News

October 15, 2026

Major business consequences of Deposit Return Scheme

Manufacturers, importers, wholesalers and retailers are being warned that significant regulatory change is coming under the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).

October 14, 2026

Value of R&D relief up, number of claims down

New research on companies claiming Research and Development (R&D) tax credits shows the value of tax relief support was £8.2 billion, an increase of 5%, while the number of R&D tax credit claims decreased by 17% for 2024-25.

September 16, 2024

UK economy flatlines again

Figures released by the Office of National Statistics last week show that the UK economy showed no growth in July 2024. This is the second month in a row as there was also no growth in June.

September 12, 2024

Plan 1 student loan interest rate to change to 6%

The Plan 1 student loan interest rate reduced to 6% (from 6.25%) from 30 August. This rate change applies across the UK with the Department for Education (DfE), the Welsh Government and the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland (DfE NI) all confirming the change.

September 11, 2024

Barratt Developments' profit drop sends ripples through construction and property sectors

Barratt Developments, the UK's largest housebuilder, has reported a significant decline in pre-tax profits, down by three-quarters for the year ending June 2024. This comes as the company completed just 14,000 homes, a sharp decrease from 17,000 the previous year, with forecasts suggesting even lower figures of 13,000 to 13,500 homes for the upcoming year.

September 9, 2024

Public sector procurement: Missed targets and opportunities for SMEs

A recent report by the British Chambers of Commerce and Tussell has highlighted the ongoing challenges the public sector faces in meeting its procurement targets for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).