In the first three months of this year (2011), loan applications from smaller firms showed a marked decline. The Bank of England’s latest credit conditions survey found that demand for loans among smaller enterprises dropped in the first quarter largely as a result of seasonal and weather-related factors along with worries over the impact of Continue reading »
A last-minute rush pushed the number of online tax returns to a new record this year, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Some 6,907,410 taxpayers filed their self-assessment tax returns online within the legal time scale, 7 per cent more than in 2010. On the final day for online returns, 572,455 people waited until Continue reading »
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is to introduce changes to the way it deals with mail items concerning tax returns. The tax authority has said that it receives millions of items of post each year in relation to enquiries into customer returns. To manage the process more efficiently in the future, HMRC intends to scan Continue reading »
UK Exports Saw the Trade Deficit Widen In December 2010 a slight fall in UK exports saw the trade deficit, the balance between exports and imports, widen. This state of affairs has prompted the UK Government to help UK firms develop and export their goods and services. The Government’s Trade and Investment White Paper includes: Continue reading »
10 Cheap Ways to Increase Business Profits The family business is one of the most enduring institutions in human history. As Professor William O’Hara wrote in his book, "Centuries of Success": “Before the multinational corporation, there was family business. Before the Industrial Revolution, there was family business. Before the enlightenment of Greece and the empire Continue reading »
10 Simple Steps To Improve Your Retail Business Ever wondered why so many retail stores have a very short life span? Ever wondered why so many business fail in the first three years? If you’re in business, just starting or thinking of starting a business and have problems, then the suggestions here will hopefully help.
Are you ready to start your company? A start-up is the early stage in the life cycle of an enterprise where the entrepreneur moves from the idea stage to securing financing, laying down the basis structure of the business and initiating operations or trading. Start-ups are created by ordinary people, entrepreneurs, hackers, venture capitalists, web Continue reading »
What to Include In Your Design Contract
What to Include In Your Design Contract No matter what your profession, be it programmer, web developer, graphic designer, doctor, lawyer, plumber or electrician and be you freelance or otherwise, if you do not have a letter of contract and/or standard terms and conditions for your clients to sign prior to starting a project, YOU Continue reading »
How would you like the tax man to pay for your next car? Well, if you have your own company that may be possible as the personal cost of buying a car can be mitigated against tax if you also own a company. The costs of buying and running a car, have never been as Continue reading »

