The Insolvency Service recently announced that it had penalised the directors at three companies for exploiting a government loan handed out to them during the pandemic. A total of almost £100,000 of Bounce Back Loans had been wrongly applied for or misused: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/insolvency-service-cracks-down-on-bounce-back-loan-abusers John Bell is director and founder of licensed Insolvency Practitioners Clarke Bell and here he explains the purpose of the Bounce Back Loan Scheme and what business owners can do if they cannot repay the loan. What is the Bounce Back Loan Scheme? The Bounce Back Loan Scheme was designed to offer small to medium sized businesses…
Author: sme-admin
The team at creative agency, Hamilton-Brown, with offices in London and Bristol have announced a new collaboration with the social enterprise, 64 Million Artists (64MA). Founded in 2014, 64 Million Artists is a social enterprise founded in the belief that everyone is creative and, when people use their creativity, they can make positive change in their lives and the world around them. This also chimes with the ethics of Hamilton-Brown, a creative agency which works with organisations including Osborne Clarke, CBRE, BDO, Investec Management and Korn Ferry. Zara Weston, Head of Hamilton-Brown Bristol said: “We loved the vision behind 64…
Fraser Allen Estate Management which celebrates five years in business this year now manages blocks of flats in Bristol, Bath, Wiltshire, Stroud, Cheltenham and London – and now has 30 blocks on its books. Founder and managing director, Jodie said: “I am really proud of what has been achieved with the business in such a short space of time. The business is growing and it’s now time to bring in full-time staff to support me and allow a team to provide excellent service to our clients and residents.” The two new staff members are Alice Baker (27) from Cheltenham and…
Surrey free-from food company Creative Nature and its CEO Julianne Ponan scooped two prestigious titles at the 2021 Surrey Business Awards. The awards, organised by Platinum Media Group, are the largest event of its kind in the county with more than 320 of the county’s leading businesspeople gathered for the event held at Denbies Wine Estate near Dorking. Creative Nature, which has its HQ in West Molesey, was named International Business of the Year and Julianne was named Business Person of the Year. She said: “I am absolutely delighted Creative Nature scooped up two of the biggest awards on the…
Vitality has designed a free workplace wellbeing toolkit to help employers improve the wellbeing of employees. This follows reports that only a quarter (27%) of UK employees feel their employer cares about their overall wellbeing* and that three quarters (75%) of UK companies plan to improve their mental health services in the wake of the pandemic**. To help employers build an effective long-term workplace wellbeing strategy, Vitality has produced a free, bespoke toolkit which includes a guide, digital learning platform and other useful tools; all of which are available online. The guide explores the benefits of having a supportive workplace culture for companies, as…
Up to 50% of businesses fail within the first five years, and by the end of 10 years, just 30% survive[1]. Sussex-based business coaching company, UK Growth Coach, is highlighting the importance of business coaches to help businesses recover after the pandemic’s challenges. According to Statista, during the period of April 2020 – August 2021, 11.6 million jobs have been supported by the Government’s furlough scheme. With the scheme having ended on 30 September 2021, those same employees now need to be funded from the businesses’ own finances or risk being made redundant. Many businesses now have the pressure of…
InPost, the leading out-of-home and eCommerce delivery company, has today announced a new partnership with global marketplace eBay. The partnership signals InPost’s continued expansion in the UK and marks its commitment to providing flexible solutions for a growing C2C e-commerce market. eBay marketplace sellers will now have access to InPost’s 2,500 parcel lockers for the first time, enabling them to drop off parcels at lockers for onward delivery to buyers’ homes. The partnership expands the delivery options available to sellers at a time when many may be looking to capitalise on the increased appetite from consumers to complete their holiday…
Headlines about Christmas shortages will be stressing shoppers and businesses – and could be particularly ruinous for smaller businesses which often make their biggest sales over the Christmas period. But is there anything small businesses can do now to ensure that their supply chains are match fit? These 12 tips of Christmas should help SMEs worried about supply issues over the Christmas period. For suppliers wishing to know where liability may rest, and retailers wanting to understand their legal rights, the first port of call is to consider the terms of the contract. If you’ve been relying on standard T&Cs…
This month is Men’s Health Awareness month and Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing is raising awareness of the growing mental and physical health risks for men and offering businesses five ways to better support men’s health and wellbeing. Research from the UK charity Men’s Health Forum highlights that one man in five dies before he reaches 65 in the UK. 75% of premature deaths from heart disease are male, 67% of men are overweight or obese and four out of five suicides are male. Movember, the campaign behind Men’s Health Awareness Month, has listed the three biggest threats to men’s health: Suicide: globally…
New global research released by PSI Talent Management provides a detailed picture of leadership now and in the future, and reveals the different perspectives of leaders, their employees, and organisations. Perspectives on leadership are shifting. An international research study released today by PSI Talent Management provides a comprehensive view of what is important for leadership now and in the future. Drawing on new research, the study reveals similarities and differences between leaders and their employees’ views on leadership effectiveness, key leadership behaviours, and the employee experience. The pandemic had a seismic impact on the world of work, introducing lasting changes to…