Business News Articles

British Gas announce 10% gas price cut
British Gas has announced that it is to reduce the price of its standard tariff gas prices by 10% from February the 19th. The company is the first major gas supplier to cut its rates since the price of oil significantly declined from a peak in summer 2008, and they claim that the cut will save the average household £84. However, British Gas did raise their prices by a record 35% in July 200... more

Confusion over new government package hampering SME credit
Small companies are still struggling to access credit, despite the government's multi-billion package to get the banks lending again, which included a £1.3bn fund guaranteeing loans to SMEs. A senior source at Barclays has said that the bank has not yet received the forms that small companies need to fill in to access the fund. "The infrastructure is lacking behind the grandiose statements.... more

House prices could rise by end of 2009
By the end of the year house prices could start to rise again, according to research by Lombard Street Research (LSR). The LSR housing affordability index, which compares house prices to other financial indicators such as average earnings and mortgage rates implies that those now buying house are doing so at a reasonable level. "There are actual signs from the market that things are actually... more

One in ten small business owners working 100 hours a week
Small business owners in the UK are working more than 60 hours a week, with almost one in ten putting in 100 hours a week, according to a poll by BT Tradespace. The survey found that 8% of SME owners were working a 100-hour week, while the most common number of hours put in was 50-60, with 21% of respondents working this amount of time every week. With many small companies struggling in the ... more

Only 3% of small business owners planning to cut back on IT spending
Small companies in the UK are less likely to cut back on IT spending during the current economic downturn than they are on a number of different areas such as travel costs, advertising and staff bonuses. YouGov, on behalf of electricity supplier Opus Energy, polled over 500 small business managers and the research found that only 3% would prioritise IT as an area in which to reduce spending. ... more

Some small firms receiving no interest from bank accounts
Some small businesses are receiving 0% interest rates on their bank accounts, according to new research by MoneyFacts. The study found that the small firms have £55 billion on deposit in UK banks and are receiving an average interest rate on company savings of £10,000 of 0.19%, down from the 2.6% it was at the same time last year. Small firms with business cheque accounts with a balance of... more

2009 National Franchise Exhibition to be held in Manchester
The British Franchise Exhibition is being held at Manchester Central on Friday the 30th and Saturday the 31st of January. The premier franchise event of the north of England will have more than 100 companies exhibiting at the show, offering opportunities in a wide range of business sectors that will appeal to every interest and skill. Free seminars by the British Franchise Association will t... more

Free advice on reducing waste and saving money
Businesses in the North East of England are being invited to attend a series of free seminars that could save them money by helping them to reduce the amount of waste produced and use less energy. The Trim Your Waste seminars are being run by Business link and will show how even small, simple measures can make a big difference to a firm's expenditure. For details of the events and to registe... more

British workers to see advertised jobs first under new plan
Business employers in certain sections in the UK will be forced by law to advertise positions at job centres under a new government initiative designed to help British employment figures. Firms that employ in the fields of construction, nursing, the hotel trade and teaching will be affected by the new initiative, which is aimed at giving British workers the first opportunity to apply for vacant... more

‘Totally unnecessary’ red tape is harming small firms
Gordon Brown is undermining the economy's recovery by sanctioning business regulations that are ‘totally unnecessary' according to the Institute of Directors (IoD). The IoD are highlighting employment law that is due to take effect this year - such as flexible working and the new right for staff to take time off for public duties - as being detrimental to small businesses chances of surviving... more