The Government’s announcement of the toughest late payment laws in a generation marks a pivotal moment for the UK’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Greg Bell, CEO of Skipton Business Finance, discusses why tackling late payments is long overdue, and what SMEs can do to protect their cashflow and thrive under the new rules. For too long, late payments have been the silent killer of promising businesses – eroding cashflow, stifling investment, and, in the worst cases, forcing otherwise viable companies to close their doors. The statistics are stark: £11 billion lost to the UK economy every year and 38…
Author: sme-admin
To meet surging demand for digital skills in areas outside London, Leigh Ingham MP and Dan Aldridge MP – Co-Chairs of Parliament’s All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Digital Inclusion – brought Google Digital Garage to their constituencies on Friday 5 September, delivering a full day of free training for local businesses and residents. The MPs worked with Google to bring the flagship programme to Stafford and Weston-super-Mare, ensuring that communities outside of London – too often left behind by the digital economy – had access to world-class skills support. Between the two events, over 100 people took part in workshops,…
Only a few short years ago, generative AI was a cutting-edge technology that only large organisations with vast budgets could afford. Fast forward to today, while AI remains an innovative technology it is becoming more accessible for businesses of all sizes and spanning all industries. In fact, for small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs), getting ahead of the AI curve has now become essential to remaining competitive. The shift toward AI adoption isn’t as simple as buying premium licenses to a popular large language model and using it out-of-the-box. There are risks that go hand-in-hand with AI implementation. For example, the potential…
The short- and medium-term investment plans of UK Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) have been hit hard by the recent changes to international trade tariffs. More than two-thirds (68%) of UK SME finance decision-makers (FDMs) confirmed there has been a high impact on their short and medium-term investment plans, with more than half (56%) suffering up to a 40% drop in their sales pipeline. As UK businesses grapple with changing tariffs in 2025, 70% of UK FDMs also report an increased risk across their supply chains since tariffs were introduced. The results are part of a new research report, “International…
Dr Glenn Mason, Head of Adult Psychological Therapies and Consultant Counselling Psychologist at Onebright, explores his own personal journey and shares first-hand, practical advice for employers. Most LGBTQIA+ individuals have gone on a deeply personal journey to get to where they are today. For many of us we have experienced shame and had internal battles about how to be our true self in a world that isn’t always accepting of who we are. Given we spend around a third of our lives at work, our workplace needs to be a supportive and caring environment. For LGBTQIA+ individuals, this means going above…
By Claire Hughes, HR Business Partner at Totalmobile Recent research shows that one in ten UK workers spends more than 15 hours each week in meetings. In reality, the true figure is likely much higher. Since COVID, virtual meetings have exploded, and many people now spend their working days moving from one call to the next. Diaries are full, leaving little room for deep focus work. It simply means they are busier, but are we really more productive? More than lost time The impact of meeting overload goes well beyond wasted hours. It can sap energy, reduce morale, and stifle…
New research reveals finance leaders are stepping out of the back office and into the boardroom, driving change across recruitment, sustainability, and digital transformation. The role of the CFO is undergoing the biggest shake-up in decades, as finance professionals evolve from number-crunchers to strategic architects. A new study of 500 UK finance decision-makers by The CFO Centre – which provides part-time CFOs to more than 750 businesses across the UK – found that 60% are now leading cross-functional initiatives well beyond traditional finance. Areas include recruitment, business strategy, sustainability, marketing, and people management. Just 1% said their role had not changed. This…
As the era of regulatory scrutiny continues to intensify and client expectations evolve, UK law firms have been hit with a wake-up call with the recent SRA rebuke of Hett’s Johnson Whiting LLP, offering a cautionary tale and a timely opportunity for reflection. In June, the firm was sanctioned for repeatedly submitting identity documents with inconsistencies, including a passport photo that didn’t match the signature to HM Land Registry. These were red flags any modern compliance system should have caught, but in this case, they were missed. According to Cindy van Niekerk, CEO of Umazi, UK law firms continue to be…
85% of UK businesses now have a business continuity plan and new research from Databarracks also reveals that four in five business continuity plans are up to date. Databarracks’ latest Data Health Check shows that UK organisations are moving beyond simply having continuity plans – they’re putting planning into practice through more frequent testing and exercising of their response and recovery processes. Since the annual survey began in 2008, continuity has steadily climbed the agenda. In 2025, 85% of UK organisations now have a business continuity plan, compared with just 56% in 2015. Organisations with business continuity plans are also backing them…
New research from HiBob, the company behind Bob, the HR platform transforming how organisations operate in the modern world of work, reveals how one resignation at a small or medium sized business (SMB) can destabilise an entire company. One in three (31%) SMB employees have quit their job because a colleague left, and nearly half (48%) would consider doing the same. With over half (52%) of Brits currently working in SMBs considering quitting in the next 12 months, and 10% actively looking for a new job, the turnover repercussions could be huge for SMB employers. Small teams, strong ties, and big…