Category: Business

A new penalty regime for RTI comes in from 6 April 2014, to encourage compliance with the information and payment obligations. Late filing penalties will apply to each PAYE scheme, with the size of the penalty based on the number of employees in the scheme. Monthly penalties of between £100 and £400 will apply to … Continued

Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in conjunction with the City Regions’ Local Authorities are working together to support growing businesses through a £10million investment fund. The Business Growth Grant is open to existing businesses that have growth potential and a plan to realise it. The fund is designed to help companies to secure … Continued

The Government is lending £20m to UK businesses through Funding Circle*. Typically 10% of each loan has been funded by Government* and the other 90% is funded by real people around the UK. The upper loan limit is £1 million on secured loans and asset finance. Funding Circle also offer unsecured loans up to £100k. … Continued

FW Capital manages the £45 million North West Fund for Loans Plus, which provides commercial loans to established, viable and growing SME’s in the North West. The North West Fund for Loans Plus is part of the £155 million North West Fund, which is financed jointly by the European Regional Development Fund and the European … Continued

If you buy the goodwill of a business you will often be able to claim corporation tax relief on the amount of the purchase price which is amortised in the accounts. The question then is at what rate can goodwill be amortised? There are new developments on this. In the USA there is a statutory … Continued

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 … Continued

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 … Continued

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 … Continued

Research has found that 55 per cent of businesses believe they would cease trading as a result of the long-term incapacity, illness or death of a key employee. However, only one in five companies has key person insurance in place to provide cover in such an emergency. Other findings from the Scottish Widows 2013 Business … Continued

Employee benefits, such as childcare vouchers or a pool car, can help businesses to improve staff retention, absence rates, productivity and relations. Recent research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) shows that more employers and HR professionals are aligning their staff benefit packages with the company’s objectives. The research revealed: • firms … Continued