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The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has called for a cut to excise duty in its submission for the March Budget later this year. The SWA has said that cutting tax on Scotch Whisky and other spirits in the Budget could give Chancellor Rishi Sunak an extra £750 million to spend over the next thre

Seven in ten first-time buyers took out mortgages beyond the traditional term of 25 years in 2020, compared with just under half a decade ago, according to Nationwide's monthly House Price Index. According to the report, around 70% of first-time buyers took out a mortgage with an initial term of mor

Proposals have been revealed for a new £33.8 million leisure-led development at West Kinfauns, Perthshire. The leisure-based destination is being proposed by plant machinery company, Morris Leslie, which has its headquarters at West Kinfauns.

More than £55 million in coronavirus support has been paid out to businesses between October and December through Scottish Government funds. Statistics show 13,462 grants totalling £31.4m were processed through the Strategic Framework Business Fund (SFBF) between 2 November and 28 Decemb

The office market in Edinburgh remained robust in 2020 despite the upheaval of COVID-19, according to the latest figures on the office markets in Edinburgh and Glasgow released by CBRE. Over the final quarter of 2020, office take-up in Edinburgh totalled 103,444 sq ft, which is only a 2.46% decrease

Dundee-based sports video game developer Digital Sports Arena has secured a global publishing deal with international games group Playstack for its latest game, GameDayLive.

During 2020 there were a record number of new limited companies set up to hold buy-to-let properties, according to research published by Hamptons. Last year there were a total of 41,700 buy-to-let incorporations, an increase of 23% on 2019. The numbers have more than doubled since 2016, rising 128%,

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has revealed the ways in which it currently works to protect consumers from investment harm by stopping and disrupting potentially harmful firms and activities. In a report issued today, the FCA has highlighted the action it has taken during the first ten m

A report led by Dame Sara Thornton, the UK's Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, has found worryingly low levels of awareness of forced labour and exploitation of workers in the UK's financial sector.  It found that nearly half of bankers and other finance staff don’t know about the na

A pigeon which somehow travelled 8,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean is being hunted by authorities as a possible quarantine risk.

A woman who ran two Fife hotels has been jailed for a £380,000 VAT fraud. Lesley Dykes of Markinch stole the money during a five-year fraud, an HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigation revealed.

Audit, tax and consulting firm RSM has strengthened its Aberdeen office with four key appointments in tax and financial reporting - bringing wider expertise to the team. Andrew Good has joined RSM as an associate director in the tax team; while Scott Allan joins as a corporate tax manager. In additi

Thousands of small business across the UK are set to receive insurance payouts covering losses from the first coronavirus lockdown after the Supreme Court substantially allowed the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) appeal on behalf of policyholders in its business interruption insurance test

Scottish accountancy practice Wylie & Bisset has promoted two of its directors to partnership level. The promotions of Laura Smith, head of the firm’s healthcare team, and Catherine Livingstone, head of its business advisory services team, take the number of partners at the practice to 11.

An increasing number of wealthy families in the UK are making more claims for inheritance tax repayments under a little-known rule that allows refunds on share and property losses. Under the rule, executors are allowed to apply for IHT refunds on losses made ont he sale of inherited securities, incl