Posted By Hari Srinivasan
Start-up scheme will help to drive economy, say UK officials
A start-up scheme launched by the Government will help to drive the economy, according to officials.
The Start Up Loans Company, which was established by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills in 2012, has so far helped to create 50,000 jobs.
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Over 100 new jobs to be created in the North East
Topic:
News - Business & Economy
Accenture has secured a £1.85 million grant from Let’s Grow North East to enable it to expand and create over 100 jobs in the region.
The professional services company has already increased its number of employees from 200 to 600 at its Newcastle Delivery centre over the past five years. Now, the company is planning to expand to a second office in Cobalt Business Park in North Tyneside and increase its number of employees to over 700.
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New cloud app launched for UK SMEs
Software company SAP has launched a new front-office solution to enable small UK businesses in the digital economy to run customer interactions more easily.
SAP Anywhere will provide businesses with a wide range of digital tools for customer engagement, e-commerce, marketing, inventory management and business analytics. Businesses will be able to have access to the tools on computers and mobile devices.
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Finance sector jobs soared in January, shows research
Topic:
News - Education & Careers
The number of job vacancies in the finance sector increased in January by 12 per cent more than in the same month last year, according to the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (Apsco).
Research showed that average salaries in banking jobs have increased by 4.9 per cent, whilst the average salary across all professional sectors in the UK increased by 4.2 per cent. Pay growth in the professional sector was found to be higher than the UK average recorded by the Office for National Statistics in the latter half of 2015.
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Over 50s want career development, survey finds
Topic:
News - Education & Careers
Workers of the age of 50 believe that companies are not helping them to put their skills and expertise into practice, according to an Ashridge survey.
The study, titled Don’t Put Baby (Boomers) in the Corner: Realising the Potential of the Over 50s at Work, found that a large number of respondents believe that their company is doing nothing to share skills and experience between different generations.
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Hertfordshire shortlisted for Better Business for All Awards
Topic:
News - Business & Economy
Hertfordshire has been shortlisted in two categories for the 2016 Better Business for All Awards. The awards are part of the Better Business for All programme, which was set up to create partnerships to identify problems faced by local businesses and provide them with support.
A shortlist of locations has been revealed, with Hertfordshire being shortlisted for the Partnership category for “establishing a strong partnership and producing tangible products and positive outcomes” and the innovation category for developing its own training programme.
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Business leaders back calls for self-employed support
Topic:
News - Business & Economy
Business leaders in Lancashire are backing calls for the self-employed to receive more support. A recent study carried out by businesswoman Julie Deane showed that self-employment in the UK has reached an all-time high, with over four million self-employed professionals in the country.
Deane has now called for self-employed professionals to receive the same rights as company employees, stating that they should not be disadvantaged.
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Digital literacy a “key requisite” in the workplace, shows YouGov research
Topic:
News - Education & Careers
Digital literacy is a “key requisite” in the workplace, according to new research from YouGov. The survey, which was commissioned by Capgemini UK, showed that young people in the UK are lacking the knowledge and experience required to be digitally savvy in the workplace.
Over 1,000 employers were surveyed, with over 80% agreeing that digital literacy is needed in the workplace, and 18% stating that young employees, whilst digitally savvy, are lacking the necessary digital skills required for working in a business environment.
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Financial services amongst the best-paid marketing jobs, shows research
Topic:
News - Education & Careers
The financial services sector is one of the best-paying sectors for junior marketing professionals, according to research from salary comparison website Emolument.
Research showed that junior marketing professionals working for banks and financial services companies earn an average salary of £37,000 with a £2,000 bonus.
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Firm reveals plan for £20m business hub to boost Scottish economy
Topic:
News - Business & Economy
A new £20m Dundee Waterfront hub will help to create jobs and grow the economy, according to developers. Plans have been announced for the creation of a new city square, which will include a “Design and Innovation Quarter.”
The project is being developed by Our Enterprise and will help to provide opportunities for the city’s graduates and entrepreneurs, as well as hosting a variety of businesses. The development also aims to attract creative industries and provide extra jobs and living opportunities in the area.
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Accountants are “resilient” to recession, says study
Topic:
News - Education & Careers
The accountancy sector is more resilient to recession than other employment sector in the UK, according to research from recruitment agency Randstad.
Research showed that the aggregate salary bill for the accountancy profession has increased more over the past 12 years than in other sectors, with a growth of 11.5 per cent, whilst the average wage bill for all professions in the private sector has dropped by 36.8 per cent.
