The traditional inheritance is becoming a thing of the past as more parents choose to give away assets during their lifetime, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has suggested. The UK’s ageing population, alongside rising living and care costs, is also diminishing assets which might traditionally have been passed on to others, it[…]
The cost of doing business in the UK has increased well ahead of the rate of inflation in 2013, according to new research from business group the Forum of Private Business (FPB). The FPB’s latest Cost of Doing Business member survey found that prices for micro, small and medium-sized employers have increased by six per[…]
Optimism among small and medium-sized manufacturers grew at a record pace in the third quarter of this year, according to a survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). The CBI’s latest SME Trends Survey found that demand grew significantly, with 42 per cent of SME firms reporting an increase in domestic orders and 33[…]
Guidance about how small firms and start-ups can access finance through crowdfunding has been published as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, which ran from 18-24 November. Crowdfunding involves people pooling their money, usually via an online platform, to invest in an initiative or idea being run by others. Crowdfunding for businesses usually sees the investors[…]
Nobody ever plans a cashflow crisis, yet they occur with alarming frequency – usually due to a failure to plan ahead or to make adequate provision for the unexpected. One day your business could be running smoothly, with new orders coming in and output growing. But the next day it could be floundering, in imminent[…]
If you are involved with running a charity, you should be aware of the special accounting and tax provisions that relate to charities. A charity must usually be registered with the Charity Commission (or Scottish Charity Regulator in Scotland). To register, a charity must meet certain objectives such as to have only charitable causes that[…]