Category Archives: UK

Business, Economy & Jobs News, UK, USA, Wales

Tariffs announced by US

David Peña, Director of International Trade at Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid, said:

“Tariffs and other trade barriers have historically shown their inefficacy when it comes to fostering long-term economic growth and competitiveness of products and businesses.

“Increased levels of uncertainty paired with slow economic growth paint a grim picture for Welsh businesses, all while inflationary pressures are still present. The effect of increased global tariffs will be impacting all sectors: from exporters seeing their products becoming less competitive overseas, to importers seeing their supply chains impacted, to final consumers on all receiving ends.

“We expect our politicians to keep dialogue channels open and arrive to satisfactory agreements. Tariffs and trade barriers that are raised can also be taken down.

“Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid stands ready to support businesses in Wales through market turbulences and will always work with partners and stakeholders to find alternative and innovative ways to keep trade flowing. We stand for trade, commerce and economic growth.”

Immigration, News, UK

New data reveals Brits are stumped by their own citizenship test

  • Only 17% of respondents could answer all questions from Life in the UK Test correctly 
  • Two thirds of Brits would fail Life in the UK Test according to study from Essex University

27th January 2025: Latest data conducted by the Immigration Advice Service has revealed Brits are stumped by questions in their own citizenship test.  The survey demonstrated significant knowledge gaps amongst Brits in regards to their own culture and traditions particularly amongst younger generations. Almost half (45%) of Gen Z and Millennials couldn’t correctly name Henry VIII’s first wife and over half (56%)  didn’t know that the Cavaliers and Roundheads were the main protagonists of the Civil War.

The study, conducted by the Immigration Advice Service, surveyed 2,000 Brits and posed questions from the Life in the UK Test, a requirement for those seeking British citizenship or settlement. The survey shows a significant number of Brits are unable to answer questions featured in the citizenship test, raising serious questions as to its fairness and suitability to determine citizenship which according to a study by Essex University two-thirds of Brits would fail. Further findings from the survey include:

  • 10% of respondents were unaware the Battle of the Somme occurred during the First World War.
  • ¼ of Brits didn’t know the UK’s first Prime Minister
  • Questions like “Which country is Swansea in?” stumped 10% of Gen Z

The research revealed only 17% of Brits correctly answered all questions in the survey based on the Life in the UK Test, with older generations displaying better knowledge than their younger counterparts.

  • Baby Boomers: 27% correctly answered all questions
  • Generation X: 18% correctly answered all questions
  • Millennials: 11% correctly answered all questions
  • Gen Z: 11% correctly answered all questions

Ono Okeregha, Director at the Immigration Advice Service added:

“These findings highlight the need for a national conversation—not only about how we remember our history, but also about how we determine citizenship. The Life in the UK Test is designed to assess whether someone who is seeking to become a British Citizen understands the history, culture and values of the UK. But if our survey shows that many native-born Brits—including younger generations—struggle with the same knowledge, it begs the question: are we asking the right things?  It’s time to reassess whether a test that many native Britons struggle and better resembles a pub quiz than effective means to determine citizenship is fit for purpose.” 

The findings cast doubt on the fairness of the Life in the UK Test, a requirement for those seeking British citizenship or settlement. The test, designed to evaluate knowledge of British history, culture, and governance, overly relies on knowledge of obscure historical facts and is too disconnected from being a good citizen in practice.

Business & Property News, News, Research, UK

SMEs slowly regaining confidence, global survey finds

Business confidence is slowly returning, according to a global survey of SMEs.

Peninsula Group conducted a survey of 79,000 SMEs across 5 countries – Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the UK – to see what the top priorities and concerns were for employers in 2025.

