Welcome to the Latest News section. Listed here are the ten most recent news items. For previous news items, see the Archived News section.

Small business owners struggle to find work-life balance
2nd of July, 2008 (United Kingdom)
Small business owners are struggling to maintain a work-life balance with nearly a quarter working late into the night, according to a report by Alliance & Leicester.Concerns about the economic downturn, regulatory pressures and day to day worries are adding...

£10m fund launched for female entrepreneurs
2nd of July, 2008 (United Kingdom)
A £10m fund has been established to finance loans, training and mentorship for women entrepreneurs in the UK.Women can apply to borrow up to £30,000 in any one application from the loan fund which has been set up by business...

New £19 million small business help launched
2nd of July, 2008 (United Kingdom)
A £19m scheme to support existing and new businesses in south west and mid Wales has been launched. Almost 2,000 grants of up to £5,000 are initially available in five counties - Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Swansea, Pembrokeshire and Neath Port Talbot. Each company...

FSB Reconise 'On the Job' Training
25th of June, 2008 (United Kingdom)
Small businesses are not gaining the recognition they need when it comes to workplace training, a business lobby group has said. The comments, by the Federation of Small Business (FSB), came after secretary of state for innovation, universities and skills John...

Credit Crunch Fails to Deter Financial Services Start Ups
25th of June, 2008 (United Kingdom)
Entrepreneurs are proving resilient in the face of economic turbulence according to new start-up figures from Barclays. Although start-up figures for the first quarter of 2008 show a drop compared to the same time last year, the figures are the highest...

Insolvencies 'to rise 20pc' as number of court cases over unpaid bills soars
17th of June, 2008 (United Kingdom)
The number of companies being successfully sued in court for non-payment of bills has rocketed in a sign that the economic slowdown and credit crisis are forcing firms to break the law. County court judgments are seen as an "early indicator"...

Small Firms' Views Wanted on Public Procurement
17th of June, 2008 (United Kingdom)
Small firms are being asked for their views on how to increase opportunities for them to win more public sector contracts. As part of the Enterprise Strategy and Budget 2008, Anne Glover's committee, has issued an online call for evidence as...

Manchester Congestion Charge Prompts Business Outcry
13th of June, 2008 (United Kingdom)
Businesses have protested against a decision to introduce congestion charging in Manchester. Transport secretary Ruth Kelly told Commons ministers she backed the £2.8bn scheme ‘in principle’, announcing the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) would receive £1.5bn from the government’s Transport...

SMEs Overwhelmed by Regulatory Demands
13th of June, 2008 (United Kingdom)
Small businesses in the financial services sector say they are struggling to meet the demands of the industry regulator, the Financial Services Authority (FSA). They have also told the FSA that continuous increases in fees is causing considerable concern and urged...

Milton Keynes Most Expensive Place to do Business
6th of June, 2008 (United Kingdom)
Milton Keynes has topped a list of the most expensive places to run a small business outside London. According to a report by Alliance & Leicester, Milton Keynes is the most expensive place to rent cost of retail space, with business...