Business News
Older Workers ‘Feel Unsupported’ By Employers
More than two-fifths of older workers don’t feel supported by their employers when it comes to their career aspirations, according to research. Aviva surveyed 2,497 adults and found that 63% of employed over-50s are planning to retire later than they expected to 10 years ago. However, 44% of these older workers say they feel unsupported by their employer in realising their career ambitions and objectives. Aviva has urged employers to provide more support for this…
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Tenders
Carpet and Flooring Replacement Tender 2018-2021
Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Carpets, Mats and Rugs – 39530000 Carpets – 39531000 Carpet Tiles – 39531310 Show additional CPV codes for this notice Location of contract CV1 2UR Value of contract £180k – £250k Published date 02 August 2018 Closing date 03 September 2018 Contract start date…
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Tenders
London and Quadrant Housing Trust – Tender – Supply of Laminated Timber Flooring
London and Quadrant Housing Trust – Supply of Laminated Timber Flooring Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Solid flooring – 44112210 Laminated wood – 44191200 Parquet flooring – 45432113 Location of contract E15 1BJ Value of contract — Published date 24 July 2018 Closing date 10 September 2018 Contract start…
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Tenders
Tender Repairs to Floor Coverings Plymouth City Council
Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Floor coverings – 44112200 Location of contract South West Value of contract £100k Published date 31 July 2018 Closing date 17 August 2018 Contract start date 01 November 2018 Contract end date 31 October 2022 Contract is suitable for SMEs? Yes Contract is suitable…
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Tenders
Tender for the Provision of Flooring works to Magenta Living
Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Construction work – 45000000 Location of contract North West Value of contract £300k Published date 27 July 2018 Closing date 17 August 2018 Contract start date 01 October 2018 Contract end date 30 September 2021 Contract is suitable for SMEs? Yes Contract is suitable…
Read More » Higher Education ‘Crucial To Addressing Skills Gap’
Business owners face increasing competition to secure highly-skilled graduates, according to research by Universities UK. The report found that while 440,000 new professional-level jobs were created in 2016, there were only 316,690 first-degree graduates in the UK, leaving a recruitment shortfall of 123,310. It estimates that by 2030, the UK will face a talent deficit of between 600,000 and 1.2 million workers, affecting employers in both the financial and business services sector and in the…
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Tenders
Flooring Tender NHS South West – Acutes
Flooring Tender – NHS South West – Acutes – Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Flooring contract tender summary Industry Floor-covering work – 45432130 Location of contract Any region Value of contract £80k – £160k Published date 10 August 2018 Closing date 24 August 2018 Contract start date 17 September 2018 Contract end…
Read More » Early-30s Delay Milestones Due To Financial Insecurity
People in their early 30s are delaying life milestones because of financial insecurity, research by LV= has revealed. The study of 8,529 adults found that 24% of 30 to 35-year-olds are worried about the financial impact of milestones, such as having children or buying a home. Additionally, 17% say lack of financial confidence has caused them to put off these major life milestones. The research identified this generation as one of the least financially resilient…
Read More »Most Workers Favour Flexible Retirement
The majority of people working in the UK would prefer to take a flexible approach to retirement, rather than stopping work at state pension age. Research by Aegon found that 61% of UK workers expect to make some kind of transition to retirement, whether that’s working past their state pension age or switching to part-time work. Most respondents see continuing to work longer as a way to keep mentally and physically active (62%), while others…
Read More »1 In 2 Businesses Set To Grant Pay Rises
Half of businesses plan to give staff pay rises of more than 2% in the next year, according to joint research by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and Indeed. In a survey of 1,020 businesses, 50% of businesses said they planned to increase staff pay in line with inflation or above it. An additional 6% of firms expect to increase pay by more than 5%, while only 2% will decrease pay over the next…
Read More »Inheritance Tax Receipts Rise To £5.2bn
Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts hit a record high of £5.2 billion in 2017/18, according to statistics published by HMRC. This was a year-on-year rise of 8%, and continues a long-term pattern as IHT receipts have been increasing by an average of 10% a year since 2009/10. The report says this is partly due to rising estate values, as well as the nil-rate band – the threshold at which people are liable to pay IHT on…
Read More »Bank Of England Raises Interest Rate To 0.75%
The Bank of England has raised interest rates from 0.5% to 0.75% – the highest level since March 2009. The rise could mean slightly higher returns for savers, but increased costs for homeowners with variable mortgages. More than 3.5 million people in the UK have variable or tracker rate mortgages, which are affected by changes in interest rates. However, the majority (96%) of new mortgage loans are on a fixed interest rate, meaning these borrowers…
Read More »MPs Call For End To Lifetime ISA
A government committee has recommended that the Lifetime ISA should be abolished, a little over a year since it was launched. The Lifetime ISA was introduced in April 2017, and allows people aged 18 to 40 to open an account and benefit from a 25% government bonus on any savings towards a first home or retirement. The Treasury committee reported that the Lifetime ISA has received criticism over “its complexity, its perverse incentives, its lack…
Read More »SharkNinja invests in British Innovation
