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10 Jan 2024

In the face of the escalating threat of loan fee fraud, the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) is urging its members to heed the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) recent guidance...

9 Jan 2024

Canal boat record store Rubber Ducky Records is back on the water after it sank last April, ruining over 1,000 vinyl records and a stow of music equipment stored on...

9 Jan 2024

While mass-market players continue to dominate the UK retail industry, research by Geek Retreat shows that 15% of Brits have set up their own business in the past ten years, and of these,...

8 Jan 2024

The British Independent Retailers Association has said 2024 is anticipated to be a challenging period for shop keepers as economic challenges are still set to bite.

2 Jan 2024

Hudjo is the first online marketplace that lets cyclists park with locals, which relieves the anxiety of parking your bike. 

20 Dec 2023

The ActSmart office will be open as usual (9am-5pm) for the majority of the Christmas period, with some exceptions.

19 Dec 2023

Bira's CEO, Andrew Goodacre, took the spotlight on BBC Breakfast this week and later spoke with Nicky Campbell on BBC Radio 5 Live, shedding light on the rise in retail crime and shop theft,...

18 Dec 2023

Dress shop Pocket Watch & Petticoats in Trinity Street has been crowned the winner in Cambridge BID’s Christmas window competition.

18 Dec 2023

In the age of online shopping, the pursuit of the best deals during the festive season is increasingly common. However, as consumers flock to virtual marketplaces, cybercriminals are seizing the...

18 Dec 2023

Fresh evidence about the increasing problem of thefts from shops has been revealed amid a warning that organised shoplifting is now among the most common type of crimes against small firms.

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Energy costs crippling small businesses

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News , Creative News, Outdoor News

A new survey has revealed that more than half of UK micro-businesses (56 per cent) feel the rising cost of energy is threatening their future.

The independent survey found that that the majority of micro-businesses say they are currently penalised by energy providers with almost half (45 per cent) asked to make large upfront payments. A third (31 per cent) claim they are on a high tariff because they are seen as a credit risk, while one in five (21 per cent) were turned down by energy suppliers.

Almost half (42 per cent) feel they get an unfair deal from energy suppliers and more than two thirds (71 per cent) say they have been caught out by unexpected T&Cs such as crippling rates, inflexible payment terms, high deposits and extended contracts.

According to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, micro-businesses now account for an estimated 5.2 million UK private sector businesses making up approximately 94 per cent of the UK private business sector. The survey showed that on average small businesses fuel costs had increased by £215 in the last year.

Reduce your costs with LSI

ActSmart is pleased to announce we have partnered with LSI Energy to offer every subscriber the chance to save money on their electricity, gas and water expenditure.

Every business is eligible to receive a free of charge, independent review of the energy market to see how much they could save.

One subscriber recently saved £750 a year on their new energy contract with LSI - see how much you could save, get a free quote today!

 

 

 

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