Rogue research and development (R&D) tax advisors are running rampant and businesses claiming tax relief are risking getting in deep and costly trouble with HMRC, say leading audit, tax and business advisory firm, Blick Rothenberg. Ele Theochari, a Partner and R&D specialist at the firm, said: “HMRC have been cracking down on R&D claims to curb fraud and non-compliance, which they believe costs the Treasury around £1bn per annum.” She added: “While these measures have deterred some dubious R&D claims, as evidenced by the reduced number of claims being made in the last financial year, there is still a lingering issue:…
Author: sme-admin
Anita Mavridis, VP of Product at Zivver, and Sue Musumeci, Director of Quality & Clinical Informatics at Chronic Care Staffing, explore practical strategies for empowering employees. When it comes to safeguarding data, are humans a vulnerability or an asset? The answer very much depends on how organisations empower and enable their teams to deal with the many regulations and policies that define their cybersecurity strategy. In the push to strengthen data security, many workers are beginning to feel disillusioned or overwhelmed by complex security rules that appear to serve the business rather than serve them as employees. When rules are enforced without…
Following the UK GDP announcement last week, experts have commented on the stagnating growth, highlighting concerns about the economy’s resilience amid mounting pressures on businesses and households. Rob Morgan, Chief Investment Analyst at Charles Stanley commented; “The UK economy barely increased in the third quarter of 2024, following an encouraging first half of the year. GDP is estimated to have increased by 0.1% in the July to September period following growth of 0.5% in the second quarter and 0.7% in the first. The subdued performance mostly stems from a downturn in industrial output and manufacturing, as well as a fall…
Free-from food company Creative Nature has seen its Magibles Christmas Cracker win gold in the Stocking Filler category at the Free From Christmas Awards 2024. Founded in 2012 by Julianne Ponan MBE, Creative Nature emerged from Julianne’s personal journey with multiple food allergies and anaphylaxis. The company’s dedication to creating delicious, safe, and inclusive food options has propelled it to the forefront of the industry. The Free From Food Awards, established in 2008, are the UK’s premier awards recognising excellence in the free-from food and drink industry. This year, Creative Nature’s Magibles Christmas Cracker was a gold winner in its…
Chris Maslin and feature writer Fiona Scott have worked together for over a year and there’s one thing she has learned about him; This quiet, unassuming man is acutely business savvy and very caring. Based in Tunbridge Wells in Kent, Chris exited his accountancy business, Maslins, through an employee-owned trust. He wanted to ensure the future of his first business and to honour his valued staff. The experience led him to set up his new business – Go EO through which he offers Employee Owned Trust transfer support. Here’ Fiona shares her recent interview with Chris with SME Today readers.…
Global Entrepreneurship Week, the world’s largest festival for entrepreneurs and startup supporters, kicked-off on Monday with a clear message: entrepreneurs can be found building great companies all over the UK. Entrepreneurs thrive here. First launched in 2007 by then Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the (US-based) Kauffman Foundation, Global Entrepreneurship Week has become a global campaign to celebrate and promote entrepreneurship, with events taking place in 200 countries. In Britain, GEW UK organised by the Global Enterprise Network and The Centre for Entrepreneurs, will see hundreds of events will be held across the country, featuring workshops, mentoring sessions, networking and…
‘Right to Disconnect’ policies are gaining momentum across the world. Laws condemning work-related communications outside of contractual hours are already in play in countries such as France, Belgium and Portugal, though the UK is yet to introduce its own legislation. Here, Kristian Torode, director and co-founder of business communications provider Crystaline, explores how SMEs can cultivate a motivated, productive workforce by encouraging a healthy separation between work and personal life. A lot of us check our work emails more than we’d care to admit. The digital age has opened a world of new opportunities for communication and connection, but this…
As part of its mission to help businesses make the switch to electric, Europcar Mobility Group UK is adding a significant volume of small electric panel vans to its nationwide fleet. Available from Europcar locations across the UK on long term flex rental of three months or more, the Vauxhall Combo Electric and award-winning Renault Kangoo eTech provide businesses with an ideal entry route to electric motoring. As Head of Europcar Vans and Trucks, Keith Shorter explained, the new additions provide a virtually zero commitment entry to electric motoring and will be critical as more businesses try to work out…
“Success is not a random act. It arises out of a predictable and powerful set of circumstances and opportunities.” – Malcolm Gladwell Predicting the future isn’t easy. And small businesses know this better than anyone. Economies are built on shifting sands. The last five years have shown that change is the only constant – and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing – uncertainty doesn’t make for easy planning. With this in mind Peter Harris, COO, Pipedrive discusses the ways that data can bolster sales at the front line of business. As the UK economy shows green shoots of growth with…
By Professor Marcantonio Spada, Chief Clinical Officer at Onebright, the UK’s largest outpatient mental healthcare provider. Problem gambling is growing at pace in the UK. It is estimated that 0.5% of the adult population engages in some form of problematic gambling behaviour. This equates to circa 260,000 individuals. Furthermore, 3.8% of the adult population are at-risk levels and 7% are affected negatively by other people’s gambling. This means that most workplaces are highly likely to be impacted by problem gambling. Why the increase in problematic gambling behaviour? There are several factors, but let’s focus on a recent one: Lockdowns during…