Business Matters - UK's leading SME business magazine

Half of company directors unaware employees who use personal car for work are company’s responsibility

A study commissioned by Driving for Better Business (DfBB), the government-backed Highways England programme to help employers reduce work-related road risk, highlights a concerning trend among UK businesses around the management of employees who use their personal car for work purposes – also known as ‘grey fleet.’

Ex-TalkTalk director who led cyber security operation after £77m data breach sues over claims £110,000 salary was 40% less than men doing same role

A former TalkTalk executive suing the telecoms giant under the equal pay law today described her redundancy from the company as a ‘sham’.

Employees lying about being sick cost UK businesses £5.6 Billion in 2019

UK workers who lied to take a sick day from work cost UK businesses £5.6 billion in 2019, a recent study has revealed.

Retail sales continue to fall flat in January

Retail sales volumes were flat for the third consecutive month in the year to January with no growth expected next month.

4 easy ways to implement a wellbeing programme

A robust wellbeing programme is really more than just a solution to improved performance and reduced rates of absenteeism.

5 things to know about getting started with AI/ML

Companies around the world are investing tens of billions of dollars on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) and for good reason.

Countdown to the Self-Assessment deadline: tips on completing your tax return at the last minute

If you’re self-employed and thinking about filing your tax return online before the deadline of 31st January then this step-by-step guide will help you avoid any last-minute panic.

Half of company directors unaware employees who use personal car for work are company’s responsibility
Ex-TalkTalk director who led cyber security operation after £77m data breach sues over claims £110,000 salary was 40% less than men doing same role
Employees lying about being sick cost UK businesses £5.6 Billion in 2019
Retail sales continue to fall flat in January
4 easy ways to implement a wellbeing programme
5 things to know about getting started with AI/ML
Countdown to the Self-Assessment deadline: tips on completing your tax return at the last minute

Latest News…

Ex-TalkTalk director who led cyber security operation after £77m data breach sues over claims £110,000 salary was 40% less than men doing same role

A former TalkTalk executive suing the telecoms giant under the equal pay law today described her redundancy from the company as a ‘sham’.

Retail sales continue to fall flat in January

Retail sales volumes were flat for the third consecutive month in the year to January with no growth expected next month.

Government appoints new interim Small Business Commissioner

Phillip King has been appointed the interim Small Business Commissioner with immediate effect.

3m still to complete HMRC self-assessments in the next 4 days

Figures from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) show that over 2m people have completed their tax returns online so far in January 2020, 17.4% of the current annual total with more than 3m customers still to do so by 11.59pm on Friday 31 January.

Philip Hammond joins British bank OakNorth as adviser

The former chancellor Philip Hammond has taken his second job since quitting frontline politics last year, joining the British business bank OakNorth as an adviser.

‘Choice and quality of UK food will suffer’ if EU standards dropped

Diverging from European food standards risks knocking quality and hampering choice on supermarket shelves, ministers have been told.

Mortgage approvals jump in post-election boost for housing market

Banks approved the highest number of mortgages in more than four years last month, offering further evidence of a post-election boost in the housing market.

Businesses urged to crack down on office football chat

Talking about football or cricket in the workplace should be curtailed, a management body has warned.

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Business

Half of company directors unaware employees who use personal car for work are company’s responsibility

Employees lying about being sick cost UK businesses £5.6 Billion in 2019
4 easy ways to implement a wellbeing programme
5 things to know about getting started with AI/ML
Countdown to the Self-Assessment deadline: tips on completing your tax return at the last minute
The 3 key components required to running a good meeting
The top 10 small business risks

Profiled…

Getting To Know You: Roger Wood, Director, Midven

Roger Wood, Director and shareholder of Midven, Midland’s leading specialist venture capital company tells Business Matters what defines his way of doing business and provides insights to those that are just starting out!

Getting To Know You: Scott Mullins, CEO, Pimlico

Scott Mullins, Chief Executive of Pimlico, UK’s largest independent home services company tells Business Matters who he admires and, what, if he could, would he have done differently.