Premium home technology company SharkNinja, is investing £150m in the UK, developing products exclusively for the British market and doubling its R & D operation in London. US-based SharkNinja has chosen the UK as its base to spearhead expansion into Europe and aims to achieve sales of £500m within three years, more than trebling its current UK revenue. The company, which has a global workforce of 1700, is the number one company in the US…
Read More »Ombudsman ‘Not Ready’ To Handle More SME Disputes
MPs are doubtful that the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) will be able to handle disputes from SMEs, following a recent report. The FOS is an independent service that allows individuals and certain businesses to resolve disputes with financial service businesses. Currently, it can only review complaints from businesses with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover of up to €2 million. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has proposed to expand this remit to include…
Read More »Auto-Enrolment ‘Must Tackle Under-Saving’
The government must improve on auto-enrolment for under-savers – including the self-employed, a government report has argued. The Treasury committee reported that despite the success of auto-enrolment so far, more needs to be done for the 12 million people who are still under-saving for retirement. Under auto-enrolment, employees who are aged between 22 and state pension age and earning more than £10,000 a year are automatically enrolled in a workplace pension scheme. In 2018/19, employers…
Read More »Savings Levels Fall In 2018
Adults in the UK are earning more but saving slightly less this year than in 2017, research has shown. Aldermore surveyed 4,009 people and found that despite an increased average salary in the UK, savings levels have dropped from 8% in 2017 to 7% in 2018. Almost a third (32%) of respondents had not saved any money at all over the past 12 months. Even among those who are still saving as much as they…
Read More »People Urged To Renew Tax Credits
More than 1 million people have yet to renew their tax credits ahead of the 31 July 2018 deadline, HMRC has warned. Those who miss the deadline will see their payments stopped, and will have to pay back the tax credits they have received since 6 April 2018. Last year, 320,000 customers missed the deadline and had their payments stopped or altered as a result. HMRC is urging those who have not renewed their tax…
Read More »Self-Employed Workers Owed Up To £60,000 By Clients
Almost half of self-employed people have not been paid for work they have completed, research shows. A report by the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) and the Involvement and Participation Association (IPA), which polled 800 sole traders, revealed that 43% have finished projects they were never paid for. In some cases, individuals reported having not been paid single amounts of up to £60,000. The problem was found to be worse among younger…
Read More »Firms Retain Staff With Training And Flexitime
Training and flexible working are among the most popular methods for businesses to retain staff, according to research by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and recruitment company Indeed. The survey of 1,020 UK businesses found that 42% are likely to invest in training and developing staff in order to retain talent. Additionally, 38% say they would look to introduce flexible working practices, such as flexitime, remote working and job-sharing. With skills shortages at “record…
Read More »Homeowners Reluctant To Sell To Cover Care Costs
Most people want to exclude their main home from the assets they may be required to sell to fund care costs for themselves or loved ones. Research from Aegon found that 57% of people were unwilling to sell the family home to pay for care costs, while 68% agree the state should pick up some of the bill. Some 64% also called on government to introduce a cap on the total amount individuals may need…
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Tenders
GroDome Flooring Tender at UKRI Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
FM18083 GroDome Flooring at UKRI Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) – UK SHARED BUSINESS SERVICES LIMITED Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Solid flooring – 44112210 Location of contract OX10 8BB Value of contract £40k – £60k Published date 13 July 2018 Closing date 30 July 2018 Contract start date…
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Tenders
Flooring Tender Installation – Willow House, Leeds
(KR – LYPFT) Flooring Tender Installation (Willow House, Leeds) – NOE-CPC Open opportunity – Flooring Tender Installation – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Floor-laying work – 45432110 Location of contract LS15 8ZB Value of contract — Published date 17 July 2018 Closing date 23 July 2018 Contract start date 25 July 2018 Contract end…
Read More » OBR Sparks Tax Increase Speculation
Tax hikes may be in the pipeline in Autumn Budget 2018 following the prime minister’s pledge to significantly increase spending on the NHS, according to the UK’s fiscal watchdog. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said the long-term outlook for the UK’s public finances looks “less favourable ” after Theresa May’s promised NHS England an extra £20.5 billion by 2023/24. It warned that to avoid government borrowing soaring to pay for the health pledge in…
Read More »SMEs ‘Need More Help’ With Technology
The government is being urged to consider introducing ‘growth vouchers’ to help time-strapped small business owners adopt digital technologies. Research from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) showed that 76% of SMEs made some form of improvement to their business in the last 3 years. Most (95%) SMEs polled brought in new software, changed marketing processes or made changes to their organisational structure. But only around 2 in 5 smaller firms had introduced cloud services…
Read More »HMRC Approves 18 MTD Software Suppliers
HMRC has released a list of approved Making Tax Digital (MTD) software developers for VAT-registered businesses to use from next year. Businesses with annual taxable turnover of more than £85,000 will be required to maintain digital records for VAT and submit quarterly returns from 1 April 2019. Firms with taxable turnover below the VAT-registration threshold will not have to operate MTD, although they can do so voluntarily. More than 35 suppliers had software available for…
Read More »SMEs Feel ‘Targeted’ By Tax Investigations
