By Partner Content on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs The online world brings lots of opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), but lots of risks too. Being able to take advantages of all those opportunities – like cloud-based services to store your data, use of mobile devices to work on the move, and remote working for you and your team – means having the right cybersecurity in place to keep you and your business safe. At Vodafone Business, we know that you’re busy and that cybersecurity can feel like just another ‘to do’ on your list ..read more

By Henry Williams on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs When starting your small business, taking out a comprehensive package of insurance policies should be pretty near the top of your setup checklist. However, many business owners leave insurance until the last minute or, worse still, fail to take out adequate cover for their needs, perhaps in a misguided attempt to reduce overheads or because they’re overwhelmed by the sheer range of insurance types available. Whatever the reason, if you don’t have appropriate protection and disaster strikes, you’ll be le ..read more

By Dom Walbanke on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs Generally, professional indemnity (PI) insurance covers a business from claims as a result of negligence, loss or damage. Some professions require you to have PI insurance in place before you can join their body – such as architects, accountants and bookkeepers. For electricians, trade bodies such as NICEIC require PI insurance if the scope of work includes periodic inspection and testing within their scope of certification. But even if your business isn’t required to have cover, due to the nature of the ..read more

By Ben Lobel on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs From April 2024, employees over 21 will be entitled to a National Living Wage (NLW) of £11.44 an hour. Although many businesses already pay their staff members the National Living Wage, some are expecting many challenges. Over a quarter (26 per cent) of retailers said the increase would lead to them hiring fewer people than they ideally would, while 33 per cent would need to increase their prices to accommodate the rise, according to a survey by Employment Hero. Increased overheads are likely to put pressure ..read more

By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs Having insurance for your cleaning business is an absolute essential – and it goes way beyond the slips and trips that you might expect. In this article, we’ll be looking at what insurance you need for your cleaning business, what restrictions you need to be careful of and how to find the right policy for you. What insurance will I need for my cleaning business? What other insurance could be useful for my small cleaning business? What restrictions might I come across? How do I find a policy that’s right f ..read more

By Dom Walbanke on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs As a new jewellery business, it’s great that you are already thinking about what small business insurance you need. There are a number of covers that may be useful, but to keep things simple you can opt to get them all included in a single business insurance policy. Types of insurance cover worth considering include: Tool insurance Business equipment or tools insurance covers the things that help you run your business such as your laptop, mobile phone, equipment, or tools for making your jewellery. Keep e ..read more

By Darryl Hoy on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs Small innovative businesses across the UK are strongly advised to take extra precautions when selecting advisors to assist with R&D tax reliefs as HMRC continues to crack down on fraudulent and error-strewn claims. Go straight to the sections you’re interested in or read on for the full guide. What is R&D tax relief? HMRC’s crackdown The growing impact of these changes What should innovative small businesses do? What is R&D tax relief? R&D tax credits have been one of HMRC’s most generous ..read more

By Partner Content on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs Small businesses face unique challenges when it comes to growth and scaling. From deciding which projects to take on and where to focus investment, to experiencing new scenarios and onboarding new employees on a regular basis, it can be a lot to navigate. But with the right strategies and tools in place, it’s possible to thrive.  One business that has experienced exceptional growth over the last four years is Myth Studio, a London based creative agency that produces explainer videos, motion graphi ..read more

By Ben Lobel on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs The government has announced that it will fully fund apprentices working in small businesses from April 1, 2024. They’ll do this by paying the full cost of training for anyone up to the age of 21. A change to the Apprenticeship Levy will allow large businesses to pass on a greater amount of funding to other businesses too. Combined, these measures are expected to enable 20,000 more apprenticeships, primarily for young people. Once only the domain of big businesses, apprenticeships are now a credible option f ..read more

By Bethan Harper on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs You might be thinking, “Do florists need insurance?” The simple answer is yes! It doesn’t matter what type of business you run, starting a company always comes with risks. And whether it’s financial losses or potential injuries, without the right insurance, an unprecedented and unfortunate event could leave you in an almost impossible situation. But, with so many types of insurance out there, it can be tricky to decide which to purchase. Luckily, a commercial combined insurance policy can make this proce ..read more