Alan Davison, Personal Finance Distribution Director at Together, advises on getting a mortgage when there is a credit blip on your record. The current financial landscape, dogged by high living costs and inflationary pressures, has made it increasingly difficult to get on the housing ladder due to more people having a less than perfect credit score. With the FCA reporting the number of adults who missed bills or loan payments in at least three of the last six months has risen by 1.4mn to 5.6mn1, the proportion of those with blips on their record is on the up – with predictions this…
Author: sme-admin
For remote and hybrid workers, finding a coffee shop that is easily accessible to your usual workplace, home office, or commuting route can be extremely beneficial. It ensures that you can conveniently transition to and from workstations without losing valuable work time. Choosing a coffee shop in proximity to your closest or most convenient tube station provides just that! To help London’s hybrid workers and coffee lovers, the team at Craft Docs have explored London’s Zone 1 tube station to find the most convenient small chain and independent coffee shops to work from. The data covers all 68 tube stations…
Law firm Tozers provides advice to SME businesses in London and across the country, when they relocate their businesses as well as their families and homes to the beautiful West Country. Here three of the law partners give perspectives from a property, corporate and employment standpoint offering practical advice on how to go about such a wholesale relocation of both business and home, avoid the pitfalls, navigate the hazards, and how to make it a success and a dream come true. Staycations remain the preferred type of holiday for many, with a recent survey revealing that 72% of Brits are…
Relocation experts believe that ‘work from the beach’ narratives undermine both the opportunities and complexities of employee mobility From Airbnb to Zopa, more and more businesses are leading the way in allowing employees to work from abroad throughout the year. This is a positive step forward for a more inclusive, borderless approach to work. However, many of the conversations around these benefits focus on swapping your home office for the beach. According to Localyze, an online global mobility platform that removes borders to talent and opportunities, relocating for work holds much more opportunity — and complexity — that goes far…
A quarter (28%) of small businesses in the UK are now generating more sales from social media than from any other channel, including e-commerce and bricks-and-mortar stores, according to research from BT*. Yet, despite the widespread uptake of social media as a sales tool, one in five (21%) entrepreneurs are concerned that they lack the digital skills to help them get the best results for their business out of social platforms. In a bid to help the UK’s smallest enterprises better leverage the business benefits of social media, BT has teamed up with business influencer and YouTube star, Patricia Bright,…
Low financial literacy could be costing the average household in the UK around £2,850 every year according to a new study by Allianz. Over a 10 year period, this could amount to £40,647 compared to households led by people who really understand financial basics. The study surveyed more than 1,000 people in the UK alongside six other countries, asking them a series of questions designed to test their understanding of financial basics, such as interest rates, inflation, and investment risks and returns. Worryingly, the results reveal that more than a quarter or 26% of Brits lack the knowledge and skills…
By Stacey Moser, Chief Commercial Officer at Universal Robots In automating factory functions, larger companies have typically turned to expensive, complex industrial robots and expert in-house engineers. So, what’s the appeal of smaller collaborative robots (cobots) and why are an increasing number of larger businesses looking to this technology to complement their existing production set-up and accelerate their factory automation? Universal Robots’ Chief Commercial Officer, Stacey Moser, identifies five reasons larger companies are turning to cobot technology. 1. Cobots are being used to complement traditional industrial robots It’s not a question of either/or for large companies. Traditional industrial robots…
Author: Gilbert Verdian, Founder and CEO of Quant Blockchain technology has long been lauded for its promise of decentralisation, security, and scalability. But despite these lofty ideals, adoption has been slow. The complexity involved in implementing blockchain solutions has proven to be a significant obstacle, particularly for small and medium-sized firms (SMEs). There are currently hundreds of blockchains in existence: some public, some private, each with their own programming language, intricacies, strengths, and weaknesses. Assets or smart contracts created on one chain are ‘native’ to it and (until recently) could not easily be moved to another. Each blockchain also demands…
If you’re considering loaning money to an individual or a business for any purpose, it’s wise to pause and consider what documentation should be in place to protect you. Even if you know the people involved on a personal or close business level, it’s never a good idea to loan money on the strength of their word only. It’s far better to have a legally binding contract for repayment; this is where Loan Agreements come into play. In this article, we’ll discuss the fundamental aspects of a Loan Agreement: its purpose, benefits and essential components. You’ll thoroughly understand why Loan…
Fraud is affecting businesses all over the country, and it is proving more important than ever to be proactive when it comes to protecting the security of your business. With this in mind, Utility Bidder has shared expert advice and 5 tips on how you can help protect your business from fraud. 5 ways you can protect your business from fraud 1 – Conduct background checks on potential new suppliers Suppliers are a crucial aspect of most businesses as they are responsible for the sourcing of company products and this plays an important role in the success of any business. By conducting background…