Regulations

Increased regulation for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) is locking disadvantaged groups out of the workforce, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has claimed.

The Department of Work and Pensions estimates that over half a million people will be saving into a workplace pension scheme by Christmas, owing to the start of auto-enrolment in just over a week's time.

Small and medium sized businesses are most likely to benefit from new steps to reduce business regulations, according to the Government.

Hundreds of thousands of businesses will no longer face health and safety inspections under plans announced by the Government.

SMEs are being urged to harness the £80 billion potential spending power of disabled people in the UK by ensuring that their goods and services are accessible to all.

Employers are choosing to settle employee disputes out of court in order to save legal costs, a law expert has suggested.

Business owners are being reminded to keep their business records up to date, following a report that HMRC issued large fines to a company who failed to notify the authority of a change of name.

Businesses and individuals are to benefit from a Government clamp down on rogue companies that miss-sell consumer credit products or services.

Eight out of ten small businesses in the UK do not want further integration with the European Union (EU), a poll by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has found.

The number of employment tribunal claims fell to 186,300 during 2011-12, figures from the Ministry of Justice show.