Following the latest figures on the UK’s employment this week, Rob Morgan, Chief Investment Analyst at Charles Stanley offers comment. The UK remains in an economic funk of muted activity, waning confidence and above-target inflation. No surprise then that various market surveys indicate firms are reluctant to hire staff and in some cases are looking to make cuts amid planned increases in employer NICs and the National Minimum Wage. The ONS data to the end of December is not reflective of this trend with unemployment holding steady at 4.4% into the year-end compared with the previous month. Still low by…
Author: sme-admin
After a turbulent few years, the economic landscape is showing signs of stabilisation for the UK housing market. With two base rate cuts, Labour’s victory in the General Election and the Autumn Budget, these changes are set to heavily impact the property market moving forward. Experts have predicted that this could be a strong year for the buyers’ market – from examining recent trends, legislations and the economic landscape, it is possible to forecast what buyers can expect from the property market in 2025. Impact of Stamp Duty changes Effective from 1st April 2025, Stamp Duty rates will rise, increasing…
A recent survey of business owners at small to medium-sized enterprises has highlighted that employee wellbeing will be their top area for investment in 2025, outranking product and technology development. The study, conducted by Skipton Business Finance asked almost 1,000 business owners and key decision-makers questions concerning business optimism and priorities over the next 12 months. Business owners ranked employee wellbeing as the top area for investment this year (27%), followed by product development (20%), technology innovation (16%) and the recruitment of top talent (12%). The study shows that the general outlook towards managing a business in 2025 is optimistic, with 75%…
Leading UK technology consultancy highlights why empathy and business-led solutions are creating success beyond their cookie-cutter, bloated approach counterparts. As heightened inflation and economic uncertainty around the UK persists, the Management Consultancies Association (MCA) have reduced growth predictions for consultancies. Originally forecasted at 11%, the MCA now predicts a 6.4% in 2025 and a small increase of 8.7% in 2026, suggesting trends including AI and digital transformation may take the backseat in business priorities. “It’s easy to focus on efficiency and overlook the importance of human connection, but in today’s whirlwind of business hustle, prioritising empathy can add to your customer service…
“The challenges to SME businesses seem to be increasing day by day”, commented Geoff Yates, Commercial Director of Espace Global Freight. “Whether the increasing costs of employment, the difficulty of trading internationally or the green agenda, UK businesses of all sizes are fighting a battle and those in the SME sector seem to be up against it the most.” Espace Global Freight, themselves a Midlands based SME, are a freight forwarder moving goods to every corner of the world for an array of clients from senior F1 teams to start ups. “We’ve been trading 25 years this year and we’ve…
UK’s £82bn wealth creators face ‘unfair’ mortgage rejection The UK’s self-employed workforce is sitting on nearly £82bn of disposable income – but despite their growing wealth, four in five entrepreneurs have struggled to get a mortgage. They face being locked out of the mainstream mortgage market, despite accumulating a combined wealth nest egg of £81.5billion, currently enough to fund the average first time buyer deposit 1.6million times over. Many say being unable to prove a steady, monthly income has limited their chances of getting a home loan, according to new analysis by specialist property lender Together, with 87% of workers…
The UK is facing a fresh economic challenge as official figures released this morning show inflation rising to its highest level in 10 months, reaching 3% in January. Contributing factors include soaring plane fares, food prices, and significant hikes in private school fees, all adding pressure to households already grappling with the cost of living. Leading industry experts have offered their insights into what this means for both consumers and businesses. Rob Morgan, Chief Investment Analyst at Charles Stanley said “It’s unwelcome news for households struggling from the upswing in the cost of living in recent years, although the resilient…
The 2024 Forrester Customer Experience [CX] Index paints a concerning picture of the current state of CX, with performance continuing to drop for the third consecutive year. This is particularly evident in key areas such as effectiveness, ease, and, notably, emotion. As customer experience becomes a key competitive differentiator for brands, the question emerges: why are so many failing to truly connect with their customers on an emotional level? The emotional gap in CX In the Forrester report, one of the most troubling insights is the decline in the emotional aspect of CX. This is the component that influences customer…
The Swinton Estate has launched Nourish – a new corporate partnership programme that delivers a platform for positive environmental investment on its 20,000-acre estate in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales. The scheme is aimed at business owners wanting to understand and reduce their carbon footprint, improve biodiversity and achieve their sustainability goals. Nourish partners can invest in the Estate’s Carbon Plus credits, BNG units from their habitat bank, Environmental Investment schemes and local community projects. Membership benefits include enrolment at the Climate Action Academy and nature-based welfare schemes designed for the benefit of the workforce. As Nourish is based…
Kiwa, one of the country’s leading product safety certification providers, has further extended its electrical safety certification service with the addition of two new significant IECEE CB scheme test standards. The company now offers manufacturers access to product safety certification support for audio/video, information and communication technology equipment under the IEC 62368-1 standard, as well as IEC 61010-1, covering electrical equipment for measurement and control, and instruments within a laboratory. The two new product categories add to Kiwa’s well-established expertise in the electromagnetic capability (EMC), radio and product safety testing area, and will deliver an enhanced capability to support manufacturers’ ambitions to access global…