Marketing & Social Media

How to make data driven SEO decisions

The benefits of Facebook advertising for your business

Outsourcing digital marketing channels

Newswire

Struggling TSB set to close 100 branches and axe staff

Business Matters

FTSE 100 outperforms European counterparts as oil and tobacco stocks gain
Pound sinks ahead of second Brexit parliamentary vote
Ocado shares rise on reports of Marks & Spencer deal
Sterling rallies on hope UK can avoid no-deal Brexit

Get Funded

Facebook boosts British tech sector with 1,000 new jobs

A thousand jobs are to be created by Facebook in Britain this year in a significant boost to the technology sector before Brexit.

Get Work partners with Google to help tradespeople grow their businesses

Get Work has partnered with Google to provide a fully automated lead generation service for tradespeople.

5 top tips for securing investment in 2020

One of the biggest challenges for entrepreneurs is raising enough capital to turn ideas, plans and passions into feasible businesses.

Businesses raising £2.1m every week to increase shoppers and visitors

Businesses are leading the fight back against struggling high streets by clubbing together and raising millions of pounds to improve them.

British tech start-ups beat France and Germany combined to win record investment

Investors put record sums into British digital start-ups last year, cementing the country’s position as Europe’s most vibrant hub for fast-growing technology-enabled businesses.

British Patient Capital commits $45m to Balderton Capital Fund

British Patient Capital, a subsidiary of the British Business Bank, has committed $45m into Balderton Capital Fund VII, as it closes at $400m.

Mark Williams Francesca Irving Claire Vokes Alexis Charkiw & Jamie McGowan

Coworking Hackathon leads to £100k investment

A business born out of a twelve-hour hackathon has been awarded £100k to turn its pitch into a prototype.

Global training firm invests to diversify into offshore wind safety

The world’s leading safety training provider has made a five-figure investment at its Aberdeen facility to diversify into offshore wind safety training.

Porky Whites gets new sizzle with £750,000 funding boost

Porky Whites, the family-owned brand, which has been serving its special-recipe bangers since 1935 has been given a new sizzle with £750,000 in funding from Independent Growth Finance (IGF).

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Legal

Why Cyber risk is the number one business risk in 2020

In January the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) fined DSG Retail Limited (DSG) £500,000 after a ‘point of sale’ computer system was compromised as a result of a cyber-attack, affecting at least 14 million people.

Considerations in selling to an employee ownership trust

Employee ownership of a company is not a new concept. It has been around for a while, with employees enjoying direct ownership as shareholders, often receiving dividends that supplement salary,

Automated Facial Recognition Technology (AFR): Big Brother in action?

Artificial intelligence continues to be in the news. One area that has hit the headlines recently is the use of AFR – automated facial recognition technology – which is now well established.

Avoiding GDPR Fatigue

Over the last 18 months, it’s clear that GDPR has contributed to the complete overhaul of the way we handle our data.

Brexit, data and the EU – the forgotten border question?

Much discussion of Brexit centres on the trade in goods. If we leave without a deal, will there need to be a hard border in Ireland? Will Kent become a lorry park? What will we be paying in tariffs?

Keeping your data close to your chest – the re-emergence of First Party Data

Changes in data protection laws and an evolving market environment have led some big companies to take an apparent step backwards and rely more and more on first party data.

How can setting up a trust help to reduce inheritance tax?

A trust is a legal arrangement where money, property or investments are formally transferred to a select group of people (trustees) or a trust company.

Betting on a bundle of rights – how the law protects data

Data is the oil of the digital economy – whether it’s personal data or other sorts of data.

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Made in Britain

Made in Britain: Twisted Automotive

From purchasing some of the remaining Land Rover Defenders off the production line in 2016, the business now turns over £10 million Twisted Automotive provides customised versions to UK and global fans of the vehicle.

Great British Brands: London Morgan

London Morgan Founder Nigel Smith tells us about why passion is a crucial ingredient within their company.

The British brands cutting through traditional industries

British brands aren’t afraid to be innovative. Throughout history, they have established themselves as industry leaders within a number of sectors internationally, from fashion to food and drink.

Made in Britain: Manasamitra

Manasamitra is a South Asian arts organisation delivering cultural experiences in traditional and innovative ways.

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