companies house made easy

self-assessment deadline extended

Sole traders, entrepreneurs and other individuals who are required to fill out self-assessment tax returns will not receive a late filing penalty if they make their submission on the 1st or 2nd of February.

schools must develop entrepreneurs

The Forum for Private Business has called for schools to play a leading role in encouraging entrepreneurship amongst young people.

google targets welsh SMEs

Search engine giant Google has announced a 12 month campaign to get businesses in Wales to start using the web.

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The UK economy grew by 0.1% in the last quarter of 2009, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), technically bringing the recession to an end – but times are still tough for small businesses.

With VAT back up to 17.5% and banks still restricting access to credit, SMEs are still facing an inhospitable business climate.

Analysts had expected a stronger growth in GDP, and economists are describing the recovery as “lacklustre” and “disappointing”, with many citing the car scrappage scheme and the lower rate of VAT coming to an end as the main drivers behind the return to growth.

Director General David Frost, of the British Chambers of Commerce stated, “This is good news, but clearly growth is anaemic, and it certainly means that the economy is far from being out of the woods.

“It is essential that the government demonstrates an unwavering determination to support wealth-creating companies in 2010. Additional business taxes must be avoided, and the 1% increase to employers’ National Insurance contributions, planned for 2011, should be scrapped.

”Unless the private sector is given the freedom to create jobs and wealth, the UK’s economic recovery will be slower than it should be, and we will face the serious risk of a double-dip recession.”