Rural Business Category
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Technology boost for UK businesses
The EU Commission has published details on how businesses, including those in the UK, can get better access to the technologies that will help them to modernise. The package includes improving access to cloud computing and services, data analytics and the Internet of Things. Four areas of working are suggested as follows: digitising European industry, ...
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England’s Costal Path extended
Work is now underway to open more of England’s coastline as part of wider plans to complete a path that will eventually stretch out across 2,700 miles of stunning walking routes, covering 100% of the country's coastline by 2020. Currently people can explore 101 miles of coastline via the England Coast Path in Cumbria, Durham, Dorset and Norfolk, with a further 95 miles of new routes set to open in Kent and Somerset ...
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New food labels needed for local produce
The Government is calling on food producers and shops to give more information on labels about where in Britain their food comes from, as new research shows that almost 80% of people see buying local food as a top priority. According to the study, vegetables (51%) and meat (40%) topped the list of products that people would buy if a local option was available. Speaking ahead of the launch of British Food ...
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New measures to ensure fair pay
A package of measures to ensure people receive the pay they are entitled to has been announced by the Government, including: doubling the penalties for non-payment of the National Minimum Wage and the new National Living Wage increasing the enforcement budget setting up a new team in HMRC to take forward criminal prosecutions for those who deliberately do not comply ensuring that anyone found guilty will be considered for disqualification ...
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Bank lending to business recovering
In its latest forecast, EY’s ITEM Club sees the UK recovery looking encouraging, with GDP expected to grow by 2.7% in 2015. Consumer spending is on the rise and growth in business lending is predicted to move back into positive territory for the first time since 2008. However, banks are having to factor in the possibility of further fines for regulatory breaches, and the tax announcement in the Summer Budget, which will squeeze them further. Other ...
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CMA updates guidance on unfair contract terms
Consumer-facing businesses are being offered help complying with consumer law as the Competition and Markets Authority publishes new guidance on unfair contract terms. The move follows changes to the law in the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which come into force in October this year strengthening two pieces of legislation that target contract terms and notices that could be used to give firms ...
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£500,000 flooding support for rural communities
Six rural areas are to receive a share of a half-a-million pound fund for flood protection, Floods Minister, Rory Stewart, has announced. Under the “Pathfinder Projects” pilot scheme each pilot will support local authorities in developing innovative ways to apply for funding and combine smaller projects into larger and more effective flood risk management packages. The local authorities receiving funding to investigate and assess options are: Northamptonshire County Council
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Which? tackles misleading supermarket offers
Which? has launched a super-complaint against supermarkets that exaggerate discounts. The consumer group is asking the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate multi-buys and "baffling" offers that can create the illusion of savings that don't exist. The group claims that around 40% of groceries (by revenue) in the UK are currently sold on promotion. With £115 billion spent on groceries and toiletries in 2013, consumers could be collectively losing out to the tune of hundreds of ...
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Fraudsters use fake invoices to target firms
Fraudsters are targeting businesses by hiding malware inside fake emailed invoices which then steal online banking credentials, according to Financial Fraud Action, the UK’s fraud intelligence unit. The new tactic involves fraudsters emailing a business with an invoice purporting to be from a regular supplier or other trusted source. The invoice will be a normal looking word processing or spreadsheet document, however to view the file the recipient has to enable a macro – a set ...
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Business rates up for review
HM Treasury has launched a wide-ranging review of national business rates, examining the structure of the current system which is paid annually on 1.8 million properties in England. It will look at how businesses use property, what the UK can learn from other countries about local business taxes, and how the system could be modernised to reflect changes in the value of property. The review is set to report back by Budget 2016.
