Introduction According to new analysis by HSBC Innovation Banking UK and Dealroom, UK innovation businesses were estimated to be worth a combined value of around £1 trillion at the end of 2024. This figure represents a 20% increase year-on-year when compared with 2023 and an overall increase of 9 times (900%) over the past 10 … Read more
Introduction According to the January 2025 Business Insights and Conditions Survey published by the Office for National Statistics, around 1 in 5 (21%) of UK businesses with 10 or more employees reported that they had exported goods or services in the last 12 months. 18% of these exporting businesses reported they exported more in December … Read more
Introduction Deloitte’s 2024 Regional Crane Survey, which tracks construction activity in Belfast, Birmingham, Leeds, and Manchester, revealed a significant slowdown in new construction starts. Only 47 projects broke ground in 2024, compared to 63 in 2023. This survey is a key indicator of UK-wide construction and property development trends. The primary reason for this decline … Read more
Introduction According to a recent survey by ManpowerGroup the number of UK businesses that are struggling to find skilled workers has dropped for the first time in a decade. Currently, 76% of businesses looking to recruit are experiencing a skills shortage, down from 80% a year ago. The most in-demand skills in the UK include … Read more
Introduction UK businesses looking to expand their activities in 2025 should consider the option of purchasing new equipment for their operations in order to increase efficiency, productivity and ultimately increase profitability. There are a number of factors to consider when looking at equipment improvements outlined below. Leasing vs PurchasingIt is important to determine whether or … Read more
Introduction According to renovation experts, the average cost of commercial property refurbishment can vary greatly with prices ranging from £19 to £180 per square foot, depending on how complex the job is. It is the case that with high end complex refurbishments, costs can go even higher than this figure. A number of grants are … Read more
Introduction According to recent research from Cornwall Insight’s Business Energy Cost Forecast electric bills for small industrial consumers, such as large retail, leisure units and small manufacturers are set to rise by over £200,000 more than pre-energy crisis levels by 2026. Energy bills are expected to hit £550,000 for the 2026-2027 year, which represents a … Read more
Introduction Barclays has launched a new Business Prosperity Index which tracks trends and data from its 1 million business customers alongside market research which gives a snapshot of the UK’s current business environment health. Those looking to start a business can get key insights from the index findings in order to identify potential issues they … Read more
Introduction According to the Confederation of British Industry’s latest growth indicator, a majority of businesses are expecting a decline in economic activity at the beginning of 2025 for the first quarter. This decrease in business confidence has followed a negative reaction to the Labour Government’s first Budget in power and also due to private sector … Read more
Introduction According to a recent research paper from the House of Lords, it is estimated that innovative science and technology activity contributed a total of £91.6bn to the UK economy in 2023. This breakdown includes £71bn for IT and other information service tech activities and £20.6bn for scientific research and development activities across other sectors. … Read more