The global survey revealed:

  • Growth is the main business goal for 47.2% of SMEs; up from 44.7% this time last year. Businesses in Ireland and New Zealand are least optimistic, with only 36% and 34.1% respectively listing it as one of their top goals for the year ahead.
  • While this may seem optimistic, almost a quarter of all respondents globally (23.3%) are just hoping to survive the year ahead, up from 20% this time last year.
  • The UK and Ireland are least optimistic, showing an increase in the number of small businesses listing survival as their top goal. The UK jumped from 18.8% last year to 26% this year, while Ireland increased from 18.8% to 25.6%. By contrast, in Australia the number dropped from 22.4% last year to 19.7% this year.
  • Rising costs are the top concern for 64% of all businesses, legislative changes came in second highest at 44% with labour shortages in third place at 24.3%.  Contrast this to last year, when 84.2% of employers cited rising costs as their top concern, labour shortages came in second highest at 45.6% with retention in third place at 41.5%, and we can clearly see business confidence returning.
  • Employers in the UK and Canada are most concerned about rising costs, with 87.6% and 77.5% respectively citing it as their top concern.
  • Canadian companies most concerned about staffing levels, with labour shortages and employee retention cited by more than 40% of employers as top concerns
  • Employers in Canada, New Zealand and the UK cite increased payroll costs as their biggest staffing challenge, while those in Australia and Ireland are most concerned about recruitment.
  • Employees in Canada and New Zealand are most likely to get a pay raise in the year ahead; those in the UK and Ireland are least likely to.
  • 61% of employers in New Zealand have used financial remuneration to aid retention
  • In terms of working patterns, despite all the headlines surrounding changes in working patterns, it’s clear that this is not a reality for many businesses. 79% of SMEs around the globe have made no changes to their working patterns in the last year.
  • Over a quarter of employees globally (28%) have flexible working hours as standard, and 1 in 7 employers globally have made hybrid working a permanent policy. There is a global divide, however, when it comes to hybrid working, with 1 in 5 UK employers having made it a permanent policy compared to 1 in 10 Australian employers.
  • Canadian and Irish employees are most likely to be in the workplace full time, 62% and 61% respectively

Peninsula Group Chief Operations Officer Alan Price says “The last few years have been incredibly difficult for small businesses around the world but, as we move into 2025, there is an air of cautious optimism amongst employers.

“While there are certainly challenging times ahead, and it would be remiss of us to gloss over the pressures that businesses are under, it’s good to see both opportunity and optimism remaining high. However, global differences are clearly shown in our survey results, with the UK and Ireland entering the year ahead with key concerns around rising costs, legislative changes and business survival. Changes to employer National Insurance contributions are reflected by large spikes in UK respondent answers around rising costs, increased payroll and legislative changes.

“UK employers are also the least likely to be hiring in the year ahead, while employers in New Zealand are most likely to recruit.

“It’s interesting to see that the majority of small businesses have made no change to their working patterns over the last 12 months, despite headlines suggesting that many businesses are making a return to the office. With that being said, it could be that larger employers have made changes to working patterns this year, with SMEs set to follow suit in 2025 – that remains to be seen.

“Hybrid working is here to stay, with 1 in 7 employers globally having made it a permanent policy, although there is a clear global divide in opinions on this. UK employers are most likely to embrace hybrid working, while Canadians are least likely. And flexible working remains the benefit that most employers are turning to when it comes to employee retention, coming out top for 4 out of the 5 countries we surveyed.

“Staffing continues to be a challenge for many employers, with increased payroll costs a top concern for 58.9% of all global respondents. This could impact on both recruitment and retention, as businesses look to balance the books. We’ve seen an increase in the number of employers turning to flexible working, mental health support, and reward and recognition to aid retention instead of financial remuneration.

“Based on our analysis of the survey results, Canada comes out on top as the best place to build a business in 2025, while employers in the UK and Ireland feeling least optimistic about the outlook for the year ahead.”

Read the full UK Employer Confidence Index 2025 here.

Careers, News, Pay & Reward, UK, USA

UK salaries trail the US as businesses brace for Autumn Budget impact, Deel data reveals

With hikes to National Insurance announced during the Autumn Budget set to increase the cost of doing business, UK businesses are bracing themselves for possible reduced investment, hiring freezes, lower pay, price increases and jobs moving overseas – particularly with markets like the US strengthening.

New global salary data from Deel, the all-in-one global hiring and HR platform, sheds light on how compensation in the UK is lagging behind the US — a gap that could have significant implications for UK businesses striving to remain competitive on the global stage during these uncertain times.

