News

Edinburgh-headquartered technical advisory firm ITPEnergised has secured a six-figure funding deal from Barclays to support its growth aspirations. The firm enjoyed strong revenue growth in the financial year 2019-2020. It has continued to expand its operations and headcount in the current financial

activpayroll, the global payroll and tax compliance specialist headquartered in Aberdeen, has announced the launch of its first Irish office in Dublin. The recent opening marks activpayroll’s first office in Ireland and will be an invaluable addition to the firm’s current EMEA offering w

Zoe Hall, a business-savvy nurse based in the Scottish Highlands, has set up a boutique self-catering accommodation business after receiving two loans amounting to £35,000 from DSL Business Finance Ltd. Previously a high dependency nurse in Edinburgh, Ms Hall, 41, moved back to her family home

The Bank of Scotland Foundation has launched its Invest grant programme today, which is a multi-year programme for charities helping vulnerable people manage various financial issues, including those who were already facing significant difficulties with their finances before the pandemic, and those

Scottish residential property revenues and sales volumes rose over 20% in the last six months according to analysis of the latest Scottish Government data by property firm apropos. The UK-wide letting firm found that completed property sales rose 23.2% and government revenue was up 20.4% from Septem

Scottish Enterprise has announced the first of a series of grant funding calls to help support economic recovery and stimulate the creation of new green jobs to advance Scotland’s net-zero emission ambitions. The £4 million green jobs call will open to applications on Tuesday 18 May with

A community landowner in the Isle of Lewis has purchased a workshop and a small area of land with support from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). Urras Oighreachd Chàrlabhaigh (UOC) has been awarded a grant of £11,855 to help purchase the building in Breasclete, associated legal fe

As the UK approaches the anniversary of the first national lockdown, a new report from small business insurer Simply Business has revealed that the cost of COVID-19 to UK SMEs is set to exceed £126.6 billion – nearly double the £69bn initially projected a year ago.

Housing minister Kevin Stewart has written to the UK Government to urge a rethink on VAT rates for building refurbishments and renovations. In his letter to Treasury minister Jesse Norman, he argues the current situation acts as a disincentive to improvement work that might make buildings more energ

A new £30 million fund is being established by the Scottish Government to support small businesses within the third sector, helping them to grow as Scotland recovers from the impacts of coronavirus. The fund will be designed to respond to a need for third sector organisations to access loans t

A lawyer is facing a bill of more than £50,000 after having lost a court battle in a row over a "lovely thick" laurel hedge, The Times reports.

NatWest Group has bought back £1.1 billion of shares, bringing the UK Government's stake in the banking group down from 61.1% to 59.8%. The Royal Bank of Scotland owner has agreed with HM Treasury to make an off-market purchase for the total consideration of £1,125,341,269.13 for 590,730

With just under three weeks to go until the IR35 deadline on 6 April, new research from business and financial adviser Grant Thornton UK LLP has found that over one in three (38%) mid-sized businesses are not ready for the transition.

A total of 649 businesses fell into insolvency in Scotland since March last year, according to new figures released by insolvency service Business Rescue Expert. The firm has analysed data from the past 12 months to reveal the Year of Lockdown report, which reveals the state of businesses, the

Cairn Housing Association has welcomed a £55 million funding package from Royal Bank of Scotland to re-finance existing loans, enhance home interiors and develop its pipeline of prospective developments. Operating across 24 local authorities in Scotland with a significant presence in the Centr