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Economy and business environment articles

Read our latest features and articles on the economy and business environment.
Displaying 1-30 of 626 results
A selection of graphical charts
Chart of the week: Budget 2025 debt blues
  • Article
  • 05 Dec 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
Our chart this week illustrates how despite being a “tax-raising Budget”, the cumulative net effect of all the changes announced last week is to add £61bn to the public sector net debt forecast for 31 March 2030.
Houses of Parliament at night
Budget expected to have negative impact on businesses, says ICAEW
  • Article
  • 04 Dec 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
An ICAEW poll has found that close to three-quarters of respondents agreed the Budget would negatively impact their organisation.
Iain Wright, Guy Ruddle and Frances Haque
Budget 25: where’s the growth?
  • Podcast
  • 01 Dec 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
This episode is all about the Budget. What was in it? What are the implications? Was there anything positive to glean from it?
Economy explainers: what is the public balance sheet?
  • Article
  • 28 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Public Sector Team
What is the 'public balance sheet' and what does it mean for people and businesses? ICAEW experts offer this simple guide on the public balance sheet – the government’s assets and liabilities – why they matter and the future outlook.
Economy explainers: public finances and spending
  • Article
  • 28 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Public Sector Team
What are the public finances and how do they affect people and businesses? ICAEW experts offer this simple guide on how the government raises money and how it spends it, as well as the future outlook.
Economy explainers: what is the deficit?
  • Article
  • 28 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Public Sector Team
Journalists and politicians talk a lot about ‘the deficit’. But what is it and how does it affect people and businesses? ICAEW experts offer this simple guide on the deficit, why it matters, and the future outlook.
Group of people around a table having a meeting
Understanding the economic implications of the Budget
  • Article
  • 28 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
Economic update: ICAEW’s Economies Director Suren Thiru discusses the implications of the Budget, what you need to know about current economic conditions and key points to watch.
Rachel Reeves ahead of delivering her Budget on 26 November. Photo: Simon Walker / HM Treasury
Member reaction to the Budget: ‘Nothing for growth’
  • Article
  • 28 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
ICAEW members deliver a muted response to the Chancellor’s raft of announcements, but express relief that there were no unexpected surprises for business.
A group of people sat down round a table having a meeting
ICAEW member insights November 2025: pre-Budget nerves
  • Article
  • 28 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
ICAEW members report subdued confidence across most sectors, shaped by uncertainty around the Budget. Recurring themes this month included varied consumer sentiment, shifting investment outlooks and adoption of new technologies.
A selection of graphical charts
Chart of the week: Autumn Budget 2025
  • Article
  • 27 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
Our chart this week looks at how the Chancellor used tax rises to refill and increase her budget headroom after forecast revisions and spending increases eliminated the projected current budget surplus for 2029/30.
Rachel Reeves ahead of delivering her Budget on 26 November. Photo: Simon Walker / HM Treasury
Budget: businesses dodge tax bullet, but costs will still bite
  • Article
  • 26 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
The Chancellor delivered a raft of small tax changes, rather than any big tax increases. But despite no increases in business taxes, the Budget offered few reasons to be cheerful.
Houses of Parliament at night
Reforming VAT could raise £80bn a year, says ICAEW
  • Article
  • 21 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
ICAEW is urging the government to consider a single rate of VAT with minimal exemptions. Such reforms will make it simpler to do business and generate billions for the UK economy.
Houses of Parliament at night
Budget: ‘change course or stifle growth’ say ICAEW members
  • Article
  • 21 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
Survey of ICAEW Chartered Accountants reveals strong need for certainty and clarity on tax from the Chancellor in next week’s Budget.
A selection of graphical charts
Chart of the week: Controlling for debt
  • Article
  • 21 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
Our chart this week shows how the high level of public debt is the main factor shaping next week’s Autumn Budget.
Four customs headaches for temporary exports
  • Article
  • 20 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
The frustrations of customs compliance have forced one UK-based business to find an EU-based distributor to do the heavy lifting for its European customers, but shipping demo products to trade shows continues to present customs challenges.
