Apprenticeship starts are rising across England, especially at degree level. In 2024/25, degree apprenticeships jumped 12.5% to 36,570. Among A-level students, over half now say they want to start earning straight away, and nearly four in ten believe university isn’t necessary for a successful career.

Relendex and the British Business Bank have launched a £15m scheme to back SME housebuilders, co-investing up to 25% of eligible loans. With traditional banks often reluctant to lend, the move should make finance more flexible and help get stalled projects moving.

UK businesses cut jobs at the fastest pace in four years between June and August 2025. The April payroll tax rise added £25bn in employer costs, squeezing margins, pushing up prices and holding back wage growth.

Big businesses have often used their size to delay payments to smaller suppliers, putting real pressure on cash flow and making it harder to plan ahead. New government rules aim to change that with stricter reporting, stronger enforcement, and more power for the Small Business Commissioner to act early and fine repeat offenders.

Wages in the South West have risen over the past year, with average pay up around 5%. Once you factor in inflation, that’s a real-terms increase of just over 1%.Employment in the region increased modestly in early 2025, with around 47,000 new jobs added in the three months to March suggesting some upward pressure on…

SME borrowing remains tough. Rates peaked at 4.75% and are only just starting to ease, with many loans still tied to high floating rates. Approval rates are low, debt costs are high, and fewer small businesses are willing to take on finance.

Around 40% of small business corporation tax went unpaid in 2023–24, that’s nearly £15 billion. HMRC says it’s investing £1.7 billion to boost compliance, including thousands of new staff. A big gap like that raises questions about how organised their systems really are.

The April rise in employer National Insurance is already hitting hard. Surveys from multiple industry bodies reveal that approximately 20–22% of businesses have already made job cuts, with a further 33% planning additional reductions in the months ahead.We understand how tough things are right now and how many businesses are having to make difficult decisions.

We previously posted about government efforts to get high street banks lending more to small businesses. Now it’s paying off. SME lending has hit £4.6 billion in Q1 2025, the highest since 2022. Positive signs for business owners looking to borrow

The Bank of England announced on 19 June that rates will stay at 4.25%, but signs point to a cut soon.Three members voted to lower them, and August is looking likely. Positive news for small businesses hoping for lower borrowing costs.