According to Deel’s analysis of hundreds of thousands of contracts, UK salaries continue to fall short of their US counterparts, especially in technical roles.

 

Key findings from the data include:

  • Stagnant salary growth in the UK: While technical roles in the US have seen salary increases of roughly 15% over the past 18 months, the UK has only experienced a modest 3% rise.
  • Compensation gap: The average salary for a full-time employee (FTE) in the US stands at $125,000, significantly higher than the UK’s average of $102,000 — a gap of $23,000.

In terms of specific roles, UK professionals face even wider disparities compared to their US counterparts:

  • UK Software Engineers earn $123k on average, up just 2% year-on-year (YoY), compared to US Software Engineers who saw a 68% increase, bringing their average salary to $131k.
  • UK Product Managers’ salaries dropped by 10.9% YoY to $116k, while US Product Managers enjoyed a 23.2% YoY rise, earning $144k on average.
  • Account Executives in the UK saw a 5.5% YoY drop to $104k, compared to their US peers who now earn $100k after an 11.1% increase.

 

Despite these challenges, there is some optimism when it comes to gender representation and compensation. In the UK, female representation in technical roles has seen a notable increase, signalling progress towards closing the gender gap. However, female workers globally still earn less than their male counterparts, with women in technical roles earning on average $88k in the UK compared to $109k for men. The US shows a similar trend, with women earning $128k versus $150k for men in technical positions.

 

Matt Monette, UK Country Manager at Deel, comments on what this means for UK businesses:
“Deel’s data underlines the significant challenges that UK businesses face in attracting top talent, especially when competing with US firms that can offer more competitive compensation packages. With the Autumn Budget introducing changes that could further increase the cost of hiring, it’s crucial for UK businesses to give a holistic review to their approach to employee engagement and benefits. We want British businesses to stay competitive, and that includes how they attract and retain top talent against a global landscape.”

 

 

Business, Business Investment, Business News, Events, South Wales, UK, Wales

Cardiff Capital Region announces return to MIPIM 2025, the world’s leading property investment event

Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) officially launched its MIPIM 2025 Partnership Programme today at the Pyramid Suite, Sophia Gardens ahead of the international event in Cannes, France, 11-14 March 2025.

Hosted by CCR’s Chief Executive Kellie Beirne, with special guest Dame Nia Griffith, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Wales Office, the launch brought together private sector guests and public sector partners across the ten local councils that make up the Region.

Cllr Mary Ann Brocklesby, Chair, Cardiff Capital Region Committee, and Cllr Huw Thomas, Deputy Chair, Cardiff Capital Region both spoke at the event, highlighting the importance of attending MIPIM and how it enables the Region to showcase opportunities to investors and property developers from all over the world.

In 2025, CCR will be situated with other UK City Regions at La Croisette on the seafront, an important strategic move that sees the Region partner with other core UK destinations, whilst also retaining its own unique Welsh identity.

Dame Nia Griffith said:

“The UK Government’s key mission is economic growth and Cardiff and the surrounding area have a vital role to play in that mission. That is why we have invested in Cardiff Capital Region.

“Their attendance at this globally renowned exhibition is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the best of what our capital city has to offer to international investors. By working together we will encourage investment into Wales.”

Cllr Mary Ann Brocklesby, said:

“I’m delighted to see South East Wales represented on the international stage of MIPIM once again. Our presence shows we are serious about our ambitions and the critical role that inward investment plays to drive inclusive growth and prosperity, in collaboration with the private sector.”

Cllr Huw Thomas, added:

“Our city is at our best when we work in partnership, and especially so when we are showcasing our businesses on the global stage, and we’re excited to be returning to MIPIM in 2025 to show what Cardiff, and the region, has to offer. On a number of measures, we’re growing faster than other cities across the UK, and we want to make sure that success continues, supporting more and better jobs for our communities across the city and the Cardiff Capital Region.”

 

Considered the world’s leading global real estate event, ‘Marche International des Professionals d’Immobilier’ (MIPIM) attracts more than 20,000 participants each year, including 5,000 investors, 4,800 developers, and 500 journalists.

