News

Tax debt in the UK is more than double pre-pandemic levels, and the current staffing at HMRC is unlikely to be enough to manage the increased tax debt workload, according to a new report published by the National Audit Office (NAO). As the country went into lockdown in March 2020 HMRC paused most of

The Whisky Chairmen in Inverclyde is among 12 small businesses to be selected as champions of UK start-ups by Start Up Loans, part of the British Business Bank. Start Up Loans Ambassador for Scotland, Rory MacDonald, received a Start Up Loan of £13,000 through British Business Bank delive

Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC) and Alzheimer Scotland are to share a donation of £38,000 from law firm Gillespie Macandrew.

A new report from the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has set out the key elements required by audit firms to ensure they are delivering high quality audit. The FRC’s report, What Makes a Good Audit?, highlights the six key attributes that contribute to the running of high-quality audit prac

The return of Halloween has failed to lift retail figures, as total sales in Scotland increased by just 2.0% compared with October 2020, according to the latest Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) and KPMG Scottish Retail Sales Monitor.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has proposed banning debt packager firms from being paid to refer customers on to other firms. Debt packagers are regulated providers of debt advice, who refer customers on to other providers of debt solutions. They rely on income from referral fees paid by thes

A £25 million Scottish Government fund to improve ventilation in business premises and reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission will open for applications next week. Small and medium-sized businesses such as restaurants, bars and gyms will be able to claim back costs of up to £2,500 to u

A rare Frida Kahlo painting has been sold at a Sotheby's auction in New York for $35 million, setting a record price for a work by the artist. The work sold was the self-portrait of Kahlo entitled "Diego y yo" ("Diego and me," 1949), where the face of the painter's husband Diego Rivera appears on he

Nearly half (44%) of middle market business leaders say the UK government isn’t doing enough to support companies in meeting net-zero targets by 2050, according to a survey by audit, tax and consulting firm RSM UK. This view from ‘The Real Economy’ survey of 400 business leaders si

A £13 million investment from the Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB), awarded to the Iona wind partnership, will accelerate the delivery of the Iona onshore wind pipeline in Scotland. The Iona wind partnership, managed by Asper Investment Management, is focused on building 800MW of onsho

Anthony Zdanowicz, an associate at DM Hall in Ayr, considers the commercial property market in Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Dumfries and Galloway. In the historic Scottish fiefdoms of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and Dumfries and Galloway in which I operate, the commercial property environment is rich and di

Moffat-based Selcoth Farm has commenced the second phase of its native woodland project that will see 180,000 trees planted by the end of 2021, with six-figure funding support from Bank of Scotland.

Almost a quarter of Scottish businesses are facing immediate financial peril should the Scottish Government extend covid-19 restrictions today, according to the Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC). A snap poll of nearly 700 companies has revealed that many firms are struggling with existing measures

Glasgow-based built environment climate tech firm, Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES) has experienced considerable growth over the past 12 months as it sees its technology implemented in over a million buildings. IES specialises in decarbonising the built environment using performance-based di

Aberdeen-based activpayroll, the global payroll and employee mobility specialist, has been recognised as ‘Global Mobility Provider of the Year’ at the 2021 Global Payroll Awards. The dedicated in-house mobility team has been honoured for delivering a seamless and flexible suite of core c