Small businesses feel they are unfairly targeted by tax investigations, according to a report commissioned by HMRC. Research conducted by insurance firm PfP revealed that 52% of small businesses think tax investigations are too intensive. Additionally, 56% don’t believe that HMRC does enough to minimise the cost, time and effort that investigations require. In April 2018, the Treasury select committee heard that 1 in 10 small businesses are under tax investigation at any given time.…
Read More »1 Million Married Couples Missing Out On Tax Break
More than a million married couples across the UK are eligible to reduce their tax bill with the marriage allowance, according to HMRC. The marriage allowance allows spouses, and couples in civil partnerships, to transfer £1,190 of their personal allowance to their partner, providing a tax break of up to £238 a year. It can be claimed by couples where one partner pays the basic rate of income tax and the other is a non-taxpayer.…
Read More »1 In 4 People Expect To Work To Age 70
More than a quarter of people think they will still be working when they are 70 years old, research has found. Pensions and life insurance firm Aegon polled 700 adults from age 18 to 64, and found that 27% expect to be working either full or part-time at 70. In general, those surveyed were positive about their physical and mental wellbeing at this age, and 46% believe they will still be fit and healthy enough…
Read More »Business Patience Runs Thin On Brexit
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has published a list of 23 questions that UK businesses are asking about Brexit. Adam Marshall, director-general of the BCC, said business patience is “reaching breaking point” as several key issues regarding the UK’s departure from the EU remain unclear. According to the BCC, ongoing uncertainty is causing a decline in business confidence and investment intentions. It says the government has only made limited progress on 2 of the…
Read More »Parents Urged To Take Up Tax-Free Childcare
Parents are being encouraged to take advantage of the government’s tax-free childcare scheme to help manage childcare costs over the school holidays. YouGov polled 334 parents of children aged 16 and under on behalf of HMRC, and found that 31% felt stressed trying to arrange childcare for the school holidays. Around the same figure (30%) also found it difficult to balance their job and school holiday childcare, and 54% said they look forward to their…
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Tenders
Anti-Slip Flooring Tender – Fire Stations
Appliance Bay Anti-Slip Flooring Tender 2018/19 – Various Fire Stations Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Solid flooring – 44112210 Location of contract South West Value of contract £48k Published date 28 June 2018 Closing date 01 August 2018 Contract start date 03…
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Tenders
Building Fabric Maintenance Tender
The University of Leicester – Building Fabric Maintenance Tender and Minor Works Framework Agreement Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Construction work – 45000000 Location of contract East Midlands Value of contract — Published date 30 June 2018 Closing date 09 July 2018 Contract start date 01 October 2018 Contract end…
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Tenders
Queens Park Primary School – Refurbishment Tender
St.Helens Council Refurbishment Tender Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Construction work – 45000000 Location of contract North West Value of contract £30k Published date 25 June 2018 Closing date 09 July 2018 Contract start date 26 July 2018 Contract end date 29 August 2018 Contract is suitable for SMEs?…
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Tenders
Tender – Flooring and Entrance Matting – Hampshire County Council
Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Rubber tiles – 33682000 Carpets – 39531000 Carpet tiles – 39531310 Location of contract SO23 8UL Value of contract £2.5m – £3.1m Published date 27 June 2018 Closing date 04 July 2018 Contract start date 01 November 2018 Contract end date 31 October 2022…
Read More » BCC Calls For MTD Delay
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has called for the government to delay the rollout of its Making Tax Digital (MTD) scheme. From April 2019, VAT-registered businesses will be required to maintain digital records for VAT and submit digital returns. To do so, these businesses will need to have MTD-compatible software in place that can connect to HMRC systems using an Application Programming Interface. However, research from the BCC shows that with 10 months until…
Read More »IPSE Recommends ‘Sidecar Pension’ For The Self-Employed
A ‘sidecar pension’ scheme could help increase retirement savings among the self-employed, according to the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE). This scheme would allow savers to divide their contributions between a pension pot and a ‘rainy-day fund’, until a savings cap is met on the rainy-day fund. After this point, any further contributions would only be paid into the pension pot. The ‘sidecar pension’ is 1 of IPSE’s 6 recommendations to solve…
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Tenders
Tender – Chipboard Flooring Framework 2018 – 2020
London and Quadrant Housing Trust – L&Q Construction Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Solid flooring – 44112210 Wood flooring work – 45432114 Location of contract E15 1BJ Value of contract — Published date 26 June 2018 Closing date 27 August 2018 Contract start date 01 November 2018 Contract end date…
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Tenders
Beetwell Street Concrete Repairs Tender
CHESTERFIELD ROYAL HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Construction work – 45000000 Location of contract Any region Value of contract — Published date 25 June 2018 Closing date 16 July 2018 Contract start date 20 August 2018 Contract end date 07 September 2018 Contract is…
Read More » Small Businesses Get £8m Tech Boost
The government has revealed a new fund to support small business performance and productivity. As part of the government’s long-term Industrial Strategy, the Business Basics Fund will provide £8 million to help small businesses adopt current technologies and management techniques. The government will then work with experts to assess how effectively each project increases productivity. Andrew Griffiths, small business minister, said the fund will “give small business leaders the tools and support they need to…
