The British Chambers of Commerce has warned of a “deeply concerning” gap between small and large UK exporters, urging government action to help micro businesses benefit from new trade deals ahead of International Trade Week.
Category: News
Stay informed with the latest UK self-employed news, small-business policy changes, tax updates and freelancer market trends.
Asda sells Leon back to founder after ‘junk food’ backlash
Asda has sold Leon back to co-founder John Vincent after criticism the supermarket was “destroying” the healthy fast-food brand, marking a dramatic U-turn four years after its £100m sale to the Issa brothers.
Mulberry chief urges Labour to scrap ‘unfair’ tourist tax as luxury sector reels from spending slump
Mulberry CEO Andrea Baldo has warned that Britain’s “unfair” tax regime is damaging competitiveness, urging Labour to reinstate VAT-free shopping for tourists to revive investment, jobs, and high street sales.
Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation and Institute of Directors launch landmark scholarship to boost Black leadership in UK boardrooms
The Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation and Institute of Directors have unveiled a joint scholarship to accelerate the careers of exceptional Black leaders, offering fully funded training, mentoring and IoD membership from October 2025.
Government under fire as Jaguar Land Rover leaves £1.5bn state-backed loan untouched after cyber crisis
Ministers face scrutiny after claiming credit for aiding Jaguar Land Rover’s supply chain, despite the carmaker not drawing on a £1.5bn government-backed loan facility set up following a crippling cyberattack.
Bank of England faces knife-edge decision on rate cut as inflation eases but growth risks mount
The Bank of England is poised for a finely balanced vote next week on whether to cut interest rates to 3.75%, as falling inflation meets fresh concerns over growth and looming tax rises in Rachel Reeves’s upcoming budget.
Business and charity leaders urge ministers to back England’s transition to four-day week
More than 100 business and charity leaders have signed an open letter calling on ministers to “lead the country’s transition toward a shorter working week”, amid a growing row over the future of the four-day week in local government.
Number of pensioners caught in 60% tax trap doubles
The number of pensioners paying a punishing 60 per cent income tax rate has more than doubled in just three years, as frozen tax thresholds drag tens of thousands more older savers into higher tax bands.
Paul Raymond’s granddaughters receive £23m as Soho Estates profits surge
Fawn and India Rose James, the granddaughters of late property and publishing magnate Paul Raymond, have received £23 million in dividends from the family’s billion-pound Soho property empire following another record year of rental income.
Organised crime gangs dumping millions of tonnes of waste in British countryside
House of Lords inquiry warns large-scale fly-tipping costs the UK £1bn a year
SpudBros blasted for ‘bullying’ small UK business in name dispute
Viral TikTok potato sellers face backlash after Portsmouth trader says he was threatened with legal action over similar name
‘Ridiculous’ to blame OBR for Budget mess, says Hunt
Former chancellor accuses Reeves of ‘shrinking the economy’ with record tax rises as productivity downgrade deepens Budget crisis
Aston Martin losses surge 800% as Trump tariffs and China slowdown hit luxury carmaker
British marque blames US trade war, weak Chinese demand and cyber disruption across auto industry for sharp quarterly slump
Mahmood admits Home Office ‘not fit for purpose’ amid crises and staff exodus
The new home secretary Shabana Mahmood has admitted that the Home Office is “not yet fit for purpose” and has repeatedly failed to rise to the scale of multiple crises — from illegal migration to asylum accommodation and internal leadership churn.
BT weighs move into low-cost mobile market as Revolut and Monzo eye launches
BT is exploring plans to launch a low-cost mobile brand to compete with fintech entrants such as Revolut and Monzo, as virtual operators gain market share in the UK’s telecoms sector.
