Last week King Charles delivered the King’s Speech. This is a speech traditionally delivered at the State Opening of Parliament and it sets out the government’s plans and priorities for the coming year. The Speech outlines the legislation that ministers of the new government aim to pass and while it’s delivered by the King, it’s actually drafted by the government of the day.

The Office of National Statistics has released the latest inflation figures for June, and the good news is that the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) has stayed at 2.0%. The largest upward contribution to inflation came from restaurants and hotels, where hotel prices in particular have increased on a year ago. Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in the UK may have been a factor in this.

The London Borough of Hackney (LBoH) has been reprimanded by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) following a cyber attack made on them in October 2020. The breach, which saw hackers access and encrypt 440,000 files, disrupted services for months and exposed sensitive data. LBoH acknowledged that the attack “posed a meaningful risk of harm” to 230 data subjects.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) have refreshed their guidance on shopping and paying safely online. Whether for our business or personally, online shopping is now a normal feature of our daily routine. What tips do NCSC provide that can help us stay safe?

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) have been celebrating the first patent application being filed on its new fully digital ‘One IPO’ patents service. This is part of an effort to provide a more streamlined and efficient service. The IPO are also making use of a new AI-powered patent allocation tool which means that a patent application should now reach the right team within a matter of seconds, instead of the previous 14 days.

Dealing with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) can sometimes be challenging. Long wait times when phoning for help, incorrect refund amounts, errors in tax codes and other issues can cause frustration. In recent months and years the decline in service standard from HMRC has been notable, but did you know that it is possible to complain about HMRC and even receive compensation?

The new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, delivered her first speech as Chancellor last week outlining her plans for revitalising the UK economy. While her speech was inevitably political and included criticism for the previous government while emphasising her own role, there were also some key takeaways for her plans on tax.

The new HMRC tool can help you to estimate what VAT might be owed or reclaimed by your business if you were to register for VAT. You are free to use the tool to explore multiple ‘what-if’ scenarios so that you can compare various situations and how you might be affected.

The new government has rolled out an ambitious plan to drive significant changes across the UK, and as your business advisors, we want to break down how these could impact you. These initiatives span from economic stability to healthcare improvements, border security, energy production, social behaviour, and education reform.

The successor to the Recovery Loan Scheme, the Growth Guarantee Scheme, has now been launched by British Business Bank. The Scheme, which helps smaller businesses in the UK to be able to access finance, opened to applications via accredited lenders on 1 July 2024.

The successor to the Recovery Loan Scheme, the Growth Guarantee Scheme, has now been launched by British Business Bank. The Scheme, which helps smaller businesses in the UK to be able to access finance, opened to applications via accredited lenders on 1 July 2024.

So, the election results are in and the Labour party won the country’s mandate to form a new parliament. What could that mean for the tax you pay? We consider the implications of the new governments tax policies. If any of these changes affect you in any way, please contact us and we will be pleased to give you personalised advice.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the economy grew by 0.7% between January and March. This is higher than their initial estimate of 0.6%, and means that the country’s emergence from recession was stronger than expected.

Managing employee holidays can be a bit of a balancing act at the best of times, but with some thoughtful planning, you can keep your business running smoothly while ensuring your team gets the break they deserve. Here are some tips to help you out:

Running a business comes with a myriad of responsibilities, and ensuring the safety of your employees should be at the top of your list. Here’s why having a health and safety policy is crucial, backed by UK legal requirements:

Starting 15 July 2024, all Special Import Certificate (SIC) applications must be submitted through a newly launched digital service. This change follows the introduction of the new special imports digital service in January 2024, designed to enhance ease of use, security, reliability, and accessibility.

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.