Bibby Financial Services is to start offering the Export Insurance Policy, which protects businesses against the risk of non-payment by overseas buyers, to its customers which will allow further funding for exporting businesses. The policy is provided by UK Export Finance (UKEF), the government body created to support exporting businesses, as well as SMEs looking to trade overseas, by providing credit insurance policies, political risk insurance and guarantees on bank loans. Regions covered by the... Read more >

Cash flow remains a significant challenge to large numbers of UK businesses, according to new research from Santander Corporate & Commercial. Almost one in six (17 per cent) respondents in a UK-wide study said they were ‘very’ concerned about managing cash flow effectively over the next 12 months, with a further 27 per cent saying they were ‘quite’ concerned. Around half (46 per cent) of businesses report being hit by at least one recent cash flow setback – with late/ failed payments... Read more >

WorldPay and The Start-Up Loans Company have announced an agreement which will see WorldPay become the recommended payments processor for entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs receiving loans and support from The Start-Up Loans Company will now also be offered a cost-effective way to take card payments and grow their business, backed-up by first rate customer support through WorldPay’s Pay As You Go (PAYG) Card Acceptance Service. Geraldine Wilson, managing director, Micro Merchants at WorldPay, commented:... Read more >

Beatrice Bartlay, managing director of jobs agency 2B Interface, is spearheading a campaign to ensure that small businesses such as hers don’t suffer as a result of larger companies taking a lax approach to paying outstanding invoices. In perhaps one of the most significant pieces of VAT news for quite some time, Bartlay is calling for late payers to face a 20% VAT fine should they exceed a 60-day payment window. After this point, the offending company would pay additional VAT on the goods or services... Read more >

New research reveals that small to medium sized business owners in the UK are neglecting to provide staff with adequate training and development support, with almost half (47.6%) of those surveyed feeling that their boss doesn’t take their personal development seriously, and a quarter (27.90%) admitting to having never discussed training or personal development at all. While the recession may have forced some SME owners to focus their priorities elsewhere, with the economy slowly improving employers... Read more >

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