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No, a “zombie company” isn’t something from a sensationalist horror film. It’s actually something far scarier, if you think it might apply to the business you run — and it’s far more likely to keep you awake at night. A zombie company is one that could be described as dead but still walking. That is, it’s a company that’s still managing to trade and service its debt, but nothing more. There’s no chance of being able

Life has been challenging for businesses for several years now. Brexit and the Covid pandemic were joined by global conflict in pushing up prices, for businesses as well as consumers. And that only looks likely to get worse, with the effects of October’s Budget and punitive tariffs being imposed by the USA. Two recent reports have highlighted the extent of the problems facing UK businesses. Profit Warnings in 2024 A

A large proportion of small business owners are struggling to afford to run their businesses at the moment, with the  cumulative effects of the pandemic, Brexit and world events pushing costs up. However, disabled entrepreneurs have always found things harder. One issue has traditionally involved the difficulty in accessing finance. This is why it’s significant that the Government has just announced a new initiative,

Insolvencies are on the rise. 2023’s company insolvencies were the highest since 1993, with the level of Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidations the highest since at least 1960. Company Directors are normally protected from personal liability in these cases — as long as they follow the rules. Failure to do so, however, can have serious consequences. The Rise in Company Insolvencies Over 25,000 companies entered insolvency

Businesses haven’t had it easy over the past few years. Brexit, Covid, international crisis, inflation — they’ve all taken a chunk out of businesses, especially small ones. The recent Budget has made things even more difficult. In a recent survey, nearly a third of business said that they believe they’ll need to make redundancies next year, with a similar number expected to be forced to default on debts. What Has Cau

Late payments constitute one of the biggest threats to the survival of small businesses. Unlike large corporations, most small or micro businesses don’t have the reserves to manage without regular cashflow coming in, and any substantial delay in payment of the money they’re owed could potentially force their closure. Which makes the latest statistics particularly worrying. Figures show that over half of i

If an individual or a company owes you money and shows no sign of being willing to pay, one option is to seek a County Court Judgement (CCJ) against them. This can be an effective strategy, but it doesn’t automatically ensure that the money will be paid. So what options are open to give yourself the best chance of recovering your debt through a CCJ? Applying for a County Court Judgement A CCJ provides you with

It’s only a few weeks until the election and, whoever ends up forming the next government, most of us have hopes about what their policies will be. Small business owners are no exception, and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has released the results of a poll of its members. This suggests strongly what small business owners are looking for from the next government. Cracking Down on Late Payments Late pa

If you employ people in your business, you already have plenty of things to remember for their terms of employment. Well, since 6th April there are two more — and not being ready for them could land you in trouble. Changes to Flexible Working Rules The Covid lockdown finally put paid to the already dying traditional model of working, where everyone came into a workplace and stayed from nine till five. Depending on th

Recent economic news seems to have been an improvement on last year, with inflation and interest rates holding steady. Two recent surveys by Novuna Business Finance, however, show that small business owners are still having sleepless nights about their position — and many fear that they may have to close within the year. Concerns Affecting Small Businesses 75% of small business owners have said that worries about the