Exporting products or services overseas has become the top challenge facing one in three mid-sized businesses.
Barriers to international expansion are among the top pressures facing UK businesses over the next six months, according to BDO’s latest survey of 500 mid-sized business leaders with turnovers between £10m-£300m. Exporting products or services overseas has become the top challenge facing one in three mid-sized businesses (34%) due to disruption from delayed deliveries and […]
Small business growth forecasts fall for the first time since July 2024.
The percentage of UK small business owners predicting growth (33%) has dipped to a nine-month low, according to the latest quarterly data from Novuna Business Finance Business Barometer study. Whilst 45% see Q1 as a standstill period, there is a four-year high in the percentage of small businesses saying they will contract by the end […]
Five years after Brexit. Was it worth it?
Atradius has published an article in which its Senior Advisor, Silvia Ungaro, notes that, although it would have been a tumultuous five years even without Brexit, Brexit appears to have compounded recent challenges, with one analysis revealing a £140 billion shortfall in the UK economy, as a direct result of leaving the EU. “The trade […]
February’s insolvency numbers paint a picture of both struggle and resilience.
New data from Creditsafe has found that February’s insolvency data paints a picture of both struggle and resilience. 2,364 businesses across the UK and Northern Ireland declared insolvency in February 2025 — a 28% rise from January but 10% lower than the same time last year. Creditsafe notes that it’s a mixed signal: while the month-on-month […]
Corporate insolvency levels reached the highest seen in January in more than five years.
The latest data from the Insolvency Service shows that corporate insolvencies in England and Wales increased by 6.4% in January 2025 to a total of 1,971 compared to December 2024 and increased by 10.7% compared to January 2024’s figure of 1,780. Tim Cooper, President of R3 and a Partner at Addleshaw Goddard LLP, commented: “The […]
A sharp increase in zombie companies in the UK mid-market.
According to new research from BDO, the number of UK mid-sized businesses at risk of becoming a ‘zombie’ company has risen. In the last 12 months, 15.9% of mid-sized businesses have been deemed to be at risk of being so-called ‘zombie’ companies — an increase of 3.5% compared to the previous year’s figures. The BDO […]
UK: Late Payment, Business Distress & Insolvencies The number of UK companies delaying payments beyond 100 days reaches an all-time high.
New research from Good Business Pays reveals a concerning increase in slow payments among UK businesses, with the number of companies delaying payments beyond 100 days reaching an all-time high and several major companies identified as among the worst for slow and late payments. The Spring Watchlist, which examined over 6,000 companies’ payment performance, is […]
Coface’s 2025 Country Risk Handbook is now available.
Coface has published its Country Risk Handbook for 2025. The latest edition delivers a detailed analysis of over 160 countries, integrating macroeconomic indicators, sector-specific assessments, and political risk evaluations. The analysis includes: Detailed country-by-country economic indicators and forecasts Sector-specific risk assessments across 13 major industries In-depth political risk analysis and its impact on business operations […]
Is the UK back after the “painful Brexit episode?”
Coface has indicated that, following a period of intense political turmoil, the UK is now on a path to greater stability and gradual recovery, supported by easing corporate insolvencies, lower interest rates, and pro-growth policies in the pipeline. For example, the Planning Bill, set to be introduced in March, is expected to benefit the construction […]
74% of medium-sized businesses in the UK are worried about the impact of late or failed payments.
According to a LondonLovesBusiness article, recent research by Atradius reveals that, while 65% of UK businesses remain confident in their ability to navigate challenges and sustain growth, rising costs are prompting action. Of those surveyed, 57% plan to increase prices to offset the impact of budget changes, while 36% are willing to absorb the additional costs, even […]
The Trump effect: Trade credit insurers brace for growing demand.
Global Trade Review (GTR) has reported that experts are predicting that US President Donald Trump’s protectionist trade policies will likely boost demand for credit insurance as firms grapple with non-payment threats. The Berne Union’s Business Confidence Trends Index reveals that credit and political risk insurers anticipate a jump in demand for short-term policies. The report says, […]
Coface’s 2025 Country Risk Handbook.
The latest edition of Coface’s flagship publication is now available. It delivers a detailed analysis of over 160 countries, integrating macroeconomic indicators, sector-specific assessments, and political risk evaluations. The analysis includes: Detailed country-by-country economic indicators and forecasts Sector-specific risk assessments across 13 major industries In-depth political risk analysis and its impact on business operations Special […]
The UK private sector expects activity to fall again.
Private sector firms expect another significant fall in activity over the next three months (weighted balance of -22%), according to the Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI) latest Growth Indicator. Expectations are broadly unchanged from December, which were the weakest in over two years. This pessimism was widespread across the private sector. Business volumes in […]
The number of UK sectors with falling output increases.
The number of UK sectors reporting falling output rose to eleven in December 2024, up from eight in November, and the highest number since September 2023, according to data from the latest Lloyds UK Sector Tracker. The number of sectors with growing demand was one less than in November (four) and came as the number […]
The percentage of UK enterprises that fear closure in the next three months has hit a two-year peak.
The percentage of UK small business owners predicting growth (33%) has dipped to a nine-month low, according to the latest quarterly data from Novuna Business Finance. While 45% see Q1 as a standstill period, there is a four-year high in the percentage of small businesses saying they will contract by the end of March (13%), […]
One in five UK-listed companies issued a profit warning in 2024.
