The first reforms under the Employment Rights Act have come into force. These enhance trade union powers for the benefit of employees. Key changes include the repeal of most of the provisions of the Trade Union Act 2016. They include instead new protections against dismissal for participating in industrial action. One of the partners at Mayer Brown said that “This is a gamechanger. One that will put an even greater onus on employers to prove cause”. Additional measures, including whistleblowing protections, will take effect on 6 April,. Expectation is that employers are planning redundancies ahead of unfair dismissal reforms coming into force next January. The cap on compensation for unfair dismissal will also be lifted. This could also become a significant issue for those employing high earners.
iBOSS Comment:
Much concern is being expressed over the recent rises in unemployment figures which currently stands at around 5%+. Speculation is that this will continue to grow over the months ahead! If employing staff is a problem then call us on 07876 503830 or e-mail phil@theiboss.co.uk and request one of our free consultations to explore options including the possibility of implementing our IMS service.
#employmentrights #Employment #temporaryemployment
The chief executive of Associated British Foods, (owner of Primark), has warned that the Government’s delay in addressing a tax loophole benefits Chinese firms and is harming UK retailers. He has urged ministers to eliminate a rule allowing firms like Shein and Temu to ship parcels worth up to £135 without duty. While Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced plans for a crackdown, it may not occur until March 2029! Mr Weston said: “The current delay benefits those without a UK footprint and is unacceptable.” Other industry leaders, including Andrew Goodacre of the British Independent Retailers Association, support immediate measures to level the playing field for UK businesses. He said an interim flat fee would raise “enough money to remove business rates for high streets, fund High Street investments and with change left over.” In further support the chief executive of homeware retailer Dunelm, commented: “We would welcome anything that creates a level playing field.”
iBOSS Comment:
One can only hope that Ms Reeves will listen to Mr Goodacre’s comments and takes swift action to plug at least one hole in our leaking balance of payments! Particularly interesting are his comments on the revenue that could be raised and what it would fund!
If you need help in planning your business or are thinking of exporting and need advice callus on 07876 503830 or complete the enquiry form on our web site and request one of our Free 2-hour consultations.
Labour’s plan to let trade unions into workplaces according to the Telegraph. It points out that this could hit small businesses with a £680m bill. Under the Employment Rights Act, union officials will be granted “statutory right of access” to workplaces on a weekly basis. This is to allow them to work to increase membership. It is reported that Employers who block union access could face a fine of £75,000 for a single offence, rising to £150,000 for repeated offences. The Adam Smith Institute, a free market think tank, has called for the Government to exempt all SMEs from the statutory access rules to avoid them being disproportionately harmed by the policy. Both Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, and Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrat business spokesman, are calling for measures to ensure small businesses wouldn’t suffer any added burdens.
iBOSS Comment:
More legislation that is potentially harmful to the interests of SMEs. Hopefully the FSB and maybe even the CBI will lobby the Government to take the pressure off SME businesses. If you are concerned by this, can we suggest do some lobbying!
City AM reports that the hospitality sector in Britain is facing significant challenges, with four businesses closing daily. According to the NIQ Hospitality Market Monitor, the number of food and drink venues decreased by 0.4% between October and December 2025. This resulted in a net loss of 382 businesses. The chief executive of UKHospitality, said: “The cost challenges facing hospitality businesses continue to grow.” Industry leaders have now warned that without comprehensive support, closures and job losses will escalate. UKHospitality forecasts that 963 restaurants, 574 hotels, and 540 pubs could close in 2026 without support. This comes ahead of an increase in business rates which will apply to all hospitality businesses with the exception of pubs.
iBOSS Comment:
The Chancellor is looking at yet another U-turn based on the disastrous miscalculation of the effect the increases in business rates would have, particularly on the hospitality industry. Even this looks currently to be inadequate! Some help for Pubs but what about the rest of the Hospitality industry
If you are an SME involved in hospitality and experiencing financial &/or operational difficulties at the moment then call us at iBOSS for a Free consultation on how we may be able to help. Call Phil on 07876 503830 or e-mail phil@theiboss.co.uk . Take advantage of our many years of experience in hospitality!