Read More »Skills Shortages Affect Half Of Employers
Half of employers are struggling to find skilled candidates when recruiting, according to research. A survey by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) found that in June 2018, 50% of employers are concerned about finding sufficient candidates for permanent roles. This is an increase of 8 percentage points since the same research was conducted in June 2017. At the same time, economic confidence among employers is growing steadily, as 32% said they felt more positive…
Read More »P11D And P11D(B) Deadline Reminder
Employers have until 6 July 2018 to report employee benefits and expenses for the 2017/18 tax year. Any taxable benefits must be reported before the deadline using P11D and P11D(b) forms, which enable HMRC to calculate the class 1A national insurance contributions that need to be paid. These benefits include: company cars health insurance non-business travel or entertainment expenses assets provided by an employer that have significant personal use. Employers who paid any taxable expenses…
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Tenders
GB-Norwich: Floor Finishes Tender
Broadland Housing Association Floor Finishes Tender Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Carpets, mats and rugs – 39530000 Carpeting – 39531400 Industrial carpeting – 39534000 Location of contract East of England Value of contract £100k – £500k Published date 21 June 2018 Closing date 20 July 2018 Contract start date 17…
Read More » Micro-Firms ‘Uncertain’ About Auto-Enrolment
Smaller employers may require more support in operating workplace pension schemes through auto-enrolment, statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions show. Both small employers (defined as those with 5 to 29 workers) and micro-employers (with 1 to 4 workers) backed the reforms, as 71% agreed auto-enrolment was a good thing. However, there was some uncertainty among micro-employers regarding certain details, such as staging dates and minimum contributions. A third (33%) did not know if…
Read More »BCC Downgrades Economic Growth Forecast
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has slightly downgraded its expectations for GDP growth in 2018 from to 1.3%, down 0.1% from its previous forecast 1.4%. The business group also lowered its GDP growth forecast for 2019 from 1.5% to 1.4%, attributing the downgrades to a “more lacklustre outlook for consumer spending, business investment and trade”. Despite real wage growth entering positive territory in May 2018, this is not expected to lead to a substantial…
Read More »Wadebridge School – Refurbishment Tender
Wadebridge School Refurbishment Tender Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Floor coverings – 44112200 Electrical wiring and fitting work – 45311000 Ventilation installation work – 45331210 Location of contract South West Value of contract £170k Published date 19 June 2018 Closing date 09 July 2018 Contract start date 23 July 2018…
Read More »UK ‘The Third Most Prepared Nation For Retirement’
The role of auto-enrolment has helped the UK become the third most adequately prepared nation for retirement in the world, according to research. Analysis conducted on behalf of Scottish Widows ranked the design of pension systems in 32 countries in a tournament-style ‘Pensions World Cup’. Out of these countries, England was ranked the third best prepared for retirement, owing largely to the success of auto-enrolment since its rollout in 2012. The highest-ranking country overall was…
Read More »Retired Homeowners Not Accessing Property Wealth
Most pensioners are not drawing on wealth tied up in the value of their homes to help fund retirement, according to research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies. House values account for the largest part of pensioner wealth outside of a pension pot, with 80% of over-50s owning their own home, worth an average of £150,000. The majority of homeowners are not accessing this wealth, instead keeping their home throughout retirement and eventually passing the…
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Tenders
Tender – UOW663 AEH, EBB and Ledbury Halls of Residence Flooring
Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Floor-laying work – 45432110 Location of contract WR2 6AJ Value of contract — Published date 25 May 2018 Closing date 20 June 2018 Contract start date 02 July 2018 Contract end date 30 August 2018 Contract is suitable for SMEs? Yes Contract is suitable…
Read More » Advisory Fuel Rates Update
As of 1 June 2018, advisory fuel rates have been updated for employees’ usage of company cars. The following rates are now in place for petrol and LPG-fuelled cars provided by your employer, while the previous rates can be used until 1 July 2018. Engine size Petrol – amount per mile LPG – amount per mile 1400cc or less 11p 7p 1401cc to 2000cc 14p 9p Over 2000cc 22p 14p For diesel cars, the rates…
Read More »Working Pensioners Pay £8.6bn In Income Tax
People who continue to work past their state pension age are paying the highest amount of income tax in 20 years, according to a report. Research from Aegon found that pensioner households, which contain at least 1 person still in work, are on course to pay £8.6 billion in income tax in 2018/19. The amount reflects a 5% increase in the number of people working past their state pension age, as the percentage climbed from…
Read More »Retirees Take Cautious Approach To Drawdown
Most wealth held by pensioners is more likely to be bequeathed than spent in retirement, research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has found. On average, retirees are expected to draw down just 17% of their wealth between ages 70 and 80, and 31% between ages 70 and 90. Those with a higher income are more likely to access their wealth, but between ages 70 and 90 they will still only draw down 39%…
Read More »‘Raise The VAT Threshold To Stimulate Business Growth’
The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) has called for the VAT threshold to be increased, in response to a government consultation. The current £85,000 threshold at which businesses must register for VAT has been frozen until 2020, while the government deliberates on its approach to the tax. The organisation warns against decreasing the threshold, arguing this would “actively discourage” growth as well as forcing business owners to either raise prices or absorb…
