FPB economics expert looks ahead to 2012 (21/12/2011)

While the 2008 recession was not as deep or prolonged as the infamous 1930s Great Depression, the UK's economy is in danger of taking far longer to recover this time round. That is the warning from the Forum of Private Business’s (FPB's) economic...

Spiralling energy prices hitting small businesses hard (02/11/2011)

Spiralling inflation is continuing to hit small businesses hard, with runaway energy costs impacting on them the most, according to new research from the Forum of Private Business. Among other cost control measures, the Forum is calling for a code...

Spiralling legal consultants’ fees hit small firms with almost £6bn in annual compliance costs (31/08/2011)

Just a month before a raft of legal changes take place, research from the Forum of Private Business (FPB) shows small firms pay almost £6bn per year to outside consultants in exchange for support on complying with regulations – more than a third of...

Cost of red tape reaches £16.8bn despite government schemes, says FPB (27/07/2011)

Research carried out by the Forum of Private Business (FPB) has found that small firms are spending more time and money on complying with regulations - £16.8bn per year to be exact - despite the government’s legislation-busting initiatives to date....

Businesses warned about the use of 'cookies' on websites following EU move (21/06/2011)

The Forum of Private Business (FPB) is warning its members that their websites could fall foul of new EU rules governing the use of ‘cookies’ - the code that is installed on a user's computer allowing a site to remember and recognise visitors....

Sales and marketing are top concerns for small engineering firms, says FPB (16/05/2011)

Sales and marketing are currently the top business issues facing small engineering companies in the UK, according to a new survey by the Forum of Private Business (FPB). Sales and marketing strategy is a priority for over one in five (26.1%) smaller...

Smaller firms urged to put new bank lending appeals process to the test (06/04/2011)

The Forum of Private Business is urging business owners who feel they have been unfairly denied bank lending to put a new appeals process to the test. The British Bankers’ Association has announced the creation of the new process, which sits...

Business group calls for a radical Budget to 'Get Britain Trading' (11/03/2011)

The Forum of Private Business has called on George Osborne to deliver a Budget which will revolutionise trading conditions for Britain’s smaller firms. In line with its recently-launched campaign, Get Britain Trading, the Forum wants to see the...

Over half of SMEs use social media but many question its value (13/10/2010)

More than half of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Britain now use social media, according to a new survey by the Forum of Private Business (FPB). Through its latest Referendum ballot, which was themed around electronic technology and...

SMEs urged to unlock the secrets of the web through free events (02/09/2010)

Smaller businesses across the UK are being invited to discover how they can harness the full potential of the internet through a series of free events. Business owners will be able to hear how they can use search engine...