Economy & Jobs News, News, Politics, UK

New Government Urged to Plan for the Worst as Experts Launch Report on Challenges of National Resilience

Mark Drakeford Reveals the Challenges of Managing a Crisis

Leading policy makers and practitioners have urged the new government to put national resilience at the top of their agenda and on a statutory footing. The recommendations are included in a report; “A Blueprint for Resilience in 2035 Reflections on the Cityforum Conference, London, May 2024” by Stephen Hawker, a former senior member of the UK’s intelligence and security community. It has been published by Cityforum, the senior, expert, policy debating forum. In a Cityforum podcast to discuss the issues raised in the report, Rt Hon Mark Drakeford, the former First Minister of Wales, highlighted in conversation with Sir David Omand the challenges to governments in managing resilience. The discussion is now available as a Cityforum podcast.

Click to Download the Report

In May, some of the UK’s leading policy makers and practitioners met to discuss how to build a broader understanding of national resilience; to identify what could be done now to improve the prospects for a sustainable future; and review how to build capacity to withstand and recover from the anthropogenic (human-causation) and natural shocks. They looked at the roles of government, businesses, civil society, and individuals in taking coherent action to foster a resilient society. The importance of this has recently been highlighted by the impact of War on Europe’s borders, turbulence in the Middle East, China in imperial mode and Covid-19, which challenged the UK’s resilience in key areas.

 

The supporting podcast explores crisis management, devolution challenges, and long-term governance strategies, with a focus on the practical and the human dimensions of resilience.  The discussion covers the COVID-19 response, UK resilience, volunteer mobilisation, leadership in a crisis, and Wales’s innovative Future Generations Act.

The UK faces geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainties and environmental challenges. The report highlights how critical UK’s ability to adapt and recover is. It is noted that 90% of the infrastructure we rely on now will still be in use by 2035. It is therefore accepted that major changes take time; but small adjustments now could still make a disproportionate difference. In the Podcast Rt Hon Mark Drakeford noted that too often these changes are put off by governments in favour of taking action that can be seen and appreciated now. An action that averts a crisis will probably not even be recognised.

 

Commenting on the report and the podcast, Stephen Hawker said: “We need the new government to create a vision of what resilience needs to look like by 2035 or 2050. Without broad standards, indicators, rankings, ratings, and quantitative measures it is impossible to track overall progress and to hold those responsible (not just government) to account.”

 

The report concludes that if the scale of the threats and the extent of vulnerability is as great as feared then we need greater energy, focus and direction on resilience.  Cityforum calls on the new government to:

  • Put national resilience at the top of their agenda and on a statutory footing (as suggested by the National Preparedness Commission).
  • Undertake a comprehensive assessment of the resilience needed in the UK to provide a baseline for judging change. Government should be required to report annually on progress.
  • Develop a national resilience strategy with national goals, focusing on reducing vulnerability as well as preparing for and managing crisis. The strategy needs to be realistic and affordable; and to address human, health and economic as well as system issues and emergency planning. Resilience to be made an integral part of decision-making throughout the economy.

The report and podcast are available free of charge on the Cityforum website. Hugh Morris of Z/Yen will chair a special webinar on the Hawker report on 18th July 2024.  You can register to attend on the Z/Yen website event page.

 

Cityforum is grateful to the following organisations for their help with the development of the report:

  • The National Preparedness Commission (NPC) is an independent and non-political body, whose fundamental objective is to promote policies and actions to help the UK be significantly better prepared to avoid, mitigate, respond to, and recover from major shocks, threats and challenges.
  • BT is a systemically important part of the UK’s national connectivity capability and as such enables the broadest range of industries to function and to operate in an efficient manner sharing information with customers, suppliers and internally. The same criticality applies to organisations of state from National Air Traffic (NATS) to UK Policing, Work and Pension, the tax Office, Health services and a myriad of public services around the UK.
  • Northrop Grumman UK is a growing British business, wholeheartedly committed to supporting the defence and national security of the United Kingdom and its allies
  • Surevine build secure, scalable collaboration environments for the most security conscious organisations.
Bristol, News, Tech, Technology, UK

Bristol-based Solsoft Ranked on Tech Industry’s Most Prestigious List of Global Providers

Bristol-based Solsoft has been named as one of the world’s top-performing managed service providers in the prestigious 2024 Channel Futures MSP 501 rankings.

