity and small company accounts Companies House will introduce changes to accounts filing due to governmental reforms under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCT Act 2023). The changes will now come into effect from April 2028, rather than April 2027, to give companies more time to prepare. The […]
The Small Business Protections Bill: Is This the End of Late Payments?
For decades, the culture of late payments has served as a silent, debilitating anchor on the cash flow of UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to recent economic impact studies, approximately 38 businesses close their doors every single day across the UK purely due to the ripple effects of delayed invoices. In a historic […]
Shake UP Wake UP Scale Up Sponsors 2026
Our sponsors this year at shakeUPwakeUPscaleUP are: DUA For more than 30 years, DUA has worked alongside owner-managed businesses, providing strategic accountancy, tax and business advisory services that help SMEs grow sustainably. More than accountants, they are trusted advisers who understand the realities of leading and scaling a business. Rakesh and the DUA team founded […]