Employers’ National Insurance Contributions have soared by £28bn in a single year, £4bn above the Government’s own forecast, triggering redundancies in hospitality and retail and slowing hiring across the UK private sector. Read more: Employers hit with £28bn National Insurance Shock as rate rise bites harder than treasury forecast
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British Business Bank commits £10m as cornerstone investor in Northern Gritstone’s £20m rolling close, lifting the VC firm’s permanent capital to £382m to back Northern deeptech and life sciences spinouts. Read more: British Business Bank anchors Northern Gritstone’s £20m rolling close as northern deeptech push gathers pace
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves lifts the electricity generator levy from 45% to 55% as Ed Miliband unveils market reforms. What the renewables windfall tax means for UK SMEs, energy bills and investment. Read more: Reeves tightens windfall tax on renewables as ministers move to sever gas-electricity link
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Soaring energy costs and fractured supply chains are set to tip Britain to the edge of a technical recession by the summer, with smaller businesses bearing the brunt of the squeeze, according to the Item Club’s latest forecast. Read more: Britain to ‘flirt’ with recession as Iran oil shock rattles SMEs
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British companies are spending less on AI and seeing weaker returns than global leaders, with PwC warning the next 12 months are critical for UK firms to close the gap. Read more: UK firms risk being left behind as AI adoption gap widens, warns PwC
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Britain’s private sector barely grew in March as the Middle East conflict drives up costs and dampens confidence, raising the spectre of stagflation for SMEs already under pressure. Read more: The spectre of stagflation returns as Britain’s private sector grinds to a near-halt
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New IR35 rules from April 2026 raise the small company threshold, shifting tax compliance back to freelancers. Here’s what contractors and scaling businesses need to know. Read more: Thousands of growing firms freed from IR35 burden – but freelancers warned not to underprice
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The government has announced £100m in new investment for start-ups and scale-ups through expanded EIS, VCT and EMI schemes, but business leaders say established firms paying higher National Insurance are being left behind. Read more: Government’s £100m pledge for innovators dismissed as a drop in the ocean after £25bn National Insurance raid
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HMRC data reveals national insurance contributions have risen nearly 40% to £198bn since 2019-20, as employer NIC hikes, minimum wage increases and rising costs pile pressure on British businesses. Read more: Businesses shoulder £200 billion National Insurance bill as payroll tax receipts surge 40% since pandemic
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Ineos founder Jim Ratcliffe backs Conservative plans to scrap carbon taxes, arguing high levies are damaging UK industry and competitiveness. Read more: Ratcliffe backs tory plan to scrap carbon taxes amid industry pressure
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