Parents of children aged between 16 and 19 years of age and continuing their education or training after their GCSEs can extend the Child Benefit they receive. If this is true for you, then HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) should be in the process of writing to remind you about this. On their letter, it will include a QR code.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced that they have fined Openreach £1.34 million after investigating the death of an engineer. The engineer, Alun Owen from Bethesda, tragically died while trying to repair a telephone line that ran across the River Aber in Abergwyngregyn.

Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, have had plans to use Facebook and Instagram user date to train generative AI. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), shared concerns with Meta that they had received from users in the UK. The ICO were subsequently pleased to report that Meta have responded by pausing and reviewing their plans.

Shawbrook Bank recently conducted research that indicated that half of small business owners have had to raid their savings to fund their businesses. Their survey found that small businesses applying for finance from lenders over the last year said that it didn’t meet their needs. So, they were using savings and credit cards to provide the necessary funds to grow their business.

The latest labour market report from the Office for National Statistics shows a few important trends that might affect your business. First off, it looks like the job market is starting to cool down. It’s estimated that there are fewer job openings now, which means businesses aren’t hiring as much as before. On top of that, the unemployment rate has gone up to 4.4%, which is higher than it was last year.

If you are a female entrepreneur in the UK, you can now access a new resource designed to help you access the finance you need to start, grow, and scale your business. The new hub is designed as a one-stop shop that provides the resources and information you need.

We reported last week that the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme (FaSS) had been reopened after a further £2 million of funding was made available. However, due to overwhelming demand the scheme has now been closed to new applications.

As accountants, we are often asked about the financial and tax implications of buying a second home. Sometimes the pull of a country or seaside retreat might inspire you to think about having a second home. Or maybe you have spare cash or income and are wondering if a second home could be a good investment.

At WWDC 2024 last week, Apple unveiled its much anticipated first step into artificial intelligence. Apple’s strategy is to use AI within its ecosystem to enhance user experiences, focusing on practical applications. These AI features are designed to enhance the functionality of Apple’s operating software for Mac, iPad and iPhone, and one of the standout features is an update to Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, that will improve its voice control and functionality.

Sticking with an AI theme, Microsoft also recently announced changes to Windows that will incorporate Copilot+, its AI solution. One of the new features of Copilot+ is called “Recall” where screenshots are frequently captured of whatever desktop activity is happening at that moment and then storing them. This was advertised as a function to make users’ lives easier.