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Carpet and Rug News
ege carpets score – KICK Offices Philips Stadion
KICK Offices Philips Stadion is a full-service co-working space meant to inspire, connect and facilitate entrepreneurs. Creating a professional environment, KICK Offices enable entrepreneurs to stimulate their workflow and meet business relations on an exclusive level in a unique location. Established in the famous football stadium of PSV in Eindhoven, Holland, the interior has a sportive look and feel. Designer: Martijn van Wezel, Creative Director & Partner at Kragt Groep B.V. Collections: Industrial Landscape by Tom…
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Show News
New ‘Contract Flooring Zone’ on offer
The team behind the UK’s largest flooring trade show in Harrogate is launching a new opportunity aimed at contract flooring suppliers. The new ‘Contract Flooring Zone’ will be part of the HOMES 2018 exhibition which runs at Olympia, London on 28 & 29 November 2018. HOMES 2018 is run by Ocean Media Group, the new owners of The Flooring Show, as part of its highly successful portfolio of events and publications for the housing industry.…
Read More » OTS Backs Pension Tax Reform
The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) has called for reform to the tax system for pension fund withdrawals, which it says is not widely understood by most people. The report raised particular concerns with the use of emergency tax codes for lump sum withdrawals from personal pensions. In the majority of cases, over-55s making their first withdrawal from a personal pension do not have access to an up-to-date tax code, so they are usually taxed…
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Business News
Lack Of Financial Protection Puts Households At Risk
Many UK households are under-protected in the event of serious illness, research from Scottish Widows shows. A survey of 5,022 UK adults found that more than a fifth (21%) of households wouldn’t survive financially if they unexpectedly lost their main income. Only 9% of people have a critical illness policy to protect their household should they or their partner be unable to work due to long-term illness, while the number of individuals taking out life…
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Business News
Calls For Apprenticeship Levy Reform Get Louder
Pressure is mounting for the government to reform the apprenticeships system, following recent apprenticeship levy statistics. Business groups, including the Institute of Directors (IoD) and the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), are urging the government to address ongoing problems with the levy. Apprenticeship starts were down 25% for the 7 months to February 2018 compared with the previous year, according to statistics from the Department for Education. Seamus Nevin, head of policy research at the…
Read More » Wage Growth Exceeds Inflation For First Time In A Year
Wages have grown at a higher rate than inflation for the first time in more than a year, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show. While wages grew at an annual rate of 2.9% in the 3 months to March 2018, the inflation rate was 2.7% over the same period. This marked the end of a pay squeeze that began in February 2017, when the rate of inflation started to overtake salary growth.…
Read More »Retired Tenants Will Need £445,000 Pension Pot
Pension savers who will still be paying rent in retirement will need a pension pot as high as £445,000 to avoid falling living standards, according to research from Royal London. The analysis suggests that savers will need to build up a retirement income equating to two-thirds of their gross wages to maintain their standard of living. Using this guideline, the report found that while an average earner will need a pension pot of around £260,000…
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Business News
Self-Employment Jeopardises State Pension
The growth of self-employment is putting pressure on the sustainability of the state pension, research has found. According to analysis from Aegon, £2.8 billion is lost in national insurance (NI) receipts for every 1 million people who move from employment to self-employment. The challenge has arisen since reforms to the state pension were introduced in 2016, giving self-employed people the same state pension entitlement as employees. Because their NI contributions were not increased at the…
Read More » Hard FM Services – Flooring Tender Plymouth City Council
Plymouth City Council Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Construction work – 45000000 Location of contract South West Value of contract £10.0m Published date 02 May 2018 Closing date 31 May 2018 Contract start date 01 October 2018 Contract end date 30 September 2022 Contract is suitable for SMEs? No…
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Recycling
Recofloor celebrates its 2018 vinyl flooring recycling champions
Top Left to Right – Nigel Maude, Birch Distribution; Wayne Conlan, Ryjock Flooring; Andy Nichols, HFD/MCD Wales/3D Flooring Supplies/FAL; Anthony Purnell, Fantasy Flooring. Bottom Left to Right – Niall Kinsella, MCD Kidderminster; Steve Gregory, Altro – Picking up the award for SW Flooring; David Reilly, Polyflor – Picking up the award for JDF Flooring; Kevin Keegan; Tim Hodgkiss, Carpet & Flooring, Manchester – Picking up the award for MSD Flooring; Anthony Francis, Mayfield Floors. “We’re ahead…
Read More » SMEs Call For More Government Support
Most entrepreneurs feel the government should do more to support small businesses, research by Aldermore shows. A survey of 1,799 people revealed that 79% of SME owners think the government is not providing enough support for small businesses. The research highlighted demand for finance-related support in particular, with more than half (54%) of the businesses surveyed holding less than £1,000 in cashflow. Despite the apparent need for greater support, many businesses haven’t made use of…
Read More »HMRC Warns Of Tax Refund Scam
HMRC has issued a warning about fraudulent texts and emails, which claim the recipient is due a tax rebate in order to obtain their personal details. The ‘phishing’ scam attempts to take advantage of the fact that HMRC is currently processing income tax for 2017/18, so some individuals could receive a genuine tax refund. However, HMRC says it will never use emails or texts to inform people about a tax rebate or penalty, or to…
