HLAS

Next generation energy innovators will receive a £24 million cash boost to develop new technologies that will decarbonise UK industry, build home-grown energy supplies and help prepare the country for a net zero future. Thirty-seven British companies, including small and medium sized enterprises and start-ups, will get a share of the £19 million Energy Entrepreneurs Fund. The money will drive forward their innovations to reduce carbon emissions, develop clean energy and improve energy efficiency in people’s homes. The UK-wide projects will allow industry to play its part in helping the country meet its 2050 net zero target by delivering decarbonisation [...]

If you are planning to claim the UK state pension you should check your national insurance (NI) record before 5 April 2023. At present, voluntary contributions can be made to plug gaps back to April 2006, but this will be curtailed from April. National insurance (NI) contributions are made by employed and self-employed individuals based on their earnings. To qualify for the maximum ‘new state pension’ (received by those retiring on or after 6 April 2016) a person must have 35 qualifying years of NI contributions. For part payment of the ‘new state pension’ a person must have contributed for at [...]

Innovation has generally been recognised as essential for value creation, both for individual companies and for the UK economy. The development of new ideas, processes and technologies and their flow across different sectors is a significant driver of economic growth and productivity. Recently, innovation has also been identified as crucial to the transition of the economy away from fossil fuels and carbon-intensive business activities. There are many factors that affect whether and how businesses innovate, for example the availability of skills and capital and government policy measures such as tax incentives. However, none are more important that the company’s own [...]

From  7 February farmers and land managers can submit new applications for the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier, rewarding them for their actions to protect and improve their natural environment. Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier offers multi-year agreements and one-off grants for over 250 different actions farmers can take to enhance the environment alongside their farming business, from planting and maintaining new hedgerows or woodland through to restoring peatland and moorlands. The start of the application window comes after Defra announced an average increase of 10% for Countryside Stewardship revenue payment rates – covering ongoing activity such as habitat management. Capital payment rates, which [...]

Government-funded courses are now available, teaching skills such as chainsaw maintenance, coppicing, woodland management, and marketing and selling timber. The Forestry Training Fund is for people considering a change of career or those who are seeking to build and diversify their skills in forestry. The UK forestry and primary wood processing sectors support 32,000 jobs and contribute £2 billion to the economy every year, whilst secondary wood processing businesses support a further 60,000 jobs. The government has committed to increasing tree-planting across the UK to 30,000 hectares a year by the end of the Parliament to reach net zero emissions [...]

HM Treasury and the Bank of England are consulting on a potential digital pound, or central bank digital currency (CBDC). If introduced, a digital pound would be issued by the Bank of England and could be used by households and businesses for everyday payments in-store and online. It would also be interchangeable with cash and bank deposits, complementing cash. No decision has been taken at this stage to introduce a digital currency. See: The digital pound: A new form of money for households and businesses? - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

There have been numerous studies into the relationship between diversity and inclusion and company performance, and many of them have come to the same conclusion - diversity and inclusion is good for business. The biggest advantage of inclusive leadership is that inclusive leaders know how to unleash individual potential and create an environment where all talent can thrive and grow. The more people feel included, the more they speak up, go the extra mile, and collaborate — all of which ultimately lifts organisational performance. Inclusive leadership is emerging as a unique and critical capability helping organisations adapt to diverse customers, [...]

The Charity Commission is launching the next stage of its campaign to raise awareness of core trustee duties and guidance available as the sector faces challenges ahead. The Commission has developed a collection of short guidance on issues ranging from safeguarding people to managing conflicts of interest. Dubbed the ‘5-Minute Guides’, the collection serves as a basic toolkit for trustees who are managing the many demands of running a charity. The latest phase of the campaign, running to 16th March, aims to raise awareness of, and boost use of, the 5-minute guides. The regulator hopes this will increase knowledge and [...]

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing up to £25 million in the best game-changing and world-leading ideas. Ideas need to be designed for swift, successful commercialisation and be genuinely new and novel, not just disruptive within their sector. All proposals must be business-focused, with deliverable, realistic, adequately resourced plans to achieve return on investment, growth, and market share following project completion. Applications can come from any area of technology and be applied to any part of the economy, such as, but not exclusively: net-zero the arts design and media. To be in scope, your proposal must [...]

The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee announced on 2 February 2023 that it would increase the Bank of England base rate to 4% from 3.5%. HMRC interest rates are linked to the Bank of England base rate. As a consequence of the change in the base rate, HMRC interest rates for late payment and repayment will increase. These changes will come into effect on: 13 February 2023 for quarterly instalment payments 21 February 2023 for non-quarterly instalment payments. Late payment interest is set at base rate plus 2.5%. Repayment interest is set at base rate minus 1%, with a lower limit - [...]