The British Chambers of Commerce warns new EU customs charges on low-value parcels from July 2026 will hit UK small businesses and squeeze margins.
Category: News
Stay informed with the latest UK self-employed news, small-business policy changes, tax updates and freelancer market trends.
5,500 small businesses demand urgent review of business rates in open letter to Reeves
More than 5,500 UK small businesses have written to Rachel Reeves warning that April 2026 business rates changes could force widespread closures without urgent review.
Small business owners warn of a ‘perfect storm’ of pressures heading into 2026
UK small business owners warn that 2026 could bring a perfect storm of rising costs, new employment rules and AI disruption, pushing firms to automate or outsource.
Nearly 900,000 self-employed Brits fear they won’t afford their January tax bill
Almost one in five self-employed people in the UK expect to struggle to pay their Self Assessment tax bill this month, underlining the mounting financial pressure facing sole traders and freelancers at the start of 2026.
IoD: confidence lifts slightly, but small businesses are still hitting pause on hiring and investment
Confidence rose slightly in December, but sole traders and microbusinesses are still freezing hiring and delaying investment, IoD data shows.
Hospitality shift hours fall 30% as small operators cut back to survive rising costs
Hospitality shift hours are down 30% since 2022 as small pubs, cafés and owner-operators cut staff to survive rising costs.
£10m clawed back for small firms as commissioner steps up late payment action
The Office of the Small Business Commissioner has helped recover £10m in overdue invoices since 2017, including more than £500,000 in December alone, as late payments continue to hit UK SMEs.
‘A gamechanger’: 200,000 UK small businesses sign up to TikTok Shop
More than 200,000 UK small businesses are now selling via TikTok Shop, with major brands including M&S and Sainsbury’s also using the platform as in-app shopping reshapes retail.
UK entrepreneurship remains opportunity-led, but founders feel undervalued and under-supported
Entrepreneurship in the UK is still driven by opportunity rather than necessity, but founders feel undervalued and face unequal access to finance and support, according to the 2025 UK StartUp Report.
Four in ten small business owners feel burnt out as Christmas pressure mounts, survey finds
New research from MoneySuperMarket shows 42% of UK small business owners feel burnt out by year-end, with many planning work-life balance changes in 2026.
Mortgage rules set to ease for self-employed buyers
Mortgage rules could be eased for first-time buyers, the self-employed and older borrowers under new FCA proposals aimed at widening access to affordable home loans.
Tool theft costs UK tradespeople £3,092 on average, despite 28% leaving tools in vans overnight
UK tradespeople lose an average of £3,092 replacing stolen tools, yet more than a quarter still store equipment in vehicles overnight, according to new research by Tempcover.
Lending scandal redress scheme for small firms enters liquidation
The Business Banking Resolution Service has entered liquidation after paying more to senior staff than to complainants, reigniting criticism over its independence and effectiveness.
Five Welsh entrepreneurs recognised as start-up accelerator celebrates latest award winners
Five Welsh entrepreneurs have been recognised by the Business Wales Start-Up Accelerator as its latest award winners, highlighting the programme’s impact on turning ideas into investment-ready businesses.
Councils handed new powers to ringfence £1bn in contracts for local small businesses
England’s councils can now ringfence lower-value public contracts for local and UK small businesses — a reform expected to redirect over £1bn a year into communities and boost jobs.
