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UK borrowing exceeded official forecasts again in August, tightening finances. Public sector borrowing reached £18.3bn, while the financial-year total ran £8.1bn above the OBR forecast.
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BrewDog creditors face further losses after administrators confirm funding shortfalls. Its former retail business lacks enough money to meet £489,000 of wage-related claims and £2.4m of unpaid VAT, while unsecured recoveries remain minimal.
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FCA reforms target persistent barriers affecting smaller business finance access. Its review found regulation is not the main obstacle, but complex applications, duplicated checks, information gaps, and unsuitable products continue to make funding harder to obtain.
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PwC group revenue fell despite growth in its UK business. Middle East disruption pulled consolidated turnover down 3%, while average UK partner distributions increased to £935,000.
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WH Smith expects annual profit at its previous guidance floor. Revenue grew during the summer, but promotional activity, inflation and weaker margins have constrained the travel retailer’s earnings.
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Cross-border payment friction is constraining UK companies’ international growth plans. Airwallex and Cebr estimate £10.5bn of working capital is affected annually, while 55% of surveyed businesses say they have scaled back overseas expansion.
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Small businesses report mounting tax compliance burdens in HMRC survey. A record 10,195 respondents highlighted legislative complexity, service-channel frustrations, and rapidly growing use of AI for tax queries.
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UK Finance wants corporate reporting simplified as disclosure burdens grow. FTSE 100 annual reports have expanded 27% since 2019, prompting proposals to remove duplication and move static information online.
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More than 120 organisations want electricity levies shifted into taxation. The coalition says moving policy costs to the Exchequer could cut business electricity prices by up to 20% and support investment.
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Ørsted has secured favourable guidance in a decade-long tax dispute. An arbitration opinion supports UK taxation of profits linked to Walney Extension and Hornsea 1 and could influence several related offshore wind cases.