As workplaces evolve, so too does employee wellbeing. Benenden Health’s new Health and Wellbeing Trends 2026 guide highlights the trends shaping how employers support their workforce – and why acting now is crucial. Key trends and insights: AI-Powered Wellness: 5.7% of UK ChatGPT conversations now relate to health, fitness, and self-care. By 2025, a third of Millennials and over a quarter of Gen Z are using AI and wearables to track sleep, steps, and blood pressure, creating personalised fitness, nutrition, and mental health plans. Employers can support safe use through workshops or newsletters. Mental Fitness: With one in four UK adults experiencing mental health challenges…
Author: sme-admin
By Naomi Nye, Head of Sales at Drax Electric Vehicles With 2025 wrapped up, it’s fair to say the past year has been a busy one for the UK’s electric vehicle (EV) industry. Policy announcements, funding changes and continued investment in charging infrastructure have kept EVs firmly on the agenda. And all signs suggest the pace of change will continue into next year. A major driver of this shift is the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which signals clear government intent and direction for the market. While the targets formally sit with manufacturers, the downstream impact on businesses will be significant. As supply shifts and zero-emission…
Q: Matt, tell us a bit about your background and how you came to co-found &together. A: We believe, really passionately, that financial planning done properly, is the biggest lever for changing people’s lives. At the same time, we both felt that entrepreneurs are misunderstood and underserved by traditional advice. We started &together to bring those two things together: world-class, evidence-based financial planning, built specifically for founders. Between us, we’ve spent 35 years in asset management, including 22 at Vanguard, one of the world’s largest and most respected investment firms. Over that time, we developed deep expertise in investment strategy, portfolio…
Wiltshire-based precious metals specialist Gold Traders UK Ltd has been appointed an authorised partner of The Royal Mint, becoming the first business in the South West to achieve this status. The appointment enables Gold Traders UK Ltd to buy and sell bullion bars and coins directly from The Royal Mint, strengthening its position as a trusted UK dealer in physical precious metals. The business was founded 18 years ago by local entrepreneur Jon White, who is also known in Royal Wootton Bassett as the founder of RWB Auctions. “This is a pivotal moment for the business and one that has…
The National Business Conduct Authority (NBCA) has moved to the next phase of its infrastructure deployment, formally allocating advisory positions across UK regions. The Authority has identified and designated specific local accountancy and compliance practices to support businesses ahead of mandatory registration requirements. The selection process has now concluded, with specific regional firms chosen to deliver compliance support. These advisors, predominantly established accountancy practices and Health & Safety consultancies, have been pre-allocated designated positions based on a rigid assessment of their professional standing and regional capacity. “We cannot rely on a centralised system alone; local expertise is essential,” said a…
According to the latest Quarterly Economic Survey from the British Chambers of Commerce, confidence among firms is continuing to decline and 52% of businesses are planning price rises in the first three months of 2026. With many SMEs now reviewing their pricing plans, solicitor in Harper James’ commercial team, Adam Khattak, shares his take on how to approach price changes safely and fairly: “With costs continuing to climb, many businesses are considering price rises in early 2026. However, the legal and reputational risks associated with price changes will depend on whether your customers are consumers or businesses. “For B2B contracts, review your…
New data reveals a deepening crisis for UK businesses, as employment tribunal receipts for single claims have surged by 33% year-on-year, leaving business owners facing a perfect storm of rising litigation and historic backlogs. In response, Irwell Law, the commercial legal arm of the Peninsula Group, has announced the rollout of Tribunal Edge, a specialised legal defence service designed to provide total financial immunity from the soaring costs of workplace disputes. According to the latest tribunal statistics, the open caseload for employment tribunals has hit a staggering 515,000 cases. For the average business, the stakes have never been higher. A standard…
Generative AI is changing how businesses are discovered. New evidence suggests Scottish firms that fail to adapt risk losing visibility altogether. This report was prepared by AccuraCast, drawing on publicly available research and industry reporting. Generative AI is rapidly becoming the primary way people discover businesses, services and expertise online. Instead of browsing pages of search results, users increasingly receive a single synthesised answer, often with a small number of cited sources. According to a report by Gartner, traditional search engine volume is forecast to decline by 25 percent by 2026 as generative AI chatbots and virtual agents increasingly replace…
As digital connectivity becomes increasingly important for business growth and productivity, over one million SMEs across the UK are still thought to be operating without access to full-fibre broadband, which could limit their ability to compete and serve customers effectively. New analysis of UK broadband coverage data by the Uswitch business broadband experts shows that full-fibre connectivity access varies significantly between local authorities. For example, non-residential full-fibre access is highest at 97.4% in Nottingham and lowest at 8.6% in Harlow, highlighting gaps for local businesses. Of the UK’s 3.17m SMEs, an estimated 2.16m are estimated to have access to full-fibre broadband.…
Small businesses are being urged to prepare for higher insurance premiums next year as rising repair costs, inflation and increased claims continue to drive prices up across the commercial insurance market. According to the 2025 Premium Credit Insurance Index, 51% of SMEs say their business insurance costs have increased over the past 12 months and 10% described the rise as “dramatic”. An expert from insurance broker SJL says many firms could face further cost pressure going into 2026 after announcements in the Autumn Budget which may have an impact. Furthermore, the same 2025 Premium Credit data shows that 54% of SMEs are…