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UK Statistics
Economic review: April 2018
– Download as PDF – Introduction This edition of the economic review is the fifth following the introduction of economic statistics theme days in January 2017. Each economic review in this new format will have an overarching analytical theme and follow a quarterly publication timetable. The theme of this edition is the regional economy with analysis covering regional gross value added (GVA) growth in the UK, regional firm-level productivity analysis for the non-financial business economy,…
Read More » MTD (Making Tax Digital) For Individuals Delayed
HMRC has revealed that rolling out MTD (Making Tax Digital) for individuals, such as the simple assessment and real-time tax code changes, have been delayed. The move was announced in an email sent to stakeholders last week, which confirmed the delay was down to a shift in key priorities driven by the need to free up civil servants for Brexit. ‘Simple assessment’ is intended to be used where a taxpayer has a secondary income or…
Read More »More Pension Savers Adopt Prudent Approach
An increasing number of people over 50 are unwilling to take any financial risk with their pension savings, research from Retirement Advantage shows. In a study of 1,003 over-50s who had yet to retire, 39% said they wouldn’t take any financial risk with their pension savings – up from 26% last year. The proportion of retirement savers who would take a reasonable amount of risk for a good chance of a favourable return also decreased…
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UK Statistics
Introducing a new publishing model for GDP – ONS UK GDP Report
– Download Full Report as PDF – Table of contents Introduction Overview of the current and new models The trade-offs of the new model Impact on data Publication schedule of releases Products Revisions policy Information about giving feedback Introduction Office for National Statistics (ONS) will be introducing a new publishing model for gross domestic product (GDP) in July 2018. In summary, this model will give two (rather than three) estimates of quarterly GDP, and…
Read More » Stamp Duty Cut Helps 69,000 First-Time Buyers
Around 69,000 first-time buyers have benefited from the stamp duty exemption since its introduction in November 2017, according to statistics from HMRC. The government abolished stamp duty for most first-time buyers in Autumn Budget 2017 to help aspiring homeowners take their first steps on the property ladder. The relief currently applies in England and Northern Ireland, and can only be claimed on properties worth up to £500,000. Those claiming it are exempt from stamp duty…
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UK Statistics
Retail Sales, Great Britain: March 2018 – UK Statistics
– Download Full Report as PDF – Table of contents Main points Statistician’s comment Things you need to know about this release Main figures for total retail sales Month-on-month sector summary and contributions to growth How has the weather impacted sales? What’s the story in online sales? Links to related statistics Quality and methodology Main points In the three months to March 2018 (Quarter 1), the quantity bought in retail sales fell by 0.5% when…
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Sports Flooring News
Gerflor continues to ‘perform’ for Polo Farm Sports Club with Taraflex Sports Flooring
In the spring of 1977, when the Ford Fiesta was first launched, and Fleetwood Mac’s album Rumours hit the charts, Bill and Dick Laslett purchased an overgrown orchard at Polo Farm, Canterbury, Kent, igniting a sporting dream which turned into a flourishing reality. Today, their facilities have expanded to become a premier sporting venue and centre of excellence and are regularly used by the local community including; Canterbury Hockey, Tennis, Cricket and Croquet Clubs, together…
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Tenders
Refurbishment of Top Lodge Visitor Centre Barn into an Artist Studio – Tender
Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Refurbishment work – 45453100 Location of contract East Midlands Value of contract £30k Published date 20 April 2018 Closing date 11 May 2018 Contract start date 23 May 2018 Contract end date 27 June 2018 Contract is suitable for SMEs? Yes Contract is suitable…
Read More » P60 Deadline Reminder
The P60 deadline for issuing employees for the 2017/18 tax year is 31 May 2018. Employers must give a P60 form to all employees who were working for them on the last day of the tax year (5 April). This could be on paper or online, through payroll software. Alternatively, P60 forms can be ordered through HMRC. A P60 will summarise an employee’s total pay and deductions on their salary for the tax year. Employees…
Read More »State Pension Gender Gap Narrows In 2017
Men receive an average of £28,995.20 more than women from the state pension over a 20-year retirement, analysis shows. Consumer watchdog Which? analysed data from the Department for Work and Pensions, and found the average man gets £27.88 more a week in the state pension than the average woman. While the gap in pension income persists, the data suggests it has narrowed gradually in recent years. In August 2013, the average payment received by women…
Read More »Self-Employed Concerned About Pensions
Saving for retirement is one of the biggest concerns facing self-employed workers, according to research. A survey of 1,000 self-employed workers by Demos on behalf of the Independent Professionals and the Self Employed found that 46% were “very” or “fairly” concerned about not having enough savings for retirement. Additionally, 38% were worried about how the current pension system works for the self-employed. Although the vast majority (80%) described themselves as happy with their form of…
Read More »Falmouth School – Walling, Roof, Sports Flooring Tender, Playground Replacement
Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Construction work – 45000000 Location of contract South West Value of contract £1.5m Published date 25 April 2018 Closing date 29 May 2018 Contract start date 25 July 2018 Contract end date 03 September 2019 Contract is suitable for SMEs? No Contract is suitable…
Read More »UOW648 Edward Elgar Building Flooring Replacement Tender
