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Funding worries put off female entrepreneurs
by Justine Coombe | 06 Dec 2006
A survey of would-be entrepreneurs in the capital has revealed that the UK"s aspiring Anita Roddicks" are often deterred from starting their own businesses by a perceived lack of funding.
Does your business do enough for its customers?
by Justine Coombe | 06 Dec 2006
A Royal Mail Special Delivery study has found that 70 per cent of business people said that it was important to feel valued by a supplier if you wanted to build a good working relationship. However, 20% of those surveyed admitted that they could not remember when a supplier had last made them feel like "more than just another customer".
Late payment is one of the biggest problems facing your business
by Justine Coombe | 06 Dec 2006
A recent survey of small business showed 60 per cent of respondents claimed that their firm's growth is restricted by it. Happily for small businesses, outsourcing debt collection and employing the services of an invoice finance company is, at last, no longer seen as the "finance of last resort" that it once was.
Profiting from the Base Rate Rise
by Justine Coombe | 06 Dec 2006
The Bank of England has raised the base interest rate to five per cent.The move is designed to slow property price inflation, which has reached nearly nine per cent in the last 12 months, according to the latest index.
More firms turning to Invoice Finance
by Justine Coombe | 06 Dec 2006
New figures released by the Factors and Discounters Association (FDA) have confirmed that the invoice finance industry is continuing to increase in popularity among both SMEs and large corporate organisations.
Invoice Finance the Ideal Solution for Cash-Seeking Firms
by Justine Coombe | 06 Dec 2006
The recent decision by several banks to increase the number of high street branches has been welcomed by small businesses, many of whom have had to contend with a severe lack of local services.
Buy-to-let Proves Profitable for Parent Landlords
by Justine Coombe | 06 Dec 2006
Parents with children at university could make a "solid investment" by purchasing buy-to-let property and letting it out to children and their friends, according to Landlord Mortgages.
Rising NI House Prices have Potential to Boost Buy-to-let Market
by Justine Coombe | 06 Dec 2006
House prices in Northern Ireland have rocketed over recent years, making it increasingly difficult for first-time buyers to get onto the first rung of the property ladder.
Buy-to-let - a Healthy Market for a Shrewd Investor
by Justine Coombe | 06 Dec 2006
The buy-to-let market is currently in an extremely strong position, with steadily rising demand for rental accommodation encouraging new investors into the market and persuading existing landlords to increase their portfolios.
Business Money: No Real Progress on Business Barriers Over Last 10 Years
by Justine Coombe | 06 Dec 2006
UK businesses are continuing to struggle with the same issues they faced in 1996, according to the ICAEW, and in the last decade they have been further burdened with increasing regulation and tax complexity.The Institute"s Enterprise Survey, introduced 10 years ago, has followed and monitored the issues impacting on UK businesses and their ability to grow, locate support and deal with government regulation and taxation.Over the last 10 years, some of the biggest business hurdles highlighted by the study have included:- Employment law - employers have struggled to implement new disciplinary and dismissal procedures, changes to maternity and paternity leave rights and the working time directive, without service disruption. - Health and safety - the manufacturing and food preparation sectors in particular have faced increased regulation and inspection. - Access to finance - some businesses still report difficulties in raising relatively small amounts, despite new schemes such as venture capital trusts, introduced to address the equity gap. - Skills - consistently a major problem, with continuous debate on how to ensure the UK has an appropriately skilled workforce. - Business tax and VAT - these have become more complex due to more stringent anti-avoidance measures. - PAYE and NIC contributions - as separate processes, these are placing additional burden on resources. Clive Lewis, head of SME issues at the Institute, said: "The government needs to live up to its claim of being deregulatory. Measures to address the regulatory burden on business have yet to make an impact and need to be more radical and all embracing. We need to resolve some of these decade-old problems to enable businesses and the UK economy as a whole to thrive and meet the new challenges set by globalisation.UK businesses have benefited from a stable macro-economic environment but these added regulatory burdens are inhibiting more entrepreneurs from taking advantage of the global marketplace."In the 2006 Enterprise Survey, due to be released in the autumn, businesses will discuss how they believe they will be affected by globalisation and the impact it will have on their customers, services, suppliers.
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