Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from the United Kingdom and Ireland:
- SFA worried about more stealth taxes on small firms: The Small Firms Association says its members should not be asked to bear any further costs as a result of spending cutbacks by the Government.
- Age of cheap utilities is over says business lobby group: The FPB is warning small firms to prepare for higher fuel costs as the era of cheap utilities looks set to end. The FPB is concerned that the Government has missed an opportunity to better prepare the country for the energy crisis.
- Post office fears for small firms: POST office closures in Scotland will have a serious effect on small businesses, the Forum of Private Business has warned.
- SME Wins Victory Over Boots Payment Terms: A small business that employs just two people has forced multinational retail store Alliance Boots into back tracking on its payment terms.
- Income tax changes will ’cause chaos for small businesses’: The changes, designed to get Labour rebels to back the abolition of the 10p tax rate, will see personal allowances – the amount each individual can earn before income tax is due – being raised by £600 for basic-rate taxpayers.
- Small business victory over late payments: A husband-and-wife business has won a rare victory in the battle against multinational companies that drag their heels when settling bills with small suppliers.
- Small Business To Benefit From Changes Governing Out Of Town Shopping: Government proposals that new out of town supermarkets should be prevented if they negatively impact on smaller shops, have been welcomed by small business groups.
- Teledata start-up jobs boost: DATA and disaster recovery specialist Teledata is to create 40 jobs at a new centre in Wythenshawe.
- HBOS Looking For SME Business: UK bank HBOS has announced that it is to set up a single business division in an attempt to move itself into the SME banking market place.
- ISME Let workers earn first €25k tax-free: A business group representing small firms has called on the Government to allow workers earn up to €25,000 before they are caught in the tax net.
- DMGT’s B@B arm offsets newspaper fall: The publisher of the Daily Mail reported 5% rise in third-quarter revenue, as as growth in its business-to-business division offset further falls in newspaper advertising
As always this list is not exhaustive, but I hope it will give you a little overview. — ST.