Flooring Replacement Tender – Open opportunity This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Floor laying and covering work – 45432100 Location of contract WR2 6AJ Value of contract — Published date 25 April 2018 Closing date 21 May 2018 Contract start date 06 August 2018 Contract end date 30 August 2018 Contract is suitable…
Read More »Most SME Bosses Face Staff Challenges
The majority (67%) of SME business leaders find it difficult to hire qualified members of staff or retain existing talent, research by Aldermore reveals. A survey of 1,008 decision-makers found that 26% were concerned with keeping good members of staff, while 20% reported problems with high turnover. Employee retention has become a greater concern over the past year for some business owners, as 29% reported an increase in staff leaving their business compared to 12…
Read More »Retirees ‘To Spend £4,300 A Year Supporting Family’
Around 1 in 3 parents and grandparents entering retirement this year plan to spend more than £4,300 a year supporting family members, according to research by Prudential. In a survey of 9,896 adults, 31% of those planning to retire in 2018 said they expect to use their retirement income to provide financial support to their families. Those planning to offer support expected to give £360 a month to 3 people on average, coming to £4,320…
Read More »Apprenticeship Starts Down By 24%
A year on from the introduction of the apprenticeship levy, official statistics show the number of people starting an apprenticeship has fallen by almost a quarter. Figures published by the Department for Education reveal that from August 2017 to January 2018, the number of apprenticeship starts decreased by around 24% compared to the same time last year. According to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), the complexity of the system is hindering its effectiveness for…
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Flooring Accessories News
Gradus flooring accessories and floor-coverings get to work at Steel City House
As part of an extensive refurbishment project, Gradus flooring accessories and floor-coverings now enhance the interior and provide safe access for users at Steel City House, Sheffield. Steel City House is one of Sheffield’s most iconic buildings having been originally built in 1927. Its central location has made it a popular landmark within the business community and the restoration provides modern open-plan commercial office space for growing business users. Spread over 63,000sq. ft., the unique…
Read More » Tender – Replacement School Hall Flooring at Franche Primary School Kidderminster
Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Floor and wall covering work – 45430000 Location of contract WR5 2NP Value of contract £20k – £26k Published date 17 April 2018 Closing date 10 May 2018 Contract start date 25 July 2018 Contract end date 24 August 2018 Contract is suitable for SMEs?…
Read More »Tender for Supply, Lay and Maintain Flooring to Council Properties
Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Floor coverings – 44112200 Solid flooring – 44112210 Floor-screed works – 45262321 Location of contract B69 3DB Published date 16 April 2018 Closing date 11 May 2018 Contract start date 01 August 2018 Contract end date 31 July 2021 Contract is suitable for SMEs?…
Read More »Smaller Landlords Feel The Sting Of Tax Changes
The number of landlords with smaller portfolios has decreased, following tax changes in the buy-to-let sector. Research by Paragon found that the proportion of landlords with 3 to 5 properties down from 26% to 24% at the end of 2017. This contrasted with rising figures for those with slightly larger portfolios, as landlords with 6 to 20 properties increased from 35% to 39% in Q1 2018. According to John Heron, managing director of mortgages at…
Read More »OTS Calls For Business Tax Simplification
The Office for Tax Simplification (OTS) is calling on the government to reform the tax system for businesses at the key stages of their growth. A report published on 16 April 2018 outlines several areas where the taxation of businesses could be simplified and reliefs made more accessible. While various reliefs available to businesses in the UK have encouraged entrepreneurship, the report claimed many SMEs either misunderstand or are unaware of them. Such reliefs include the…
Read More »Over-55s Worried About Running Out Of Retirement Income
Nearly half of people aged over 55 fear the prospect of running out of money in retirement, research shows. SunLife polled 50,000 individuals and found that 2 in 5 over-55s worry about whether their pension will cover retirement, while 43% are concerned they might run out of money before they die. This strain on retirement income was also shown to impact living standards, as a fifth of respondents felt they were financially worse off than…
Read More »Directors Positive About UK Economy
Business leaders’ optimism about the UK economy has turned positive for the first time in almost a year, a survey by the Institute of Directors (IoD) shows. The IoD polled 693 company directors and found that confidence in the economy reached 1% in March 2018, having been reported in negative figures every month since May 2017. Directors’ optimism about their own companies was much higher, at 47%, and had risen by 11% over the same…
Read More »SMEs Could Save £17,000 With Digital Accounting
Small and medium-sized businesses that use digital software to help with their accounting process could save 27.6 days a year, analysis by Sage shows. According to Sage’s research, 59% of SMEs use digital software for accounting, while 18% continue to use manual methods. On average, those using digital methods estimated that they save 2.3 days a month on accounting processes – worth around £17,000 a year in saved time. According to Sage, the main barriers…
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Resin News
RCR Flooring Products Ltd appoints David Collins
RCR Flooring Products Ltd has appointed David Collins to the post of Business Development Manager, based in the UK, with specific responsibility for resin product sales. David brings a 10-year track record of work in the construction industry both in the UK and Australia, during which he has focused on the construction chemicals marketplace. This experience makes him ideally placed to develop sales of RCR’s RINOL resin systems brand in the UK. RCR Flooring Products…
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Show News
The Flooring Show gets set for 2018!
