companies house made easy

staff parking "stealth tax"

The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has spoken out against a proposed Workplace Parking Levy (WPL) which will charge businesses for providing staff parking spaces.

one in one out with red tape

The Business Secretary, Vince Cable has announced plans to implement a 'one in, one out' system for regulation, to ensure that small businesses aren't burdened with higher costs for compliance.

an end to fixed retirement age

The government plans to scrap the fixed retirement age of 65 from October 2011.

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Official figures show that the UK economy is still in recession, despite predictions from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) of 0.2% growth for the third quarter of 2009.

The economy contracted by 0.4% between July and September, the sixth consecutive quarter of negative growth. This is the longest period of economic contraction since quarterly records began in 1955.

The reaction from much of the small business community is a call for continued assistance through access to finance and investment to help bring the UK’s economy back into positive growth.

"These figures make sobering reading, both for the Government and for British businesses. Continued intervention - including help for businesses to access finance, and incentives to promote investment - is still needed. Above all else, business confidence must be nurtured, to ensure that recovery is not further delayed,” stated David Kern, Chief Economic Advisor for the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

The Bank of England’s quantitive easing programme is expected to be spent by the end of November, but there is now pressure for the Monetary Policy Committee to extend the initiative.