COVID-19 Business News

Covid, downward graph, pandemic debt concept

SMEs and the wolf at the door

By LUCY TROTT and KATIE PHILIPSON THROUGHOUT the pandemic, a steady stream of government support was made available to prop-up businesses. As we move towards a...
Businessman in handcuffs. Covid scheme fraud illustration

Lengthy bans for directors who fiddled Covid scheme

AN AVERAGE of 35 directors are being banned by the UK Insolvency Service each month for abusing the Covid Support Scheme. That’s almost treble the...
Spanish property market, €3m plus house

Dream is alive, but the landscape has changed for UK second-home...

The pandemic pain in Spain falls mainly on the lower end of the property market — but, as HAL WILLIAMS discovers, international second-home owners...
UK Government loan

Covid-19 loan schemes ‘a debt, not a grant’ cautions UK Finance

UK BUSINESSES are pessimistic about their growth potential once the COVID-19 crisis passes. A survey of 1,200 firms has found that the pandemic has negatively...
Female speaker, training class, skills gap

Staffing association calls on UK government to address skills gap

LABOUR market data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics have elicited a welcome — and a caution — from the Association of Professional...
Business concerns 2022

Rising inflation is top concern of small businesses for 2022

Research by lender iwoca has unearthed some concerns for business in 2022 WITH rising inflation predicted by the Bank of England and the threat of...
wages, salary, furlough

Employers welcome UK government decision to extend furlough scheme

By Hal Williams A DECISION to extend the British government’s furlough programme has been met with relief by UK employers. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi...
Samsung phone

Samsung sees jump in Q2 profits thanks to remote working trend

SAMSUNG Electronics earnings have been boosted by the work-from-home boom. The world’s largest smartphone manufacturer announced Q2 operating profits up 23 percent compared with last...
Online Banking, Laptop

Banks ramp-up tech recruitment following pandemic — retail banking ‘may disappear’

The advance of digital currency is one thing, but the swiftness by banks to incorporate tech roles is another ANALYSTS predict online banking penetration in...
Tesco Colney Hatch by Michelle Davies

A crazed new world: coronavirus, paranoia, and Zombie Apocalypse shopping tips

By Hal Williams YOU WALK into the supermarket, intending to just pick up a few things, and wha…. ? The place is swarming. Shelves are...