The Channel Futures MSP 501 list, a technology industry benchmark, has been running for 17 years and ranks companies based on their growth, innovation and profitability.

“We’re absolutely delighted to be included in this global list and even more so to be the 9th highest ranked UK company on the list. It’s a real honour and testament to the team here.” said Neil Farnworth, Managing Director, Solsoft.

“For a managed service provider to attain a spot on the Channel Futures MSP 501 everything must be operating at peak performance. This list represents the most productive, profitable, fastest-growing, organisations in the technology industry focused on driving their customers to new heights.” said Bob DeMarzo, VP Content, Informa Channels.

“These are the best of the best in the managed services industry as defined by Channel Futures’ extensive research. The MSP 501 companies are the most sought after by peers who want to understand today’s best practices and by technology suppliers who want to partner with these organizations,” DeMarzo stated. “At their core, these are vendor and platform neutral partners focused on doing what is right for their customers.”

Business News, Driving, Driving Tech, EVs and Automotive News, Transport, Transport Tech, Travel, UK

Veezu teams up with Seatfrog to end the anxiety with trains and taxis

The travel duo join forces to upgrade passengers’ journeys from home to destination.

 

Veezu, the UK’s largest and fastest-growing private hire taxi technology platform, and Seatfrog, the rail ticketing app revolutionising train travel are excited to announce a strategic partnership to end the anxiety with trains and taxis.

 

From today, Seatfrog’s cutting-edge technology will be connected to Veezu’s extensive vehicle network, taking passengers from their home straight to the best seats on trains and then directly into a Veezu car on arrival at the best price available.

 

The partnership will eliminate the headache many passengers face across the UK, waiting in endless taxi queues or missing taxis because their train is running late, by connecting train journeys and taxi network data for the first time. Passengers’ rides will automatically connect to their rail departure and arrival times, so they can step out of the train station straight into their waiting Veezu ride.

 

Veezu passengers will also be able to easily upgrade their train tickets to first class on the way to the station, from as little as £13 – with Seatfrog’s unique app features, where Brits have saved over £80 million on first class upgrades.

 

Nathan Bowles, CEO of Veezu, commented, “Partnering with Seatfrog is an exciting step towards redefining travel in key UK cities. Together, we’re going to make it easier than ever for passengers to enjoy an integrated journey and sit in the best seats on the train.”

 

Seatfrog’s CEO, Iain Griffin, added, “Journeys should be easy, but in the UK, we’re constantly reminded that we’re mere mortals every time we jump off a train to catch a taxi – long queues, no vehicles available, surge pricing, stress. No one has seamlessly connected taxis to train journeys, changing that is long overdue.”

 

For more information about the collaboration between Veezu and Seatfrog visit https://www.veezu.co.uk/partners/seatfrog  and www.seatfrog.com/veezu.

Acquisitions & Partnerships, Motoring, News, Sport, Sustainability, UK

Hansen Motorsport extends longstanding partnership with Sparco for 2024

Hansen Motorsport has today announced that Sparco, the Italian auto part and accessory company, will continue to supply the driver equipment, team kit, and teamwear for Hansen World RX Team and #YellowSquad.

Sparco will also support Timmy Hansen as the Swede faces his exciting new challenge in the E1 Series, by providing technical racing equipment from the Full-Efficiency line, which is globally the first and only product line aimed at the principles of “zero waste”.

The long-standing partnership between Hansen Motorsport and Sparco has been built on shared values and decades of joint experience in motorsport. This partnership supports innovation through constant collaboration with the drivers, whose valuable feedback gained from their skills on track continues to back research and development towards the highest level of performance.

Kenneth Hansen, Team Founder of Hansen World RX Team, said: “All of us at Hansen Motorsport are proud of our work as a family company. Having dedicated partners like Sparco, who share our commitment and passion, plays a crucial part in our legacy as a team. Together with Sparco we’ll continue to push what’s possible and pick apart every detail as we look to continue innovating and improving both on and off the track.”

