The Autumn Budget 2026: What Businesses Should Be Watching
The UK Government’s Autumn Budget takes place on Wednesday 28 October 2026, making it one of the most important dates in the business calendar this autumn. For businesses, the Budget could influence everything from employment costs and investment decisions to taxation, business rates and consumer demand. At the time of writing, the detailed measures have […]
Cyber Attacks Are Becoming a Business Risk, Not Just an IT Problem
Cyber security has traditionally been treated as an IT issue. For many small and medium-sized businesses, that meant leaving the subject to the IT provider and assuming that antivirus software, firewalls and regular backups provided sufficient protection. That approach is increasingly difficult to justify. Cyber attacks are becoming a business continuity, financial and reputational risk, […]
What should your employment law reform priorities be?
Acas provides advice and resources for employers Acas’s Julie Dennis has set out how HR teams should approach the Employment Rights Act 2025, one of the most significant changes to UK employment law in recent years, which became law on 18 December 2025 and is being phased in through 2026–2027. Several changes are already […]
HMRC contacts self-employed people about National Insurance gaps
What should you do if you receive a letter? HMRC is writing to some self-employed individuals whose National Insurance (NI) records may contain gaps that could affect their State Pension. If you receive a letter, don’t ignore it. In some cases, you may be able to boost your State Pension by making voluntary NI […]
Should UK Businesses Invest Now? What the Latest Economic Data Tells Us
For many UK businesses, deciding whether to invest is becoming increasingly difficult. On one hand, economic uncertainty, higher operating costs and weaker business confidence can make companies reluctant to commit capital. On the other, delaying investment can leave businesses with outdated equipment, inefficient processes and limited capacity to grow. The latest economic data provides an […]
Update on government’s Small Business Plan
Progress update on late payments, tax administration, finance access and apprenticeships The government has published a one-year-on update to its Small Business Plan, which is intended to support small and medium-sized business to start, scale and grow. Key highlights from the report include: Late payment The Small Business Protections Bill was laid before Parliament […]
Navigating HMRC’s Payrolling Benefits Revolution: Action Plan for UK Employers
As the UK tax authority accelerates its push toward a fully digital tax ecosystem, UK employers face one of the most structural realignments of payroll administration in a decade. The HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) August 2026 Employer Bulletin has issued clear guidance on the phased rollout for the mandatory payrolling of Benefits in Kind […]
AI pricing leaves businesses struggling to predict costs
‘Token’ pricing leads to uncertainty According to a recent BBC report, businesses investing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) are finding it increasingly difficult to predict what their technology bills will look like, as reliance on AI increases. Software purchasing is generally straightforward in that businesses typically pay a fixed monthly or annual fee based on […]
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax first quarter statistics published
HMRC to begin signing up taxpayers they believe need to register Under Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax, sole traders and landlords with income of more than £50,000 have been required to keep digital records and send quarterly updates to HMRC since 6 April 2026. The first quarterly submission deadline, covering the first […]
A £90 Billion Opportunity: Could Your Business Win More Government Contracts?
For many smaller businesses, winning a Government contract can appear to be something reserved for large companies with specialist bid teams and substantial resources. That could be about to change. In August, the Government announced changes to its approach to public procurement that place greater emphasis on British jobs, local skills and opportunities for smaller […]