News

June 4, 2026

Temporary VAT reduction on children’s meals, tickets and family attractions

The government has announced a temporary reduced rate of VAT for children’s meals in restaurants and family leisure activities over the summer.

June 3, 2026

Companies House and the IPO warn about fake payment requests

Companies House and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) are asking businesses to take special care of misleading requests for payment sent by fraudulent organisations.

June 1, 2026

Late payment legislation laid before Parliament

Following its mention in the King’s Speech, the Small Business Protections Bill has now been put before Parliament.

May 28, 2026

UK unemployment rises to 5% but inflation drops to 2.8%

Official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the unemployment rate in the three months to March 2026 has risen to 5% from 4.9%.

May 27, 2026

HMRC introduces targeted advance assurance service for R&D claims

Originally proposed in last autumn’s Budget, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) have introduced a targeted advance assurance service for Research and Development (R&D) tax relief claims. The service, which is a pilot, aims to provide businesses with clarity on complex or high-risk areas before they make a claim.

May 26, 2026

Nationwide crackdown on dodgy high street shops

A major police offensive was announced last week that will tackle dodgy shops linked to organised crime. Rogue high street businesses will face raids, closures and cash seizures.