Diego Lamura, Sparco Chief Marketing Officer and Global Partnerships, said: “Sparco is proud to partner with Hansen Motorsport. This long-term partnership gives us the opportunity to continue and deepen our commitment to innovation and sustainability, while benefiting from the world-class expertise of the drivers, who play a key role for us at Sparco in our ongoing research and development activities.”

Multiple World Championship winning outfit Hansen Motorsport will take on the 2024 FIA World Rallycross Championship – which sees the introduction of the ‘Battle of the Technologies’ – with Sparco branding at select locations on their cars.

The most successful rallycross team in history will be looking to build on last season’s performance, this time against new competition in the form of sustainably-fuelled combustion counterparts.

Led by 14-time European Rallycross champion Kenneth Hansen and European S1400 champion Susann Hansen, the squad is adding lessons learned from last year to an intense off-season ahead of its 2024 title challenge with the added support of Sparco.

The 2024 FIA World RX campaign kicks off in Höljes, Sweden (6-7 July), before heading to Hungary where the drivers will take on Nyirád’s ‘Red Cauldron’, which steps up to World Championship for the first time (27-28 July). Two familiar World RX venues follow in Mettet, Belgium (17-18 August) and Montalegre in Portugal (7-8 September). An exciting season finale is in store as the championship heads oversees to Australia (30 November-1 December).

Acquisitions & Partnerships, Business, Business News, Case Studies and Partnerships, News, Tech, UK, Wales

Flotek continues impressive growth trajectory with ninth successful acquisition in 18 months

The Flotek Group has acquired Ikona IT Solutions, a Cardiff-based IT and telecoms support company, in a deal advised on by The GS Verde Group. This marks the ninth successful acquisition for the fast-growing Flotek group since it started trading eighteen months ago.

Making a name for itself as one of the most prolific IT and communications providers in the region, Flotek is known for taking an innovative and customer-centric approach to transforming networks and digital services for a huge range of businesses. Flotek’s previous acquisitions, also advised on by The GS Verde Group, have included Gower Business Systems, Cloud9ine, Liberty Solutions (Swansea) Limited, and Saecom in South Wales, alongside England-based businesses Mazing Tree, FlexiNet, ECS Solutions, and Toolk-IT, which have facilitated the group’s geographical and service expansion.

The acquisition of Ikona IT Solutions, one of the longest-serving IT support businesses in Cardiff, is particularly poignant for Flotek, as Jay Ball, Flotek CEO, and Spiro Ginis, owner at Ikona, have known each other for 16 years. There was no doubt that the future of Ikona was being placed in good hands.

Adding another strong Cardiff business with an excellent reputation to the Group’s offering, alongside their head office, will launch Flotek’s plans for accelerated growth in the capital and establish a foundation of considerable size in the South Wales area from which to realise their expansive future ambitions.

Speaking of the acquisition, Jay said: “We are pleased that Ikona IT Solutions has joined the Flotek Group. Ikona is an IT company with a wealth of experience in providing businesses with a truly varied range of IT and communication needs, all with a stellar reputation for customer service. The acquisition of Ikona means that Flotek can add these valuable services to our diverse roster, providing a more streamlined and comprehensive service for our customers.”

 

Ikona Director, Spiro Ginis, added: “Knowing Jay and his plans for the future, I believe this acquisition will only strengthen the business and allow us to continue to provide Ikona clients with the high-quality, end-to-end IT support that they know, alongside enhanced cyber security and engineering resource options. We are excited to be part of Flotek’s impressive journey.”

 

Following the recent launch of Flotek Legal, delivering cloud-based technology and streamlined workflow solutions to the legal sector, this acquisition continues the ambitious trajectory the company has charted since its inception in April 2022. Showing no signs of slowing down as the end of the year approaches, Flotek is currently working on two additional deals to be announced before 2024 arrives.

For more information about Flotek and the services it offers, please visit https://flotek.io/

The GS Verde group are business-focused experts in getting deals done. Working as a complete advisory team, GS Verde supports clients through a streamlined deal process, achieving the best possible outcome.