27 June 2023
Your Voice Matters: Take part in our State of Industry Survey
We need your voice! Your opinion matters, and we're counting on you to help shape the future. Last time, your valuable input made a huge impact. Thanks to your survey responses, we were able to present compelling evidence to the Low Pay Commission, the Migration Advisory Committee, and even to Parliament. Together, we advocated for fair wages, addressed skills gaps, and pushed for increased support for apprentices.
Now, with energy and prices still on the rise, we're eager to hear from you again. We want to stay up to date with the latest information on how businesses are faring. By sharing your insights, you'll provide us with the crucial data we need to continue fighting for your interests.
The deadline for responses is fast approaching: Wednesday 5 July at 5pm. We understand your time is valuable, so rest assured that the survey will only take around 7 minutes to complete. Your responses will be handled with the utmost confidentiality.
Join us in making a difference and ensuring your voice is heard. Together, we can pave the way for positive change. Take the survey today!
Interest rates rise for 13th time in a row
On Thursday 22 June 2023, the Bank of England raised its interest rate (Bank Rate) by 0.5 percentage points to 5%.
Their interest rate influences many other rates in the UK, including those you might have for a loan, mortgage or savings account. Bank Rate is also widely known as ‘the base rate’ or just ‘the interest rate’.
Cyber and Fraud Incident Response Helpline
The free Cyber and Fraud Centre Incident Response Helpline (0800 1670 623) is open to all Scottish businesses and organisations. If you suspect your organisation has experienced a cyber or financial fraud attack, experienced incident response experts will help you resume operations. You can also arrange a security assessment or receive guidance on cyber security.
Campaigning for you – Trade Association Forum Best Practice Exchange
The NHBF joined other trade associations from across a wide range of industry sectors at last week’s Trade Association Forum Best Practice Exchange to listen to speakers discuss how to lobby both Government and opposition, as well as discuss some of the key challenges they faced in supporting their members.
During the event, Carl Cresswell, Director of Business Resilience at the Department for Business & Trade, highlighted the department's five key priorities for businesses. These priorities encompass smart regulation to reduce burdens on businesses and position the UK as a leading investment hub in Europe. Cresswell emphasised the importance of trade associations sharing data and evidence to support their requests from the government.
NHBF played a significant role by chairing and speaking at the final session of the day. The discussion revolved around small businesses and the support required for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to foster growth. NHBF collaborated with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-employed (IPSE) to address the current challenges faced by businesses, such as high inflation and energy costs, increasing interest rates, skill shortages, and late payment issues. The session emphasised the importance of businesses formulating targeted and well-supported requests to the government in order to advocate for necessary changes.