UK businesses remain broadly confident in Britain as a base for growth, even as rising costs and economic uncertainty weigh on margins, according to new research from Barclays. The bank’s latest Business Prosperity Index, analysing anonymised data from around one million clients alongside a survey of 1,000 business leaders, reveals a two-speed economy emerging at the end of 2025. Larger firms are pushing ahead with long-term borrowing and investment, while smaller companies are turning to...
In today’s market, every single company is a technology company. It does not matter if you sell clothing, offer financial advice, or run a local delivery service. Your customers find you online, they buy from you through digital platforms, and they expect your services to be available 24 hours a day. Because of this massive shift, the pressure on business owners has never been higher. Consumers today have zero patience. If your mobile application is...
Youth unemployment has surged to its highest level in more than a decade, raising fears of a “lost generation” and intensifying expectations that the Bank of England will cut interest rates next month. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that in the three months to December 2025, the unemployment rate among 16 to 24-year-olds climbed to 16.1 per cent. That equates to nearly 740,000 young people out of work, an increase of around...
Nearly nine in 10 higher-risk pension funds have failed to match the performance of the FTSE 100 over the past five years, according to new analysis that raises fresh concerns about retirement outcomes for millions of savers. Research by Investing Insiders examined almost 13,000 personal and workplace pension funds holding more than £1tn in assets between December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2025. Funds in the medium-high and high-risk categories were benchmarked against the FTSE...
We sit down with James Doyle, Managing Director of Endeavour Group, a building safety consultancy and training provider supporting duty holders responsible for some of the UK’s most complex and high-risk buildings. Based in the North West and operating nationally, Endeavour Group brings an evidence-led, engineering discipline to the built environment as regulatory scrutiny continues to increase. With more than two decades of experience spanning offshore oil and gas, process safety and fire engineering, Doyle...
Small businesses are bracing for what they describe as an “unprecedented cost crunch” in April, with more than a third warning they may shut down or scale back operations as a raft of higher expenses take effect. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has written to Rachel Reeves warning that the cumulative impact of rising energy bills, business rates, higher employment costs and changes to statutory sick pay risks undermining economic growth. A survey by...
The owners of Virgin Media O2 have agreed a £2bn takeover of challenger fibre network Netomnia, marking a significant step towards consolidation in Britain’s crowded broadband market. Liberty Global and Telefónica, alongside InfraVia Capital through their Nexfibre joint venture, will acquire Netomnia, currently the UK’s second-largest alternative network provider. The deal will expand Nexfibre’s footprint to around 8 million households by the end of next year. Combined with Virgin Media O2’s existing infrastructure, the enlarged...
Digital transformation has altered almost every aspect of modern business, and tax is no exception. Across the UK, businesses must now adopt digital record-keeping and reporting practices. While this was previously optional, it is now mandatory. For founders, this represents a structural change that’s likely to influence financial processes, digital infrastructure, decision-making, and long-term planning, among other areas. Why Digital Tax Rules Should Be on Every Founder’s Radar From 6th April 2026, digital tax systems...
Securing your business premises is a key step in protecting your investment and ensuring the safety of your staff, assets, and customers. In today’s world, security threats can take many forms, such as break-ins and data breaches. Luckily, there are many effective ways to improve your security and give you peace of mind. Understanding the importance of a secure environment can help you take steps to protect what you’ve built. Here are some effective security...
You ever meet a business owner who says, “We’re fine, all our sales come from one platform,” and your stomach tightens a little? Not because they’re wrong today. But because you’ve seen how fast “fine” can flip. Here’s the thing: single-channel success feels efficient right up until it becomes fragile. One algorithm tweak. One policy change. One shipping disruption. And suddenly revenue isn’t dipping — it’s gasping. I’ve watched perfectly healthy SMEs wobble because their...
