By Liz Barclay Co-Founder of Business111.com The new apprenticeship announcement is being hailed as a breakthrough for small and micro businesses. As someone who spent years inside the system as Small Business Commissioner and has gone back to working directly with owners through Business111.com I welcome it. But I also know that small firmsContinue reading “Apprenticeships Are Vital But Small Firms Need Delivery, Not Another Slogan”
Category Archives: Liz Barclay
BoE: Job Cuts Surge 1.8% as Unemployment Hits 5% — More Pain to Come
By Liz Barclay: – Businesses cut jobs by 1.8% on average in November according to the Bank of England and it’s expected that there will be a further fall of 0.7% in the next year. Unemployment is already at 5% according to the latest ONS figures. When firms cut jobs and unemployment is growingContinue reading “BoE: Job Cuts Surge 1.8% as Unemployment Hits 5% — More Pain to Come”
Liz Barclay on Budget Day 26th November 2025
Launching Business111.com: A New Lifeline for Small Businesses
Today’s Budget will leave many small business owners searching for clear answers. That’s why I’ve launched Business111.com — in BETA — to help them navigate what comes next. As the Chancellor delivers today’s Budget, millions of small and micro business owners will be waiting anxiously to understand what the numbers actually mean for them.Continue reading “Launching Business111.com: A New Lifeline for Small Businesses”
Budget Signals a Tougher Road Ahead for Small Firms
By Liz Barclay – ex HMG’s Small Business Commissioner The early release of Rachel Reeves’s Budget points to sweeping tax changes. For small and micro businesses, the impact could be profound and painful. Before the Chancellor even reached the dispatch box today, the Office for Budget Responsibility appeared to spill the biggest secrets ofContinue reading “Budget Signals a Tougher Road Ahead for Small Firms”