Markets
Only what changes a small business’s costs. Figures are indicative, sourced and time-stamped.
Energy brokers could come under Ofgem oversight under new Bill
The Energy Independence Bill introduced in Parliament would regulate brokers and price comparison services. The government estimates potential savings for small businesses of more than £300 million over a decade.
UK SMEs offered 75% off Cyber Essentials certification
From 3 November, eligible UK SMEs can get a government-funded discount on first-time certification, while funding lasts.
CMA tells online retailers to include mandatory delivery fees in total prices
In a 2 November letter, the regulator says shoppers must see the full price in adverts and product listings, not only at checkout.
UK fuel prices: petrol 172.1p, diesel 198.7p — weekly review
The average price of E10 petrol in the UK is 172.1p a litre and B7 diesel 198.7p. Petrol is down by 1.2p over the week, diesel by 0.3p. Calculated across 8088 forecourts from the government Fuel Finder dataset.
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UK launches £700m programme for major industrial sites
Programme aims to develop six to 10 major sites across the UK. Private investment and jobs remain targets.
UK sets offset requirements for selected major overseas defence contracts
From April 2027, the Ministry of Defence plans to seek additional UK jobs, facilities and supply-chain investment from selected overseas defence suppliers.
Budget 2026: Trading Allowance to rise to £3,000
The government announced that the Trading Allowance and Self Assessment reporting threshold for qualifying trading income will rise from £1,000 to £3,000 a year from 6 April 2027. The £1,000 limit still applies to the current tax year.
How to close a limited company in the UK: strike off, liquidation and going dormant
The route depends on whether the company can pay its bills. Striking off is usually cheapest, but with debts creditors rank ahead of you. And why going dormant does not free you from filing.
35p a mile after 10,000 business miles: government sets out plan
On 26 October the Treasury announced a plan to raise the rate for business miles over 10,000 in a year from 25p to 35p per mile. No start date has been given; current HMRC tables still show 25p.
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UK announces further investment in AI firms and public R&D procurement
HM Treasury has announced an additional £60 million for the Sovereign AI Fund and a separate £60 million for its AI R&D procurement scheme. The package also includes £30 million for local AI partnerships. The announcement does not set new application rules or deadlines.
UK fuel prices: petrol 173.5p, diesel 199p — weekly review
The average price of E10 petrol in the UK is 173.5p a litre and B7 diesel 199p. Petrol is down by 0.6p over the week, diesel by 0.2p. Calculated across 8088 forecourts from the government Fuel Finder dataset.
Check the deal with your prime
New government guidance tells SMEs to pin down workshare, payment, liability, intellectual property and exclusivity before working through a prime supplier. A late commercial debt currently attracts 11.75% statutory annual interest plus £40–£100 recovery compensation.
UK announces less company paperwork and extended import duty suspensions
The UK government estimates that a package of measures could save businesses almost £800 million a year. It plans to extend duty suspensions on more than 250 goods and pause the proposed April 2028 profit-and-loss filing requirement for small and micro companies. The announcement does not guarantee savings for every firm.
Sumitomo Electric opens £350 million subsea cable factory in Scotland
The UK's first high-voltage direct-current subsea cable factory has opened at the Port of Nigg in north-east Scotland. Sumitomo Electric puts investment in the facility at £350 million and plans to create more than 200 direct jobs.
Tax on perks, straight away
From 6 April 2027, employers must put company cars, employer-funded private fuel, vans and medical benefits through each payroll run. Employees should understand why take-home pay may change.
Who needs the new registration?
Businesses and sole traders paid to run clients’ payroll and deal with HMRC for them must enter a new registration regime. Applications open on 18 November 2026 and the last day is 17 February 2027.
One in three trading UK businesses reported higher purchase prices in September
In the latest ONS survey, 33% of trading businesses reported an increase in prices for goods and services bought in September 2026 compared with August. Twelve per cent reported raising their own selling prices. These are shares of businesses, not inflation rates.
UK producers' input prices rise 8.3% over the year: what the latest ONS figures show
Provisional ONS figures show that materials and fuels bought by UK manufacturers cost 8.3% more in September 2026 than a year earlier. Factory-gate prices rose by 4.6%. Oil-related products were the main driver of the acceleration.
UK firms set for more than £330m in export contracts in Guinea and Benin
UK Export Finance has announced nine infrastructure projects in Guinea and Benin. The expected value of contracts for UK suppliers exceeds £330 million; the agency separately cites £1.1 billion in financing and guarantees. Where could suppliers find opportunities, and what has not yet been announced?