The UK’s national flooring event, The Flooring Show is in top gear getting ready for its 56th show in Harrogate September 16th – 18th 2018. Stand sales are running 16% ahead of 2017, with some long-term supporters of the show increasing their stand sizes and being joined by companies returning to exhibit at the show after a break. In total 83% of 2017 exhibitors have rebooked for 2018, with more to confirm. Karndean, Furlong Flooring,…
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Business News
UK contract floorcoverings market worth in excess of £1bn – AMA Contract Floorcoverings Market Report
After achieving strong growth of 4% in 2015, growth rates in the contract floorcoverings market were slightly disappointing in 2016 and 2017. A number of factors had a negative impact on the market, including increasing inflation towards the end of the period and adverse currency movements as an indirect result of the Brexit vote, affecting imports. However, despite reduced growth rates, the value of the contract flooring market exceeded £1bn in 2017. The contract sector…
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Jobs
Retail Sales Representative – C.A.T. – London
Retail Sales Representative – Specialist Flooring Accessories Retail Sales Representative Greater London and Home Counties Established in 1986 C.A.T. are a leading manufacturer of quality profiles and accessories. The Role You will be promoting and selling C.A.T. product ranges to flooring retailers and related businesses and will need to be self motivated with a background in sales. This is a sales and marketing role for which training will be provided to the successful applicant. We…
Read More » Most Brits Face Working Into Mid-60s
Most workers in the UK expect to be working part-time after reaching the age of 65, according to a retirement study. Scottish Widows polled 3,535 people and found 51% expect to be working into their mid-60s, while 18% of those claim it’s more out of necessity than choice. With minimum auto-enrolment contributions increasing on 6 April 2018, 44% are failing to save the recommended 12% of their salary towards retirement each year. Only 24% of…
Read More »5 Of The Main Tax Changes 2018/19
The 2018/19 tax year is upon us and a raft of new changes have come into force. Here’s what to expect. Income tax The personal allowance has increased to £11,850 across the UK, and the higher rate threshold is increasing to £46,350 for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, 5 income tax bands now apply with 2 new thresholds. The personal allowance is the same but the first £2,000 earned after that is taxed…
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LVT News
Gerflor LVT flooring solutions creating offices to smile about
Advances in technology and a heightened focus on employee wellbeing are having a major impact on office design. This, added to the continued trend for open plan environments with different functional zones, has led to companies taking a more holistic approach to the design of their workspaces. According to the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), recruitment strategies in certain sectors see the physical design of workspaces as critical in attracting and retaining staff. Flooring…
Read More » Tender – Refurbishment and Remodelling Works
Blackburn with Darwen Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Construction work – 45000000 Location of contract North West Value of contract £115k Published date 21 March 2018 Closing date 20 April 2018 Contract start date 29 May 2018 Contract end date 03 August 2018 Contract is suitable for SMEs?…
Read More »Late Payments Affect Half Of Businesses
Almost half of small and medium-sized businesses have struggled with late payments in the last year, according to research by the Institute of Directors (IoD). Of the 787 business leaders surveyed, 48% have faced issues with late payments since April 2017. About 3 in 10 (31%) said this was the result of an “excessively bureaucratic payments system” in the company being invoiced. Others noted a disparity between the practices of smaller and larger businesses, with…
Read More »Tender Artificial Turf Pitch Replacement – St Neots Town FC 3G
Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Works for complete or part construction and civil engineering work – 45200000 Location of contract East of England Value of contract £200k Published date 28 March 2018 Closing date 09 April 2018 Contract start date 01 May 2018 Contract end date 02 July 2018…
Read More »Tender – Supply of Flooring Services – Oxford City Council
Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications. Contract summary Industry Construction materials – 44110000 Building completion work – 45400000 Location of contract South East Value of contract £240k Published date 29 March 2018 Closing date 02 May 2018 Contract start date 01 June 2018 Contract end date 31 May 2022 Contract is suitable…
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