A three per cent rise in the national minimum wage (NMW) has been recommended by the Low Pay Commission (LPC). If the Government accepts the proposal, the NMW for adults will increase from £6.31 to £6.50 on 1 October 2014. It would be the first increase in real terms since 2008. The LPC also recommends […]
The Business, Innovation and Skills Committee has concluded that the current business rates system is “not fit for purpose” and urged the Government to address its “fundamental flaws”. A report by the committee of MPs calls for a “wholesale review” of business rates to investigate whether retail taxes should be based on sales rather than […]
Part-time childcare costs for a family of two children are 4.7 per cent higher than the average UK mortgage bill, according to research by the Family and Childcare Trust. The annual childcare costs report shows that the cost for one child in part-time nursery care and one in an after school club is £7,549 year. […]
Sunny Malta is one of Europe’s top rated retirement destinations If you’re thinking about retirement and are considering an overseas destination, a warmer, sunnier climate would surely be on your wish list. Perhaps a place where English is spoken widely and where the culture is not too far off from England’s culture will make it […]
International Referral, the world’s largest exclusive network of advisory firms is delighted to introduce Catherine Kimberlin of Rees Pollock Chartered Accountants. Catherine has joined IR as our exclusive Audit Services Member in England. Catherine was one of the founding members of Rees Pollock leaving Ernst and Young in 1990 to help establish the firm. Today, she is […]
The economic recovery is “not yet secure and our economy is still too unbalanced”, according to Chancellor George Osborne. In a speech to business leaders in Hong Kong, Osborne outlined the changes the UK needs to make to secure the recovery. Key points from Osborne’s speech: The UK cannot rely on consumers to drive economic […]
The British Business Bank will invest £40 million to support peer-to-peer lending to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). The investment in the peer-to-peer lender Funding Circle will start on 1 March 2014 and is predicted to support around £450 million of lending over the next 18 months. Under the agreement, the state-owned bank will fund […]
Politicians have opened an inquiry into bank lending to small and medium-sized business (SMEs). The Treasury Select Committee (TSC) investigation will focus on access to finance for businesses, competition in the sector and the treatment of SMEs by banks. The first session will take place on Tuesday 25 February 2014. Evidence will come from Priyan […]
Whether it’s motivating a workforce to achieve excellence, persuading customers to buy or an investor to come on-board, the very best business leaders stand up, speak up and get results from their audience. To find out how they do it, we invited the UK’s Business Speaker of the Year, Rich Watts, to join us for the Business […]
New research Slater & Gordon conducted into the experiences of over-40s in the workplace shows they believe their age is often a factor in decisions made about them at work, sometimes to their detriment. This is no surprise to me as an Employment Solicitor advising senior executives, professionals and company directors, the vast majority of […]
In April 2014, there will be one new super Court; the Family Court, which will incorporate the High Court, the County Court and the Family Proceedings Court. Almost all cases which we currently begin in the Bury St Edmunds County Court, will instead begin life in the Family Court. A team (in the Court Service) will […]
Just because you have been the victim of a breach of contract, does that mean you are entitled to damages – and if so, how much will they be? It is critical, before beginning a claim, to evaluate realistically what it might be worth. Most people are aware when a breach of contract has occurred […]