ONLYWAY NEWSLIVELife · 05.11Free NHS mental health support: you can refer yourself, no GP neededMoney · 05.11Child Trust Funds in the UK: government to ease access to savings for young disabled peopleMoney · 05.11Bank of England raises Bank Rate to 4%: what borrowers and businesses should checkTravel · 05.11Next-generation airport scanners in Britain: what changes and what can be searchedTravel · 05.11Driving in winter: what the law requires in snow and iceLife · 05.11HRT for menopause in the UK: what it is, who it helps and how to get it on the NHSTax · 05.11Self Assessment tax return in the UK: the deadline is 31 January 2027, and what late filing costsLaw · 05.11DoLS: how the law protects those who cannot decide for themselvesLife · 05.11Newborn blood spot test in the UK: what the heel prick is and which conditions it findsMoney · 05.11A default pension for private sector workers: what is changingONLYWAY NEWS · appInstall the ONLYWAY NEWS appFresh UK news, classifieds, key dates and exchange rates on your home screen, one tap away. Free.NewsClassifiedsCalendarRates
UK fuel prices: petrol 174.2p, diesel 199.1p — weekly review
The average price of E10 petrol in the UK is 174.2p a litre and B7 diesel 199.1p. Petrol is down by 0.5p over the week, diesel by 0.6p. Calculated across 8131 forecourts from the government Fuel Finder dataset.
UK fuel prices: petrol 174.2p, diesel 199.1p — weekly review
The average price of E10 petrol in the UK is 174.2p a litre and B7 diesel 199.1p. Petrol is down by 0.4p over the week, diesel by 0.6p. Calculated across 8131 forecourts from the government Fuel Finder dataset.
CMA examines Microsoft’s business software ecosystem: firms can respond by 13 November
The UK competition regulator has provisionally found that Microsoft’s business software ecosystem may warrant special oversight. Businesses and other interested parties can submit evidence by 5pm on 13 November. No new licence restrictions or changes have taken effect.
Who can get a growth grant?
Northern Ireland has opened a grant competition for eligible small manufacturers and tradeable service firms. An award can cover up to half of eligible costs, capped at £15,000. Official pages conflict on the 2 November closing hour, so submit before 9am.
GB manufacturers can apply for electricity bill relief until 30 November
Manufacturers in England, Scotland and Wales have until 11:59pm on 30 November 2026 to apply for the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme. Here are the four tests, evidence needed and start dates.
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ADOPT on-farm trial grant is open in England: apply by 2 December
Active farming, growing and forestry businesses in England, including sole traders, can lead a collaborative application to ADOPT Round 10. The total fund is up to £5 million, while eligible costs for one project must be £50,000–£200,000. Applications close at 11am UK time on 2 December 2026.
BridgeAI grants open on 21 October for UK AI SMEs: who can apply
Innovate UK will open three BridgeAI Deployment Catalyst strands for applications at 9:30am on 21 October. Up to £5 million is available for Phase 1 across the strands combined, with a grant request of £100,000–£200,000 per project. Applications close at 11am UK time on 8 December 2026.
UK quantum projects backed by a share of £50m: which firms are named
On 13 October the UK government announced a quantum technology support package: companies developing applications for railways, diagnostics and navigation will share £50 million. A separate £20 million supports quantum communication networks and £8 million expands skills training. These are distinct funding streams, not one open grant pot.
Full fibre reaches 3,880 premises in rural North Oxfordshire
A £8.2 million Project Gigabit contract has been completed in rural North Oxfordshire. The full-fibre network now reaches 3,880 premises, including homes and businesses, four months ahead of schedule. Availability still needs checking at each address.
Trivial benefits: when a gift of up to £50 to an employee is tax-free
An employer may give an employee a small non-cash gift without Income Tax, National Insurance or reporting it to HMRC. But a price of £50 or less is only one condition. Here is how the rules apply to vouchers, meals, gym memberships and close company directors.
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Fuel prices now show in Google Maps: how to find the cheapest pump
From 8 October 2026 Google Maps displays near real-time petrol and diesel prices at UK filling stations, drawing on the government's Fuel Finder scheme, which now covers around 99% of fuel sold on UK roads. The government puts the saving at about £40 a year for a household with a car — against a diesel price of 199.52 pence a litre, the highest on record.
