HMRC is warning VAT-registered businesses that Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT becomes mandatory from 1st April. Businesses have less than one week left to ensure they are using compatible software to submit VAT returns, when online submissions become mandatory. Making Tax Digital is part of the … [Read more...]
News for: Finance
Fuel duty cuts and changes to NI threshold among Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement announcements
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a cut to fuel duty and an increase in the NI payment threshold among measures to ease the impact of the rising cost of living in his Spring Statement, delivered to Parliament on Wednesday 23rd March. Addressing colleagues in the House of Commons, Mr Sunak … [Read more...]
North-west leaders react to 2022 Spring Statement
Business and political leaders across the North-west have largely welcomed measures announced in the 2022 Spring Statement, but also called on the Chancellor to do more to address the rising cost of living. On Wednesday March 23rd, Rishi Sunak announced changes to National Insurance thresholds, … [Read more...]
Bank of England base rate rises to 0.75%
The Bank of England has elected to raise its base interest rate to 0.75%, the second consecutive increase in 2022. The 0.25 percentage point rise restores interest rates to their pre-pandemic level, and the joint highest since March 2009 at the height of the credit crunch. The decision to … [Read more...]
UK retailers see prices rise at fastest rate in a decade
Prices rose 1.8% month-on-month in UK shops, according to the British Retail Consortium's (BRC) latest Shop Price Index. February's figure was the highest rate of price inflation recorded by the BRC since November 2011. The steep rise has been driven largely by increases in the costs of fresh … [Read more...]
North West to see record year of equity investment
A new report from the British Business Bank has found that the markets conditions are ripe for the North West to see record levels of equity investment in 2022. The British Business Bank this week published results of its eighth annual Small Business Finance Market 2021/22 survey which found the … [Read more...]
Inflation rises to 30-year high in Consumer Prices Index
The latest inflation data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has seen the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) reach a 30-year high of 5.5%. The latest rises in inflation represent the fastest growth in prices for consumer goods since March 1992, when, based on historical modelling, the … [Read more...]
Wilmslow RBS branch earmarked for closure
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) branch in Wilmslow town centre is among 32 branches set to close in 2022 across the RBS and NatWest group. The branch on Water Lane is set to close on 22nd June 2022 as the wider banking group looks to reduce its high street presence as more customers shift to … [Read more...]
Wilmslow finance start-up appoints new MD
Wilmslow based finance start-up MS Lending has announced the appointment of a former Together executive as the firm's new MD. Rob Goodall (pictured) joins the Wilmslow start-up after previously holding the role of Head of Specialist Lending at Cheadle-based financial services group, Together. … [Read more...]
British bank announces £500 million Green SME Fund
Speaking at the COP26 global climate summit, HSBC, has announced the launch of a £500 million Green SME Fund to help small businesses transition to net-zero. The launch of the fund is part of a global commitment by the banking group to provide green finance up to $1 trillion over the next five … [Read more...]
Chancellor pledges ‘stronger economy’ in 2021 Autumn Budget
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has set out his plans to ‘create a stronger economy’ in his 2021 Autumn Budget and Spending Review, announced on 27th October. In his address to Parliament, the Chancellor set out his plans to ‘build back better’ and highlighted ambitions for levelling-up and reducing … [Read more...]
North-west responds to 2021 Autumn Budget
Business leaders across the North-west have had a mixed response to the Chancellor’s 2021 Autumn Budget, announced on 27th October. Chancellor Rishi Sunak set out the government’s latest spending plans on 27th October, announcing a raft of measures aimed at supporting the UK economy after the … [Read more...]