Posted on 15 Jan 2014 in Business, Data Protection, Information, News
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued a New Year reminder to firms that they risk breaching data protection laws if they do not have clear guidelines for staff using their own devices to store work-related personal information. The ICO has published a guide for employers on developing a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy. Recommendations in the guide include ensuring devices are encrypted and password protected; making sure data is only transferred...
Read More »
Posted on 15 Jan 2014 in Business, Business Planning, Marketing, News, Websites
One in six small and medium-sized online retailers plan to expand into physical stores in 2014, according to a survey by Royal Mail. Of the 400 online retailers surveyed, 15% also said they planned to trade via online marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon. Over half of respondents said competition for online orders is more intense than last year, with nearly 60% saying this is due to increasing numbers of online retailers. Nick Landon, Managing Director of Royal Mail...
Read More »
Posted on 15 Jan 2014 in Business, Finance, News
Real Time Information (RTI) reporting requirements are set to be eased for micro-business owners, HMRC has announced. Until April 2016, HMRC has agreed that firms with nine or fewer employees that pay their staff weekly or more frequently can send information monthly or by the date of their regular payroll run, but no later than the last payday of the month. The relaxation only applies to firms that are already trading. The announcement follows an existing relaxation of the...
Read More »
Posted on 15 Jan 2014 in Business, Information, News, Technology
Small and medium-sized firms in Belfast, Salford, Portsmouth, Cardiff, Derby, Bristol, Edinburgh, Newport, London and Manchester can apply for grants of up to £3,000 to install faster broadband services at their premises. The roll out of the Connection Voucher Scheme, which is part of the Government’s Urban Broadband Fund, follows a successful two-month market test in August 2013. The aim of the Scheme is to improve digital connectivity, create new business...
Read More »
Posted on 15 Jan 2014 in Business, Information, News, Training
A report published by the Department for Business (BIS) has revealed that only 5% of small businesses have used a mentor in the past 12 months. The ‘Demand for mentoring among SMEs’ report found that almost half of small firms who had used a mentor would not be interested in doing so again, and that 44% believed that mentors who provide support for free would not be of help to them. The report concluded that ‘there is a clear problem on the demand...
Read More »
Posted on 15 Jan 2014 in Business, Finance, News
HMRC opened 256 new IR35 investigations into consultants and freelancers in 2012/13, up from just 59 in 2011/12, according to official figures. HMRC revealed that the majority of cases it had investigated concerned high-risk and “wilfully non-compliant” companies i.e. where all their contracts would fall within the scope of IR35. Robin Wythes, HMRC Employment Status Team Leader, explained that HMRC is now “trying to see IR35 from the view of the...
Read More »
View John Paterson's profile
Recent Comments