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A funding competition is open to all UK businesses to apply for up to £150,000 for a project to develop and manage the agri-tech and food technology innovation cluster in Mid and North Wales. The competition is open to both single applicants or collaborations.

Glasgow, one of the premier shopping destinations in Scotland, is facing significant challenges that threaten its vibrancy and economic vitality. These same challenges are affecting businesses across not only Scotland but the UK generally. A recent report by the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce highlights a decline of over 400,000 visitors to Glasgow city centre compared to the previous year, coupled with a substantial drop in retail sales.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) provides an ‘Exercise in a Box’ online tool that can help businesses check how resilient they are to cyber attacks as well as practise their response in a safe environment. The tool will give you some exercises that can be carried out in your own time as many times as you want.

In the wake of the Bank of England’s decision to maintain the base rate at 5.25%, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has expressed concern about the impact on small business growth and investment. FSB National Chair Martin McTague commented on the decision, stating, “Yet again, the MPC has opted to stick instead of twist, a move which was widely predicted but which is no less disappointing for it.

In the wake of the Bank of England’s decision to maintain the base rate at 5.25%, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has expressed concern about the impact on small business growth and investment. FSB National Chair Martin McTague commented on the decision, stating, “Yet again, the MPC has opted to stick instead of twist, a move which was widely predicted but which is no less disappointing for it.

The Welsh Government were excited to announce a significant milestone in its own mission to increase the number of employee-owned businesses in Wales. The number of such businesses in Wales has doubled, reaching 74 almost two years ahead of their 2026 target.

Figures released by the Office of National Statistics show that the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for May 2024 was 2%. This is a reduction from the 2.3% assessed in April and means that inflation has hit the Bank of England’s target rate for the first time in nearly 3 years. The main reason for the drop is food, where prices are falling now but were rising a year ago.

On 1 October 2024, the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 will come into effect, introducing significant changes to how tips are managed and distributed in the hospitality industry. This legislation aims to improve fairness by mandating that all tips, gratuities, and service charges are allocated fairly among employees.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has issued a warning about false claims being made about the deadline for appealing the 2023 list for business rates. Some are claiming that the deadline is 30 June, however this is not true. Generally, you are able to appeal your property valuation on the 2023 list at any time until March 2026.

Last week, the UK agreed a deal with Norway and the Faroe Islands that will help reduce the fishing pressure on mackerel. The deal gives access to Norway and the Faroe Islands to be able to fish some of their quota in the UK zone. In exchange for this, an annual transfer of some of their quota will be made to the UK.

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.