Latest news and industry insights

A leading think tank has criticised the fiscal rules that the Chancellor uses to determine the government’s tax and spending plans. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has suggested that reducing complex finances to a pass‑or‑fail number misses the bigger picture.

With just a few weeks to go until the beginning of a new tax year, a new round of tax changes take effect from April 2026. While many people won’t see a big difference in their day-to-day tax position, there are some areas worth having on the radar.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced a set of proposed commitments from Apple and Google that could make it easier for UK businesses that rely on app stores to reach their customers.

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) has launched a new weekly podcast series, ‘DBS discussions: Safeguarding in Focus,’ aimed at employers, HR teams and anyone working in safeguarding.

HM Revenue & Customs has started using GOV.UK One Login for taxpayers signing up to its digital services for the first time.

HMRC has estimated that around a million people missed the 31 January 2026 Self Assessment tax return filing deadline.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced a set of proposed measures aimed at increasing fairness, transparency and choice for businesses and consumers using Google’s search services in the UK.

Enterprises that pay business rates are being encouraged to check their current property valuation and make sure the details held by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) are correct.

The latest Business Confidence Monitor, an Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales survey, shows confidence continuing to fall. Confidence has now fallen for six consecutive quarters and is now at its lowest since the final three months of 2022.

If you are a small VAT-registered business, how you calculate your VAT could make a real difference to your cash flow and the time you spend keeping records.

It has been announced that eligible pubs and live music venues in England will receive a 15% discount on their business rates bills in 2026/27. Rates bills will then be frozen in real terms for a further two years.

UK wage growth eased to 4.5% between September and November 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics, reflecting a notable slowdown in private sector pay.

A national expansion of WorkWell, a health-and-employment support service, is set to take place across England, following a successful pilot that helped more than 25,000 people stay in or return to work.

Small Business Britain is set to roll out its Small and Mighty Enterprise Programme, a six-week online course designed to help sole traders and micro businesses unlock growth opportunities.

With just 10 weeks or so to go until the new tax year, many businesses are preparing for the changes that Making Tax Digital (MTD) will bring. From April, sole traders and landlords with an income of over £50,000 will need to submit quarterly updates to HMRC.