Markets
Only what changes a small business’s costs. Figures are indicative, sourced and time-stamped.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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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.