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ICA has launched practical AI training for compliance professionals worldwide. The programme focuses on governance, risk, and regulated use cases, with pilot access to AI compliance tools.
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Small businesses are being held back by weak financial confidence. Kate Hayward, Xero’s UK managing director, argues that stronger financial literacy can help owners manage cash flow, avoid costly mistakes, and make better decisions on growth, hiring, and investment.
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NatWest is taking investing education deeper into British workplaces nationwide. The bank says new workshops and extra facilitators will help extend Financial Foundations to 50,000 people across workplaces and communities in 2026.
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Making Tax Digital is reshaping how creatives manage tax today. Accountants say the April 2026 rollout is heightening anxiety around admin, software costs, deadlines, and mistakes for self-employed creative workers.
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BlackLine has widened its AI finance push into receivables workflows. Its London launch ties agentic tools to governance, auditability, and invoice-to-cash operations rather than standalone assistants.
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Britain has opened consultations on tougher limits for workplace NDAs. Ministers are testing wider protections on harassment and discrimination settlements, including adviser sign-off, disclosure rights, and whether agency staff, secondees, and some self-employed people should also be covered.
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Ebury says headline borrowing rates can mask bigger financing risks. As geopolitical tensions unsettle markets, the lender is urging SMEs to scrutinise fees, repayment terms, and currency flexibility before judging the real cost of finance.
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ParentPay buys SchoolHire to expand schools’ community income options further. The acquisition adds facility booking and payments software to ParentPay’s school technology portfolio.
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Alacrity opens London Market base for US claims oversight work. The launch gives Lloyd’s carriers access to delegated US claims handling backed by London Market reporting and governance.
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Tradespeople face fresh tax admin as living costs climb further. Tradesman Saver says many sole traders still handle their own accounts, even as Making Tax Digital brings quarterly updates and digital record-keeping into scope for more taxpayers.