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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The UK’s jobcentres are not providing value for money according to research by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), which is calling for an overhaul of the system.

With unemployment rising, particularly amongst young people, the Jobcentre Plus system has an important role to play in linking businesses and jobseekers.

However, 34% of firms surveyed by the FSB found Jobcentres to be “ineffective”, with many employers complaining that applicants sent to them by the Jobcentre had not been well informed about the position they were applying for, and many applicants did not have necessary qualifications for the job.

There are concerns that money for Jobcentre Plus is being used to fund training schemes at large companies, instead of being used to provide more front line staff and funding for the centres themselves.

"The FSB is concerned the lion's share of funding from Jobcentre Plus currently goes to large companies and multi-nationals which would still provide training if public funding were not available," stated FSB Chairman John Wright.

The FSB are planning to set up “employment centres” at the party conferences of the major political parties, to raise awareness of this issue.