West of England businesses are warning that the economic recovery from the pandemic is at risk due to growing inflationary pressures and worker shortages. A third of the 250-plus firms taking part in the latest quarterly survey by regional business group Business West said they had to increase their prices due to rising input costs. ...
Small businesses in Bath and across the West of England are being offered help to improve their digital presence to enable them to grow. The Tech for Growth programme will match businesses with a consultant and support them with up to four days of hands-on assistance to develop and adopt technology. The support is...
The Prime Minister announced last month that National Insurance contributions (NICs) and the three dividend tax rates will all increase by 1.25% from next April to pay for the social care system in England, writes Pearson May partner Jacqui Bowden. From April 6, the basic rate of dividend tax increases to 8.75% (up from...
Business West, the region’s largest business group, has been certified as a B Corporation, joining an elite, forward-looking global community that balances profit with people and the planet. The B Corp movement encourages organisations to take an ethical approach to business to make a positive difference in the world. To gain its certification, businesses...
More than £1m has been pledged by businesses and organisations across the West of England from their unused apprenticeship levy funds to help people in the region develop new skills. The funds have gone to the Share to Support scheme, which was launched earlier this year to create vital apprenticeships for individuals and boost...
Bath-headquartered specialist lender Time Finance has boosted its asset finance division with the appointment of Dan Hindmarsh as broker manager. Dan, pictured, has joined with more than five years’ industry experience, having started his career as a customer services representative at Aldermore Bank where he managed relationships with a broad portfolio of clients. He then...
Accountancy and advisory firm Grant Thornton has promoted private tax director Richard Marsh to partner. He will now lead the firm’s South region private wealth team. Richard, pictured, is the first head of the team, which brings together specialists from Bristol, Cardiff, Oxford, Reading and Southampton. He is also responsible for supporting ultra-high net worth...
Outsourcing group Capita is to sell its Secure Solutions and Services business to international IT group NEC in a deal expected to be worth around £62m. Chippenham-headquartered Secure Solutions and Services (SSS) supplies IT to the police, criminal justice, emergency services and critical responder sectors across the world. These range from control room and...
The South West’s key sectors could suffer irreparable damage unless the government starts to tackle the shortage of workers by easing EU visa restrictions, the region’s business leaders today warned. But even providing temporary visas for jobs such as drivers and food workers would only be a short-term measure and ministers must also come...
Small firms based in the Mendip area that have been hit by the pandemic or Brexit are being urged to apply for revitalisation grants of up to £20,000 before the deadline in less than two weeks. The grants of between £5,000 and £20,000 are available to businesses in the area covered by Mendip District...
