SMEs are missing opportunities to innovate, grow, increase productivity and contribute more to the wider economy by not making effective use of artificial intelligence (AI), according to a new report. Research carried out among small business owners by Censuswide for Google revealed that 59 per cent of those questioned had paused “game changing” ideas, because […]
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is currently updating the values it holds for more than two million business and other non-domestic properties across England and Wales. These values are used to calculate business rates bills. The future values come into effect in April 2026, but there are actions you can take now to be prepared. […]
Just one in six landlords say they are fully prepared for the Renters’ Rights Bill, just months away from the legislation going live. More than a third have either not heard of it or don’t know what it means for them, according to a new survey of 1,000 property investors. Another 16 per cent have […]
Small business leaders are urging government action following the latest increase in unemployment. Official labour market figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), have shown the unemployment rate rising to 4.7 per cent. On top of that the number of people on payroll has dropped and wage growth has slowed. Policy chair of the […]
Lancashire businesses are being urged to take advantage of a fully funded service that helps them navigate, identify and access the most relevant business support available. The call comes from Boost; Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub, after latest figures reveal that more than 2,000 businesses have received assistance through the service since September 2023. Between September […]
A new report has highlighted the staggering burden of tax compliance being placed on small businesses in the UK today. The cost of tax compliance to the small business community amounts to nearly £25billion per year, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). Small business owners spend an average of 44 hours per year […]
A pioneering angel investor network has been launched in Lancashire to support early-stage business growth. The programme, called ‘fhunded angels’, has been launched by Lancashire County Council and is thought to be the first network of its kind in the UK to be led and managed by a local authority at such a scale. The […]
Congratulations to Ben Kilbride on qualifying as a fully-fledged Chartered Accountant after passing his final ACA Advanced Level exam. Ben has been a member of the WNJ team in Preston since May 2015 and has worked hard to get his qualification, passing the 15 exams needed to complete the process. The exams are designed to […]
More than three million workers will receive a pay boost after the chancellor confirmed the National Living Wage will increase from £11.44 to £12.21 an hour from April 2025. The 6.7 per cent rise – which is worth £1,400 a year for an eligible full-time worker – was described by the Labour government as a […]
Business confidence fell for the first time in a year as tax fears hit a joint record high ahead of the Autumn Budget, a survey of 1,000 UK business leaders has revealed. Sentiment tracked by ICAEW’s Business Confidence Monitor (BCM) – one of the largest and most comprehensive quarterly surveys of UK business activity – […]
