Introduction NatWest has released a report titled: Key strategies to managing working capital in 2025 to help UK businesses manage their cash flow in times where economic volatility caused by international events and other domestic factors can have unexpected impact on working capital. Sudden changes to market conditions can lead to businesses lacking working capital … Read more
The much anticipated Spring Statement was a bit of a damp squib as far as grants goes, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. With the withdrawal of the £25M Innovate Smart Grant scheme earlier this year, it was expected in some circles that a replacement scheme would be announced, but nothing was forthcoming. The appointment of a new head … Read more
Introduction According to a 2025 report from Airwallex, an international finance for business platform, the top capital equipment purchases UK SME owners are planning this year are related to green sustainability, with 44% of those surveyed citing this as a top investment priority. More than half of those surveyed within that bracket are looking to … Read more
We attended a great event hosted by a grant consultant Mick Merrick based in Hereford last week. It brought together local businesses who have already been awarded grant funding (UKSPF being the main one) but opened their eyes to wider sources of funds. Monika Dabrowska from Innovaction Global covered schemes such as Innovate UK and … Read more
Introduction According to a 2025 commercial property report from the Alan Boswell Group, the average cost of commercial property in England is forecast to rise by around 19% over the next decade (between 2024 and 2034), representing an increase from £94 to £112 per square foot. This positive forecast makes it a viable consideration for … Read more
Introduction According to a new study from PwC the number of businesses committed to achieving net zero by 2030 has increased to 47%, up from 28% a year ago. 89% of businesses reported higher energy consumption and therefore higher energy costs over the last 12 months. 34% of businesses stated that the main cause of … Read more
Introduction According to a 2025 StartUp Ambition report by Enterprise Nation, 47% of UK adults surveyed are considering starting a self employed business or creating a “side hustle” to monetise their skills and hobbies or bring in additional income to assist with the rise of cost of living. This entrepreneurial sentiment marks a 12% increase … Read more
Introduction According to recent research from Lloyds Bank, 70% of UK surveyed businesses expect their turnover to increase in 2025, up from 62% when questioned in the same confidence survey 12 months ago. 73% of businesses are also expecting to see increased profitability levels as they feel more optimistic about their growth prospects. Businesses are … Read more
It’s not getting any easier for business owners to access the grant funding that will help develop their businesses and increase UK growth and productivity. With Innovate Smart Grants not happening for 2025 there has been some disquiet and uncertainty about what if anything will replace them. There is some good news in that the … Read more
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