Diesel passes £2 a litre for the first time: what it costs in London today and where to fill up cheaper
The UK average price of diesel has passed £2 a litre for the first time — 200.01p, according to the RAC. Our own reading on the morning of 5 October puts the midpoint across 1,572 forecourts at 201.9p, with London diesel running from 195.9p to 203.9p a litre. Petrol is holding around 174.9p. The gap between neighbouring pumps in the city reaches eight pence a litre — about £4 on a full tank.
Business grants, loans and government support in the UK: where the start-up money is and what it costs
There is no national “start a business” grant in the UK: the official GOV.UK catalogue listed 129 support schemes on 4 October 2026, 45 of them grants — and only 18 open to businesses not yet trading. The one national start-up loan runs from £500 to £25,000 at a fixed 7.5% a year. Here is where the non-repayable money actually sits, who gets it, and which reliefs are worth more than any grant.
Bank of England banknotes: who is on them, how to check they are genuine, and where to take old paper pounds
There are 4.98 billion notes in circulation worth £91.5 billion, carrying two monarchs at once, a painter, a novelist and the mathematician who broke Enigma — and soon animals will replace them all. Here is the guide to Britain's notes: what is in your wallet now, how to spot a genuine one, why our photos carry a SPECIMEN stamp, and what to do with the old paper twenties you found in a drawer.
Britain is choosing the animals for its new banknotes: hedgehog, puffin and kingfisher in the final — decision by year end
The Bank of England is preparing the first complete change of banknote theme in decades: British wildlife will replace historical figures on the new notes. Over the summer the public voted on a shortlist of 18 candidates — from the hedgehog and the hare to the Atlantic puffin and the basking shark. The result is promised by the end of 2026. Here is who made the final, and what happens to the current notes.
ONLYWAY NEWSLIVELife · 05.11Free NHS mental health support: you can refer yourself, no GP neededMoney · 05.11Child Trust Funds in the UK: government to ease access to savings for young disabled peopleMoney · 05.11Bank of England raises Bank Rate to 4%: what borrowers and businesses should checkTravel · 05.11Next-generation airport scanners in Britain: what changes and what can be searchedTravel · 05.11Driving in winter: what the law requires in snow and iceLife · 05.11HRT for menopause in the UK: what it is, who it helps and how to get it on the NHSTax · 05.11Self Assessment tax return in the UK: the deadline is 31 January 2027, and what late filing costsLaw · 05.11DoLS: how the law protects those who cannot decide for themselvesLife · 05.11Newborn blood spot test in the UK: what the heel prick is and which conditions it findsMoney · 05.11A default pension for private sector workers: what is changingONLYWAY NEWS · appInstall the ONLYWAY NEWS appFresh UK news, classifieds, key dates and exchange rates on your home screen, one tap away. Free.NewsClassifiedsCalendarRates
Your own Ltd in the UK: £100 and 24 hours to register, £1 shares and 19% tax — what to know before you start
A limited company registers online for £100 and is usually ready in a day — but since 2025 directors must first verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login. The GOV.UK rules: £1 shares, persons with significant control, Corporation Tax at 19–25%, and when a Ltd beats being a sole trader.
UK retail sales up 0.5% in August — but shoppers are spending 6% more for 2.4% more goods
ONS data for August: retail sales volumes rose 0.5% on the month and 0.9% over three months. Over the year volumes are up 2.4% while the value of sales is up 6.0% — a 3.5 percentage point gap that is pure price. Online accounts for 27.4% of sales, peaking every November. Next release: 23 October.
London trade shows: Olympia and ExCeL, what is on this autumn, and how to get in free
The trade show is the most underrated free resource a small business has: suppliers, wholesale prices and customers in one hall. The full Olympia and ExCeL calendar from September to November, from Top Drawer and Speciality Fine Food to World Travel Market and The Business Show. Plus the key fact: almost every B2B show is free if you register in advance.
HMRC advisory fuel rates from 1 September: diesel down, large petrol up
HMRC has revised the advisory fuel rates for company cars. Diesel at 1601-2000cc and above 2000cc each fall by a penny; petrol above 2000cc rises to 27p a mile. Electric is unchanged at 7p at home and 15p on public charging.
Bank Rate: the decision lands on 17 September, with inflation rising again
Bank Rate has stood at 3.75% since 30 July. Annual CPI inflation rose to 2.9% in July from 2.6% in June. The Monetary Policy Committee announces at noon on 17 September.
The Bank of England announces its rate decision on 17 September
Bank Rate has stood at 3.75% since the decision of 30 July. The next Monetary Policy Committee announcement is on 17 September.