London Westminster
Economy explainers: what are interest rates?
  • Article
  • 19 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Economies Team
Interest rates are often discussed in the media and political debates. But how are they calculated and how do they affect people and businesses? ICAEW experts offer this simple guide on interest rates, the future outlook and the challenges in managing them.
How to tackle compliance challenges in export markets
  • Article
  • 19 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
Exporting can trigger a series of compliance challenges, so it is vital that businesses understand the risks to ensure success in other jurisdictions and avoid costly pitfalls.
Tax news in brief 18 November 2025
  • Article
  • 18 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
Highlights from the broader tax news for the week ending 18 November 2025, including: new guidance from HMRC on the recovery of winter fuel payments; and a new tool for generating reports based on data held in the customs declaration service.
Image of Victoria Street and West Bow in Edinburgh, on a sunny day. Shoppers are in the street and bunting hangs between the shops.
New process for indirect exports from 15 December 2025
  • Article
  • 14 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
From next month, businesses may need to change how they move goods through indirect exports from Northern Ireland. Guidance shared by HMRC explains why this is the case and sets out the options for traders.
A selection of graphical charts
Chart of the week: A big Autumn Budget hole to fill?
  • Article
  • 14 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
Our chart this week takes a look at the £40bn ‘hole’ in the public finances that the Chancellor may have to fill when she presents the Autumn Budget 2025 to Parliament on Wednesday 26 November.
Two people looking at the laptop having a conversation
Hill & Smith scoops top ICAEW corporate finance award
  • Article
  • 14 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
FTSE 250 engineering firm recognised for the most value added to shareholders by its effective mergers and acquisitions (M&A) strategy.
Houses of Parliament at night
Budget: why the government should reform business rates
  • Article
  • 12 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
The Chancellor should use this month’s Budget to push ahead with planned reforms of the “poorly designed” business rates system, says ICAEW.
How to adapt to tariffs
  • Article
  • 11 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
To respond effectively to recent and emerging trade tariffs, businesses must have a comprehensive grasp of the three pillars of customs compliance.
Man in suit pulling out some bank notes from an envelope
Exports: what you can learn from record £1m sanctions fine
  • Article
  • 10 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
A UK exporter paid the price when selling goods to a company incorporated in Russia operating in a third country. The case highlights the need for businesses to completely understand sanctions rules and their implications.
Free CPD: Getting started on global trade
  • Article
  • 07 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
Branching out into international sales can feel like a big step, but it holds many opportunities. Your ICAEW membership offers access to resources that will expand your export knowledge and confidence this International Trade Week.
ITW: Five steps to identify new trade opportunities in volatile markets
  • Article
  • 07 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
Importing or exporting to new territories can be risky, especially when global conditions are volatile. Here’s a step-by-step guide to assessing an opportunity.
A selection of graphical charts
Chart of the week: Retail sales in Great Britain
  • Article
  • 07 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
Our chart this week breaks down the £529bn of sales made by retailers in England, Wales and Scotland in the year to September 2025.
International Trade Week: Imports and exports – who pays the VAT?
  • Article
  • 06 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
The rules governing import and export VAT are fraught with complexity. Mistakes can be a significant cost to businesses if they get this wrong. We answer some of the most frequently asked questions on VAT and trade.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivers a Budget scene setter speech at No 9 Downing Street on 4 November 2025. Picture by Kirsty O'Connor / Treasury
The Chancellor’s speech: can Reeves deliver growth and raise taxes?
  • Article
  • 05 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
If business tax rises are inevitable, they must at least be phased in over time if we don’t want to stifle growth, says ICAEW.
International Trade Week: How volatile geopolitics is affecting customs compliance
  • Article
  • 05 Nov 2025
  • ICAEW Insights
SMEs must include measures to comply with the world’s complex web of trade rules in their risk-management control environment, says a senior economist.
Displaying 1-30 of 626 results
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