Filed under: sme
3 storiesThe archive, indexed. Every story carries its tags at the foot of the page.
Tax
SME R&D claims fall 19% as HMRC tightens the gate
HMRC counted 40,325 R&D tax credit claims in 2024-25, down 17 per cent, while the money claimed rose to £8.2bn. Fewer, bigger claimants are taking more of it.
№ 298 · 2 October 2026
Policy
IoD asks Chancellor for five Budget changes, from tax to AI
The Institute of Directors has set out five priorities for the Autumn Budget. Three of them land directly on small employers: tax predictability, the Employment Rights Act, and a single AI support scheme for SMEs.
№ 233 · 13 September 2026
Startup news
Small-firm AI use doubles to 47%, but only 19% feel confident
Simply Business says half of UK small business owners now use AI tools. Its own survey also finds a third use them only for routine admin, and security worries top the list of reasons the rest stay out.
№ 216 · 10 September 2026