The government has announced a £725 million overhaul of the apprenticeship system, setting out plans to create 50,000 new placements over the next three years in an effort to address rising youth unemployment and strengthen the UK’s long-term economic prospects. The reforms include a £140 million mayoral pilot programme giving regional leaders new powers to connect young people — particularly ...

Recent scientific work has given growers a clearer look at what truly strengthens the quality of feminised seeds, and one of the most relevant studies came from a 2024 publication in Frontiers in Plant Science. Researchers focused on how feminised seeds are made, how the plants react, and what steps actually lead to dependable outcomes. With these findings, growers can ...

Taking the leap to join the world of the self-employed is equally as exciting as it is nerve-wracking. If you are new to self-employment, or you’re thinking about becoming a sole trader, then here are a few essential tips that will help you along the way. Manage Your Time Wisely Being self-employed can be incredibly time consuming. There is always ...

Positive working environments encourage creativity, increase productivity, reduce turnover rates, and improve overall performance. Ensuring the office is a pleasant place to work in isn’t just about keeping employees happy, it’s about ensuring the longevity of your business. With that in mind, here are five ways you can improve the working environment. Focus on the Physical Workspace The area in ...

If you live in London and regularly book a rubbish removal service, you’ve probably noticed how prices fluctuate throughout the year — even when the job itself is identical. One week you might get a full van load collected for £250, and a few months later, the same company could quote £350 or more. It’s not random or because someone ...

When executives complain about tax, they rarely have just one levy in mind. A North Sea producer facing an effective tax rate of 78 per cent on profits, a drinks importer hit three times by a packaging payment glitch and a venue staring at a 300 per cent jump in rateable value all see different headlines, but the same trend. ...

Many companies now see blockchain as a core technology for business problems. They want faster settlement, stronger security, and fewer intermediaries in operations. Web3 markets matured after the first hype and early speculation phase. Now more companies test blockchain in real products, not pilots. Recent data shows how quickly this shift is scaling. Market.us values the global blockchain technology market ...

In just four months, millions of small businesses, sole traders and landlords will need to change how they track and report their finances to HMRC. Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for IT) will come into effect and means moving away from annual, paper-based tax returns to more frequent, digital reporting. Under the new rules, you’ll need to use ...

Keir Starmer is set to appoint Richard Walker, the executive chair of Iceland Foods and a former Conservative donor, to the House of Lords — marking one of the most striking political shifts in recent years for a senior UK business figure. The Guardian understands that Walker will join a cohort of around 25 new Labour peers expected to be ...

Every creative person has had that moment where they look at something beautifully personalized—a monogrammed cutting board, a customized metal tumbler, a sleek engraved leather wallet—and think, “I could totally make that.” Once upon a time, that idea would’ve required a workshop full of industrial tools and a level of skill that bordered on wizardry. Today? Thanks to modern laser ...