HLAS

Some small businesses in Oxford hit hardest by delays to the Botley Road railway works may soon get a financial boost. The government has confirmed up to £850,000 in goodwill payments from Network Rail to recognise the disruption caused. Network Rail will contact affected businesses directly this week, with more details on how to apply coming soon. While the full project – part of the Oxford Station Enhancement Project – isn’t expected to finish until 2026, the project is back on track after delays and the free Botley Flyer bus and other local support measures remain in place to help [...]

Legal services providers accredited under the Specialist Quality Mark (SQM) will benefit from a major change later this year. From 1 October 2025, the SQM accreditation period will be extended from three years to five years, meaning SQM holders will not have to be audited as frequently – a welcome relief from admin work! Who will this affect? The extended accreditation period will apply to any provider undergoing either a Pre-Quality Mark Audit or a Post-Quality Mark Audit on or after 1 October 2025. For example, a provider who completes their audit on 3 October 2025 and is awarded the [...]

The UK Government has unveiled plans for a new National Housing Bank, supported by £16 billion in financial capacity. The initiative aims to deliver more than 500,000 new homes and unlock £53 billion in private sector investment. Operating as a subsidiary of Homes England, the Bank is designed to support small and medium-sized housebuilders by partnering with private lenders to increase access to funding – including products like revolving credit – to help accelerate housing development and business growth. Key Goals of the National Housing Bank According to government sources, the Bank will focus on:• Accelerating housebuilding by unlocking complex [...]

The latest data from the Office for National Statistics reveals a marginal fall in the main inflation rate, dropping from 3.5% in April to 3.4% in the 12 months to May. A closer look at the figures behind the overall rate highlights a continued rise in food costs – now climbing for the third consecutive month. Food inflation stands at 4.4%, marking the highest level recorded since February 2024. Some commentators suggest these increases may be partly due to businesses passing on the impact of April’s rise in employer’s National Insurance contributions. However, this is not the sole driver. A [...]

The UK government plans to change procurement rules so that businesses working on major public infrastructure projects help create local jobs and provide skills training. The changes, currently under consultation, will apply to large-scale public investments in roads, railways, hospitals and schools. For businesses in sectors such as construction, civil engineering, transport infrastructure, and building services, this shift could influence how contract bids are assessed - and who wins the work. What’s changing? Under the new plans, public bodies will be expected to favour bids that clearly show how the business will benefit the local community. This might include commitments [...]

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided to keep the Bank of England base rate at 4.25% following its latest review last Thursday. Their decision was not a great surprise. Inflation is currently standing at 3.4% for May, which is a slight drop since April but is still a significant high after reductions in the rate earlier this year. The MPC considers that inflation will now remain at this level for the rest of the year before falling back towards 2% next year. The MPC also noted their concerns over a softening in the labour market and continued global economic [...]

Emma Jones CBE, founder of Enterprise Nation, has been named the next Small Business Commissioner, officially taking on the role from 23 June 2025. She succeeds Liz Barclay and will lead the charge in tackling late payments and promoting better payment practices across the UK. The position of Small Business Commissioner was established to support the UK’s 5.5 million small businesses, especially in their interactions with larger organisations. Late payment continues to be a major challenge for small business owners and the self-employed. According to recent findings from Intuit QuickBooks, SMEs were owed an average of £21,400 in overdue payments [...]

If you're thinking about purchasing a property – particularly for investment purposes – one key decision you'll need to make is whether to hold it in your own name or via a limited company. This choice can significantly impact your tax position, finances, and administrative duties, and there isn’t a universal answer that suits everyone. Here are some key points to consider: Tax on ProfitsA frequent reason investors opt for a limited company structure is the difference in how profits are taxed. When property is held personally, rental income is taxed as personal income. For higher-rate taxpayers, this could mean [...]

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched a new strategy focused on ensuring that organisations develop and implement AI and biometric technologies in a lawful and responsible manner. Recent research highlights growing public concern over the potential risks of these technologies when misused. For example, 54% of respondents expressed worry that police use of facial recognition technology could infringe upon their privacy rights. At the strategy launch, Information Commissioner John Edwards stated: “Public trust is not threatened by new technologies themselves, but by reckless applications of these technologies outside of the necessary guardrails.” The ICO’s new approach aims to provide [...]

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has published new guidance to help businesses identify and protect against the risks of holding sensitive personal information. The guidance can help you to understand what sensitive personal information is and identify any that your business holds. It also provides some principles that, if applied, can reduce risks from holding that data. Here’s a brief review of the guidance. What is Sensitive Personal Information? NCSC explains that there is no formal definition of what sensitive personal information (SPI) is. They explain that it’s necessary to consider possible risks that are associated with sensitivities in [...]