In partnership with Smart Data Foundry and The Centre for Economics and Business Research, Sage has published its latest SME Monthly Workforce Pulse research. This is drawn from anonymised payroll data from approximately 200,000 small businesses and provides unheralded insight into pay across the UK. The data is part of Data for Good, Sage’s commitment to help Small … [Read more…]
Key takeaways AI is already transforming HR: The majority of HR leaders expect AI to reshape HR and payroll within the next five years, with many teams already using it for recruitment, onboarding, analytics, and learning. The biggest benefit is time back for strategic work: AI helps reduce admin-heavy workloads, allowing HR teams to focus … [Read more…]
Key Takeaways The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 updates UK data protection law, but does not replace UK GDPR or the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, known as PECR. For the majority of smaller businesses, practices for cookie, marketing, Subject Access Requests (SAR), and automated decision-making may need refreshing. Data-focused businesses and enterprises may … [Read more…]
Key Takeaways The Renters’ Rights Act brought the biggest shake-up to private home rental in England in decades—and is still being rolled out. Awaab’s Law will soon be applied to private housing, and introduces hazard categories and timelines for action. The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) has simplified the number of hazards—and you … [Read more…]
Key Takeaways A temporary VAT cut from 20% to 5% runs across the UK from 25 June to 1 September 2026, covering qualifying children’s meals, children’s, and family tickets. At qualifying family attractions with a single, flat rate admission, the 5% rate applies to admission for every visitor, adults included. Children’s meals get the 5% … [Read more…]
Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the threat landscape. It is making attacks faster to develop, easier to scale and harder to distinguish from legitimate activity. For small and medium-sized businesses, this matters because the pace of change is accelerating faster than many can strengthen the governance, visibility and operational discipline needed to keep up. That’s … [Read more…]
Late payments have long been a challenge for UK small businesses, affecting everything from cash flow and growth plans to day-to-day financial stability. But the true cost often extends beyond the invoice itself. At Accountex 2026, Small Business Commissioner Emma Jones and AAT President Lucy Cohen highlighted a less visible impact: the time spent managing … [Read more…]
Plymouth Argyle Football Club’s community trust, known as Argyle Community Trust, has moved far beyond the boundaries of football. It has built a network of social support that touches the lives of some of the city’s most vulnerable residents. Read on to learn more about this outstanding organisation. Here’s what we cover: Team identity: A … [Read more…]
For business owners and finance leaders, improving efficiency and reducing manual work are top priorities. One way to streamline your operations is through electronic invoicing (e-invoicing)—a digital alternative to traditional paper invoicing. Many governments now mandate e-invoicing for compliance, but beyond that, it can help businesses save time and money. So, what is e-invoicing, and … [Read more…]
Finance teams can take nearly three months per year to close the books—time that you could better spend on strategic decision-making. AP automation eliminates manual workloads, optimises cash flow, and minimises financial risk, allowing you to focus on what truly matters: driving business growth. By automating the financial close, our Close the Books research says … [Read more…]