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The government’s promised new Fair Payments Code was launched last week to try and tackle late payment problems that can be particularly harmful to small businesses. The code introduces a gold, silver, and bronze system that smaller firms can use to identify business partners who have made themselves accountable to pay fairly and within certain time limits.

New changes come into effect from January 2025 where online platforms, such as eBay and Airbnb, will start sharing some user sales and personal data with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Although these reporting requirements have caused concern, HMRC have confirmed that there are no changes to the tax rules for someone selling unwanted possessions online.

In the runup to Small Business Saturday last week, a new Disability Finance Code was launched. Research indicates that if opportunities were improved for disabled founders, it could unlock an additional £230 billion for the UK economy in growth and jobs. Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and NatWest have all signed up to this new scheme to help more disabled entrepreneurs get access to finance and support to start their own business.

The Transport Secretary has revealed that South Western Railway’s services will be the first to transfer into public ownership in May 2025. C2C will be transferred in July 2025, with Greater Anglia following in autumn 2025. The Department for Transport expects to transfer all passenger services that are currently being operated under contracts to public ownership within the next 3 years.

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) reported last week that its scientists and engineers along with the University of Bristol have successfully created the world’s first carbon-14 diamond battery. A battery of this type has the potential to provide power for thousands of years, making it a very convenient and long-lasting energy source.

In a survey of 1,025 employees carried out by ACAS, 9 in 10 said they thought it was important for mental health to be prioritised at work. As a result, ACAS is encouraging employers to have empathetic conversations with their staff to ensure mental wellbeing is supported in the workplace. Many do not like to talk about mental health and not everyone will show obvious signs of poor mental health.

The government has unveiled some significant reforms to employment support, underpinned by a £240 million investment. The measures aim to address deep-rooted issues of unemployment, economic inactivity, and barriers to work, as detailed in the newly published Get Britain Working White Paper.

5,000 additional construction apprenticeship places are to be made available annually as part of a £140 million initiative aimed at addressing workforce shortages and meeting housebuilding targets. Central to this plan is the establishment of 32 new Homebuilding Skills Hubs, which are designed to accelerate training.

The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) recently released annual statistics for 2023/24 reveal the challenges being faced by employers in managing work-related ill health and injuries. Stress, depression, anxiety, and workplace injuries continue to be issues affecting the health and wellbeing of workforces.

People staying overnight in Wales may soon have to pay a small charge in changes proposed by the Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill. The levy would be set at 75p per person a night for hostels and campsite pitches. For all other accommodation types the levy will be £1.25 a person a night. The decision on whether to set a levy or not will rest with the local authority for the area.

The UK government has announced that it remains fully committed to a Deposit Return Scheme and expects to launch the scheme across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland in October 2027. The UK government will be working with the Scottish government and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland to bring about these changes.

Employers now have a new legal duty to take “reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment of employees. This duty requires employers to anticipate when sexual harassment may occur and take reasonable steps to prevent it. If sexual harassment has already taken place, then an employer would need to take action to stop it from happening again.

The latest inflation figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for October 2024 rose to 2.3%, up from 1.7% in September. This marks the first increase in inflation since July, and it has sparked interest among business owners, economists, and policymakers alike.