Monzo has introduced a free, HMRC-recognised tax tool to assist sole traders and landlords with the upcoming Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax regulations, effective April 2026. The tool allows users to submit tax updates directly through the Monzo app. This simplifies the filing process. Research shows that 52% of sole traders find tax management stressful, with many unprepared for the MTD changes. Jordan Shwide, general manager at Monzo Business, said: “By launching a free, HMRC-recognised tax tool, we’re making it easier for sole traders to send tax updates straight from their bank account.” The tool will be available before the new tax year begins.
iBOSS Comment:
Sounds like a very good idea although, as they say, “Proof of the pudding . . . etc.”. Well worth looking into, especially if one has little experience in this field. Might even save some accountancy fees! Certainly if you are looking for a bank for your business, worth considering Monzo, just take make sure it can provide all of the commercial finance services you may need!. If in doubt, ask.
Both the FT and the Telegraph report that The Chancellor has stated that only pubs will receive tax relief from the Government’s recent business rates U-turn. This leaves other hospitality businesses without the support they need. She was speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos. She went on to say “The situation the pubs face is different from others in the hospitality sector.” Not surprisingly this decision has drawn criticism from industry leaders. They point out that the circumstances pubs face are not unique. The challenges, including economic and tax cost pressures, all of those are common across the whole hospitality sector. Kate Nicholls, the chairman of UKHospitality points out that that the specific issues on business rates that pubs face are also shared by hotels, “A whole hospitality problem needs a whole solution. The package needs to be substantive, and it needs to be sector-wide, otherwise it risks being too little, too late. More businesses are going to be closing.”
iBOSS Comment:
Ms Nicholls is basically right in that support is needed across the board for many hospitality businesses. Whilst it has recently been reported that on average one pub is closing each day in the UK, hospitality in general is suffering. Looking forward it is questionable whether this situation will improve soon with the present economic uncertainties. If you have a hospitality-oriented business and are struggling to survive, let alone grow, then contact us at iBOSS and request one of our free consultations on how we may be able to help. We have considerable experience in the hospitality industry. Simply call phil on 07876 503830 or e-mail him at phil@theiboss.co.uk.
The Times reports that businesses are reconsidering their vehicle choices. This is due to new tax rules introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The problem is that the changes classify double-cab pick-up trucks as cars for tax purposes. This potentially doubles the tax bill for employees. Simon Down from Deloitte said: “Taking these vehicles under the revised tax treatment will lead to significant cost increases.”
iBOSS Comment:
Another oversight by a struggling Chancellor. Having said that, if you are considering buying new fleet vehicles then give us a call at iBOSS on 01327 349779 to learn how we can help. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee to make the Chancellor change her mind about this change in the Tax situation. We can only hope that others make her see sense!
Research by Vodafone Business claims that 10% of British firms could face closure as a result of cyber-attacks. According to the study a combination of poor crisis planning, weak password practices, and employee susceptibility to phishing scams are the likely sources of vulnerability. It is reported that, on average, employees use their work passwords for 12 personal accounts. Nearly 75% of business leaders believe at least one staff member would fall for a convincing phishing email. Nick Gliddon from Vodafone said: “These findings are truly alarming,” emphasising the significant risk faced by UK businesses.
iBOSS Comment:
Whilst this research will be of particular concern to larger businesses with more employees and greater turnover, it none-the-less applies also to SMEs. A warning not to be ignored! If you have ‘IT conversant’ staff then ensure they monitor internal systems security and change passwords on a regular basis. If not then we strongly recommend using a reliable outside agency on a regular basis. If in doubt as to who to speak to, give us a call at iBOSS on 07876 503830 or e-mail phil@theiboss.co.uk .
According to City AM more young UK adults are considering embarking on entrepreneurship. This is based on a report by financial services firm Block. It reveals that 67% of 18–34-year-olds interviewed are interested in starting a business. This appears to be contrary to many recent reports of a decline in business confidence and rising job losses among UK SMEs. According to the Block report one in ten young people plan to launch a venture within the next year. There is, however, the usual major obstacle. That is the difficulty of raising traditional finance that is hindering their ambitions. It is claimed that, with 50,000 small firms denied loans annually, this has resulted in a £4bn economic loss.
iBOSS Comment:
The ambition to start and grow businesses is there, but many entrepreneurs still find the financial system stacked against them. Unfortunately this is a well-known problem that has existed for many years in the UK, made worse by the increasing tendency of the Main Banks to withdraw from Funding the start-up market. If you are one of these people considering entrepreneurship but would appreciate some professional advice then look no further than the Team at iBOSS. Call Phil on 07876 503830 or e-mail him at Phil@theiboss.co.uk and request one of our free, no-strings consultations or look around our web site www.theiboss.co.uk .