SME investment plans still fragile
How can SMEs help protect their cashflows against rising costs and market fluctuations?
12% of small businesses make their own energy
More than one in ten small businesses generate their own energy – but many believe there’s more to be done.
Small businesses hit hard by commercial disputes
Figures released by the FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) reveal that commercial disputes cost SMEs in England and Wales £11.6bn per year. Nearly 75% of that is due to late payment or non-payment by clients.
SMEs still frustrated by access growth funding
Survey found that many SMEs still face barriers to accessing finance and financial advice. What needs to be done to address this situation?
Bank closures impacting SME finances, report reveals
The ongoing closures of local bank branches are presenting “tough challenges” for the UK’s small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This is according to a new report from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), which revealed that smaller firms are increasingly missing out on important face-to-face interaction with banking staff. Is this a problem that’s set to get worse, or can SMEs overcome the hurdles of online banking?
Almost a third of SMEs fearful of immediate economic uncertainty, survey reveals
More than a quarter (27%) of SMEs view economic uncertainty as their primary concern, with their overall confidence having fallen to a four-year low. This is according to Lloyds Bank’s latest Business in Britain report; so why are companies bracing themselves for the worst?
SMEs’ funding requests highlight importance of prompt payments
SMEs seem to be undeterred by Brexit uncertainty as the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (NACFB) records a sudden increase in funding enquiries during August. While the numbers are encouraging, could they suggest that small businesses are opening themselves up to repayment problems further down the line?
SME owners' confidence plummets post-Brexit, index reveals
The number of SME owners feeling confident about the outlook for the economy and their own businesses over the next 12 months has sharply dropped. This is according to the latest quarterly Smith & Williamson Enterprise Index, which suggests that small businesses have largely responded unfavourably to Brexit. Could there, however, still be a chink of light at the end of the tunnel?