Finance News

The Chancellor, John Healey, has given a number of speeches explaining how he intends to boost growth, reduce red tape and maintain fiscal responsibility.

The latest Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal a depressing landscape for UK companies. Foreign acquisitions of UK companies soared in value to £25.4 billion, up £9.7 billion from Q1 2026 and £15.7 billion higher than Q2 2025, highlighting how cheap UK company valuations are compared to foreign markets.

The UK government has unveiled its comprehensive response to the consultation on the post-2025 rollout of smart meters for non-domestic sites.

Companies House has changed its login process and from December objections to a limited company being struck off must be made through its ‘Make an objection’ online service.

From October 2026, companies will have to comply with new rules on trade unions introduced as part of the Employment Rights Act.

The tax rules on Benefits in Kind (BIKs) are changing. From 6 April 2027, Phase 1 of HMRC’s ‘Mandatory payrolling of Benefits in Kind and expenses’ comes into force. Phase 1 will apply only company cars, car fuel, vans, van fuel and medical benefits.

Energy regulator Ofgem has announced a 4% increase in the energy price cap for the period covering 1 October to 31 December 2026. This increase reflects higher wholesale gas prices due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with volatile global gas markets remaining the dominant driver of price changes.

UK businesses are facing a “cost of business crisis”, according to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). Its new cost-stack calculator shows government policy alone has pushed up an average firm’s expenses by 70% over the past decade, adding roughly £827,000 a year in costs for a typical mid-sized business. About a quarter of the rise stems from the increase in employer National Insurance contributions, with the higher minimum wage and mandatory pension auto-enrolment also major contributors.

Under Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax, sole traders and landlords with income of more than £50,000 have been required to keep digital records and send quarterly updates to HMRC since 6 April 2026.

The UK jobs market showed fresh signs of strain in the latest labour market figures, published by the Office for National Statistics on 18 August 2026.

Those who have turned their hobby into a side hustle are being reminded by HMRC that their income from these activities may be taxable.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has carried out searches at residential and business premises across the UK as part of an investigation into suspected nuisance marketing linked to car finance mis-selling claims.

Many businesses start the year with ambitious sales targets. The problem is that increased sales do not always translate into increased profits.

HMRC is using Playday, the national day for play, to remind working parents about the Tax-Free Childcare scheme, which can help eligible families meet the cost of nurseries, childminders, holiday clubs, breakfast clubs and after-school clubs.

According to a BBC report, businesses investing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) are finding it increasingly difficult to predict what their technology bills will look like, as reliance on AI increases.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Healey, has announced that Budget 2026 will be presented on 28 October 2026.

A shareholder’s agreement can be one of the most valuable documents a business ever puts in place. It allows a company’s owners to set out, in detail, how they will work together, make decisions, deal with disputes and manage future changes in ownership.

Acas, the workplace expert, have carried out research to find out which changes in the Employments Right Act 2025 are the hardest for businesses to adopt.

HMRC is writing to some self-employed individuals whose National Insurance (NI) records may contain gaps that could affect their State Pension.

A first-of-its-kind service for the UK has been launched to provide tax certainty to businesses planning to invest in major projects.