EY-Parthenon’s latest Profit Warnings report found that one in five (19%) UK-listed companies issued a profit warning in 2024, the third highest annual proportion in twenty-five years, behind only the 2020 pandemic (35%) and the impact of the dot-com bubble burst and 9/11 in 2001 (23%). EY-Parthenon’s report found that UK-listed companies issued 274 profit […]
Historic jump in the number of firms in critical financial distress.
The latest “Red Flag Alert” report from Begbies Traynor reveals “a worrying” 50.2% surge in the number of businesses in the UK entering ‘critical’ financial distress in the final quarter of 2024. Of the twenty-two sectors covered by Red Flag Alert, twenty-one saw a noticeable increase quarter-on-quarter in the number of businesses in ‘critical’ financial […]
Insolvencies in 2025 look set to increase in countries that account for 50% of global GDP.
Allianz Trade’s latest Country Risk Atlas suggests that the global average of the structural business environment (SBE) in 2024 was worse compared to pre-pandemic levels, with eighteen countries seeing a deterioration in their score. In addition, the global average of commercial risk scores, which stood below 2 (Medium) pre-pandemic, moved closer to Sensitive risk, while […]
Trade credit insurers reinstate cover for Asos suppliers.
Drapers has reported that trade credit insurers Atradus and Coface have reinstated cover for Asos suppliers. Atradius and Coface restored cover last month after withdrawing it in 2023 due to concerns over the fashion retailers’ falling profits and the challenging economic environment. The Times also reported that another trade credit insurer, Cartan Trade, has opened up cover for […]
Trade credit insurance saves Billington from ISG hit.
Construction Enquirer has reported that structural steel giant Billington has said a payout from its credit insurer has spared it from a major hit following the collapse of ISG. In a trading statement today, it said: “The Group has received an interim payment from its credit insurer, and subject to formal acceptance by the insurer of […]
Data indicates a spike in EU business bankruptcies in transport in Q3 2024.
New data on business registrations and bankruptcies from Eurostat shows that, in the third quarter of 2024, the number of bankruptcy declarations of EU businesses increased by 2.7% compared with the second quarter of 2024. At the same time, business registrations also went up by 2.2% compared with the second quarter of 2024. The number […]
New Fair Payment Code.
With the support of the Department of Business and Trade, the Small Business Commissioner has launched a new Fair Payment Code. The new Code rewards businesses in the UK for adopting fair payment practices for suppliers of all sizes, and will include a set of fair payment principles that companies are required to sign up […]
Increase in bankruptcies and registrations in Q3 2024.
New data from Eurostat indicates that the number of EU business registrations increased in most economic sectors. When compared with the previous quarter, in Q3 2024, the highest increases in the number of registrations were in transport (+3.9%), construction (+3.7%) and the financial sector (+2.7). Decreases were recorded only in the information and communication sector […]
The insolvency domino effect looms over the UK construction industry.
RSM UK has reported that the UK construction industry experienced the highest number of insolvencies from 12 months to September 2024, reaching a total of 4,264 — much higher than levels seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and between 2014 and 2019. Commenting on the latest construction insolvency statistics, Kelly Boorman, National Head of Construction at […]
UK retail faces a surge in late payments amid mixed signals.
Insurance Business has reported that the UK retail sector is navigating a mix of challenges and opportunities as 2024 draws to a close. According to Atradius, there have been significant increases in late payments and insolvencies across specific retail categories in Q3 2024, with notable rises in payment defaults within retail supply chains. For example, domestic […]
Only 5% of UK companies qualify to be fast payers.
Good Business Pays has reported that only 5% — 1% fewer than in 2023 — of the 5,367 UK’s largest companies that report payment terms have qualified for its 2024 Fast Payer Award (i.e., big businesses that have paid at least 95% of invoices on time and within twenty-seven days or less). Furthermore, only 21.8% […]
Profit warnings issued by UK-listed companies reached a two-year high in Q3.
According to EY-Parthenon’s latest Profit Warnings report, UK-listed companies issued eighty-four profit warnings between July and September 2024 — the highest quarterly total for two years. The report found that profit warnings from UK-listed companies rose 11% compared with Q3 2023, and the proportion of those that have issued a warning over the last year […]
New Fair Payment Code.
With the support of the Department of Business and Trade, the UK’s Small Business Commissioner has announced that it will launch a new Fair Payment Code later in Autumn 2024. The new Code will reward businesses that adopt fair payment practices for suppliers of all sizes and will include a set of fair payment principles […]
October sales growth stagnates, signalling a challenging festive period.
According to BDO’s latest High Street Sales Tracker, total retail sales across discretionary spend categories grew by +4.1% in October, compared to an overall sales decline of 1.7% for the same month last year. Last month’s growth was driven primarily by online sales, which increased by +9.1% compared to October 2023, while, in comparison, in-store […]
SME exporters are consistently more likely to report decreased exports compared to before the pandemic and Brexit.
The latest Trade Confidence Outlook, conducted by the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) Insights Unit, shows the percentage of SME exporters reporting increased exports has fallen back in Q3 by 5% after an uptick in Q2. Overall, 22% of SME exporters in the UK reported an increase in export sales, 24% reported a decrease, and […]