Insight

Gordon Deane, a partner with legal firm Balfour+Manson, discusses the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) guidance on temporary consumer protection in the face of the current coronavirus crisis. The Financial Conduct Authority has implemented temporary measures to offer support to consumers imp

Steven McKay, head of employee benefits at Edinburgh-based Mearns & Company, details the changes to the Tapered Annual Allowance in 2020/21. In the past few years, there have been significant restrictions on the level of contributions that high earners can pay to their pension without incur

Johan Belfrage, technical development manager at the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC), discusses building and growing Scotland's bioeconomy. The Nordic countries demonstrate a strong model for sustainable growth in the integrated processing of renewable feedstocks into a

Professor Peter Watson, legal adviser to the COVID-19 panel of scientific and medical experts convened by the Scottish Police Federation, details why the UK needs an exit strategy for the COVID-19 lockdown measures. A journey of a thousand miles is said to begin with a single step. I suggest a journ

MBM, the Edinburgh-based commercial law firm which aids entrepreneurial businesses, has discussed the process of online fraud of which there is an increased threat of during the current coronavirus crisis.

Alan Meek, partner and head of corporate insolvency and restructuring at Morton Fraser, discusses the UK Government's changes to UK insolvency law. A press release from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy ("BEIS") on March 29 2020, has indicated that the Government intends to

Mark Brown, audit, accounts and business assurance partner at Meston Reid & Co, details the options available for businesses during the current coronavirus pandemic.  We know things can change quickly in the world of business, but this is altogether new territory for companies across Scotla

Allana Sweeney, senior associate in Shepherd and Wedderburn’s restructuring and business advisory team, discusses how the measures of support implemented to help businesses during the coronavirus pandemic are a spark of hope for firms. Each day brings fresh challenges as a consequence of the C

Chris Dunn, partner at Brodies LLP, details the current issues facing Scottish housing associations in terms of banking and finance in the current COVID-19 climate. Amongst the multitude of issues currently facing housing associations during the COVID-19 pandemic, one focus of FDs and boards ne

Steven McKay, head of employee benefits at chartered financial planners Mearns & Company, discusses the coronavirus pandemic and employee benefits. At Mearns & Company, we understand the disruption that the outbreak of COVID-19 has caused to everyone’s daily lives. 

Laura Brown, an advisor at Murray Beith Murray, a Scottish private client law firm, details the financial support made available to those who are self-employed, as part of the UK Government's coronavirus economic support measures. On Thursday, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced further measures to sup

Richard Godden, partner and member of Blackadders' dispute resolution team, details whether businesses still have to carry out their contracts during the coronavirus lock down. The current COVID-19 pandemic has turned everything upside down. Every day the situation alters, and the only constant is t

Ken Pattullo, regional managing partner at Begbies Traynor, discusses the importance of cash and how to protect it in times of uncertainty.  Cash flow is the lifeblood of any business, and certainly in the short term more important than profitability. The money coming into your business ensures

Jennifer Skeoch, partner in the employment team at Burness Paull, details the new measures announced by the British Government to support employers and workers during the coronavirus pandemic. A coronavirus job retention scheme has been established, for which any employer in the UK, regardless of si

Kirsty Paton, tax specialist from the entrepreneurial tax team at accountants Chiene + Tait, discusses how Advanced Subscription Agreements (ASA) could save the day for company investors amid the coronavirus uncertainty. The tax relief offered through the UK Government’s Enterprise Investment