David Cameron has today unveiled plans to support 40,000 new enterprises over the next two years by offering grants and loans to unemployed people who can show they have a robust business plan.
Category: News
The latest news affecting small and medium sized (SME) businesses in the UK
Nearly half of small businesses face £3,000 fine over poor records
&Nearly half of all small and medium sized businesses that keep poor trading records are set to face investigation and fines of up to £3,000 under a planned HM Revenue Customs clamp down.
CBI predict the slow recovery to continue through 2011
The UK economy is expected to grow by two per cent overall in 2011, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has predicted and removing the risk of a douple-dip recession.
Cable remains Business Secretary after threat to ‘bring down the government’
After a day, where a number of ill-thought through comments made to undercover journalists from The Daily Telegraph by the Business Secretary Vince Cable were exposed, threatening the stability of the Coalition Government, David Cameron has announced that Cable will remain in post, but with reduced powers.
Stella English beats Chris Bates in a close final to win The Apprentice
Stella English was last night hired by Lord Sugar as his apprentice after beating rival Chris Bates to be crowned winner of the BBC reality show watched by a reported 10.5Million viewers.
Government says businesses can avoid giving day off for Royal Wedding
Business Link, the governments small business advice service, has said the decision to mark the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29 with a public holiday has left employers wondering if they had any wriggle room, especially as, coming off the back of Easter it creates four 4 day weeks.
Vince Cable: Keeping apprenticeships funding was essential for business
Business Secretary Vince Cable has defended his decision to increase tuition fees in favour of preserving apprenticeships and skills schemes. With unemployment in the UK is rising and with tuition fees set to increase, skills training and apprenticeships are vital in ensuring that core skills remain.
The Midlands & North East lead list of the UK’s future champions
New data published today reveals that out of all the jobs created by small and medium sized enterprises in the UK over the last 10 years, 4.4 million were created by fewer than 10 per cent of SMEs. According to the analysis of the data produced by Experian, these ‘champion’ high-growth firms created two thirds of all the jobs within the SME community and The Midlands and North East of England have some of the healthiest levels of ‘future champions’
Francis Maude: “We will make it easier for UK SMEs to sell to Government”
Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude has said that is is essential that central government becomes a better buyer of goods and services from small and medium sized companies and also looks to ‘buy British’ as much as possible.
Small businesses to be exempt from staff training rights
Employees in businesses with fewer than 49 employees will lose the right to ask for paid time off for training following a decision to exempt small firms from the provisions.
Vince Cable announces UK-wide business mentoring scheme
Vince Cable has announced, during the event held in London to mark the opening of Global Entrepreneurship Week in the UK, that the government will be creating and backing a new business mentoring scheme.
The government announces some big name entrepreneurs to advise it on business strategy
The business secretary Vince Cable has announced the creation of a new forum featuring high profile entrepreneurs to advise the government on business and enterprise policies.
The best of British business honoured
On a night of triumph for UK plc, the best British businesses gathered to celebrate excellence, innovation and ethics at the ninth annual National Business Awards in partnership with Orange at the Grosvenor House Hotel.
The real challenges facing entrepreneurs identified
One of the UK’s leading law firms Mishcon de Reya has partnered with The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) to produce The Entrepreneurship Report; a joint venture aimed at providing entrepreneurs a voice and a platform to express their needs and lobby for change.
David Cameron appoints Lord Young as new enterprise tsar to change attitudes towards SMEs
SMEs have a new champion in Westminster as Prime Minister David Cameron has asked Lord Young, the former trade and industry secretary to take up Lord Sugar’s old role as Government enterprise tsar.