Latest news and industry insights

It has been announced that eligible pubs and live music venues in England will receive a 15% discount on their business rates bills in 2026/27. Rates bills will then be frozen in real terms for a further two years.

UK wage growth eased to 4.5% between September and November 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics, reflecting a notable slowdown in private sector pay.

A national expansion of WorkWell, a health-and-employment support service, is set to take place across England, following a successful pilot that helped more than 25,000 people stay in or return to work.

Small Business Britain is set to roll out its Small and Mighty Enterprise Programme, a six-week online course designed to help sole traders and micro businesses unlock growth opportunities.

With just 10 weeks or so to go until the new tax year, many businesses are preparing for the changes that Making Tax Digital (MTD) will bring. From April, sole traders and landlords with an income of over £50,000 will need to submit quarterly updates to HMRC.

If you are new to being self-employed or being a landlord, Self Assessment can feel like one of those jobs you know you should understand better, but never quite get around to.

It appears that the government has backtracked on plans to require workers to register with its new digital ID programme to prove their right to work in the UK.

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that all key auto-enrolment pension thresholds will remain unchanged for 2026/27.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) reports that more than 6.36 million people have already submitted their Self Assessment tax return for the 2024/25 tax year. However, they say around 5.65 million taxpayers still need to file, with the statutory deadline of 31 January 2026 now close.