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Co-working helps startups to thrive, says study
Shared workplaces help startups to thrive, according to a survey by Regus, a company that provides global workspace.
Research showed that over 70 per cent of business owners and senior managers in Scotland believe that co-working is the best working environment for businesses that are just starting out.
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Digital technology crucial to success of UK businesses, says report
Digital technology is crucial to the success of UK businesses, according to a report titled Understanding Digital Natives by IT provider Computacenter.
The report, which surveyed over 1,000 employees and IT managers, showed that whilst 77% of employees in the UK find technology frustrating, over 80% of employees believe that it is crucial to the success of a business.
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Sage Live launched for UK accountants
Software company Sage has launched Sage Live for UK accountants and entrepreneurs.
The company stated that the product is designed to enable small and medium-sized businesses in the UK to easily manage their finances.
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Data privacy self-assessment tool launched for SMEs
A data privacy self-assessment tool for SMEs has been launched by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to help them ensure that they are complying with the Data Protection Act.
The self-assessment tool will consist of a single questionnaire or a selection of checklists which can be completed online.
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UK economy improves in fourth quarter, according to ONS
Topic:
News - Business & Economy
The UK economy showed improvement in the three months to December with a growth of 0.5%, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Overall growth in 2015 was 2.2%, a figure that was predicted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Whilst the annual growth rate has been slow over the past few years, the UK economy is still one of the fastest growing of the developed nations.
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Bloomberg publishes list of most innovative UK startups
Bloomberg has published a list of the most innovative startups in the UK. The list, titled “Business Innovators 2016”, was selected by a panel of judges along with Bloomberg Head of European Technology News Nate Lanxon and Bloomberg Television’s Caroline Hyde.
The panel comprised ten business experts, including finnCap Ltd founder and CEO, Sam Smith, and ENTIQ Managing Director, Eric van der Kleij.
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PSC register implementation coming soon
Topic:
News - Accountancy & Finance
Preparations now need to be made by accountants and other professionals who may be responsible for maintaining the statutory registers of companies and LLPs.
The new register of people with significant control (the PSC register) will come into effect for companies from 6th April and will be extended to LLPs later in the year.
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UN calls for leisure tax to fund humanitarian aid
Topic:
News - Business & Economy
Countries should consider introducing a voluntary tax on leisure activities, a new United Nations (UN) study says.
Football matches or music concerts could have a levy that raises funds needed by the organisation for its humanitarian operations, the international body suggests.
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National insurance contributions allowance reform needed, believes CIOT
Topic:
News - Accountancy & Finance
The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) has called for a rethink on the new UK National Insurance contributions (NICs) allowance reform.
The professional body has questioned proposals that will exclude one-person businesses from claiming the National Insurance Employment Allowance (EA).
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Benefits of the new Personal Savings Allowance
Topic:
News - Accountancy & Finance
A new tax exemption on savings income comes into force on 6th April and will bring a range of benefits with it to many taxpayers.
The Telegraph reported that The Personal Savings Allowance (PSA) will be one of the most significant changes to personal finances in the year ahead as it gives every basic-rate taxpayer £1,000 of savings income free of tax.
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Company beneficial ownership rules confirmed by BIS
Topic:
News - Business & Economy
The government’s response to a consultation on new rules for companies has been published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
Company beneficial ownership information that sets out a record of a ‘person with significant control’ (PSC) will need to be registered when new legislation is announced later this month.
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R&D tax relief for SMEs goes live
Topic:
News - Accountancy & Finance
UK small and medium-sized businesses with a turnover of less than £2 million and which employ fewer than 50 people can now apply to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) for advanced approval on their R&D tax relief claim.
A new publication called “Making R&D Easier: HMRC’s plan for small business R&D tax relief” sets out the details of the measure that is being introduced following a period of consultation.
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Pension auto enrolment could catch out 500,000 employers
Topic:
News - Accountancy & Finance
Up to half a million small and micro employers will need to take action to meet new workplace pensions regulations this year.
Any that do not comply with new rules governing auto enrolment pension provision for all employees will risk a fine, warns a new campaign from The Pensions Regulator.
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HMRC writes letter regarding Scottish income tax
Topic:
News - Accountancy & Finance
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has written to individuals it believes to be Scottish residents for the purposes of the new taxation system that is due to be applied in the UK north of the border.
The Scottish rate of income tax is the biggest change to hit the taxation of individuals in the UK for many years, and now HMRC is sending letters to individual taxpayers who are on their database as holding an address in Scotland.
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