The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, risks fuelling inflation and damaging small business growth if she reduces the VAT registration threshold in the Autumn Budget, according to leading audit, tax and business advisory firm Blick Rothenberg. The warning comes amid growing speculation that the Treasury is considering lowering

The Co-op has warned that Britain’s high streets face a tipping point, with new research revealing that 60,000 small shops and 150,000 jobs could vanish without urgent reform of the business rates system. The warning comes ahead of the Autumn Budget and follows YouGov research commissioned

Japanese investors have poured almost £118 million into Greater Manchester over the past year, in a fresh sign of the region’s growing international profile — but business leaders say Whitehall must match that confidence with long-term support for regional growth. New figures show a surge in

Lloyds Banking Group has set aside an additional £800 million to cover potential compensation claims related to the car finance mis-selling scandal, as the UK’s financial regulator finalises plans for a sweeping redress scheme. The FTSE 100 lender said the provision “reflects the increased likelihood of

Electric vehicle charging software company Fuuse has raised a further £6 million from its existing investors, Par Equity and YFM Equity Partners, as it accelerates growth and moves closer to profitability. The Lancaster-based platform — which provides EV charge point management software and services — said

Financial experts have urged the Chancellor to abandon any plans to expand VAT coverage in the forthcoming Budget, warning that the move would “bludgeon UK consumers and businesses”, drive up costs and undermine key government policy goals. The warnings come amid reports that Treasury officials are