ABCD Business Development Project to close 31st March 2010
The Project wishes to thank all ABCD businesses with whom it has been in contact since inception in 2005 for their participation.

Budget 2010: Summary for businesses
All of the key points relating to the Budget announcement on March 24th, as they affect local businesses

Small firms need training not advice, says Doug Richard
"Start up businesses can expect little help from the "extraordinarily ineffective" Government support on offer"

HMRC introduces failure to notify penalties across tax system
From 1 April 2010, the failure to notify penalty will cover 20 taxes, including Capital Gains Tax, and Corporation Tax

Taxman targets property amateurs, claim accountants
HMRC is looking at Land Registry details to try and identify people who have bought and sold properties without telling them

Budget date announced for 24 March
Predictions that VAT will remain at 17.5%, while Corporation Tax will stay at 21% and the planned increase to 22% will be delayed until 2011

Statutory maternity, paternity and adoption pay to rise from April
From 4 April 2010, the standard rate of SMP, SPP and SAP will increase from £123.06 per week to £124.88 per week

Less than a month left to claim backdated business rates
Less than a month left to claim backdated business rates

Business groups unite against National Insurance increase
The 1% increase to NICs, which will take effect from April 2011, should be scrapped according to the coalition

Time off for training regulations a mystery to a fifth of employers
From 6 April 2010, employees with at least 26 weeks' continuous service can request time off for study or training

Use of forced mandatory retirement age soars during recession
Many employers have used forced retirement as a "cheap and easy" alternative to redundancy

EU committee vote in favour of 20 weeks' full pay on maternity leave
The Pregnant Workers Directive would effectively treble maternity pay in the UK

Three-quarters of firms not reclaiming foreign VAT
A new procedure for reclaiming VAT from EU countries came into effect on 1 January 2010

Mixed reactions to Tories' plan to scrap Business Link
The statement has prompted mixed reactions from the business community

Tax system prevents firms taking on employees, survey shows
The FSB is now calling for the Government to freeze National Insurance (NI) contributions and give an NI rebate to small firms

Social networks pose biggest threat to small firms, claims report
A survey of IT professionals shows that 80% believe Web 2.0-based malware will be a major problem during 2010

eBay scraps mandatory free postage for sellers
From 8 February 2010, the P&P requirement has been replaced with a maximum limit on P&P charges by sellers

Small firms unaware of apprenticeship legislation
Employers could be fined up to £2,500 per day for taking on apprentices without appropriate insurance cover

Complementary therapy market predicted to grow
The market for complementary therapy will grow from £213 million in 2009 to £282 million by 2014

New employment legislation could cost small firms more than £25 billion
The BCC is calling for a three-year moratorium on new employment laws in the UK