Bibby Financial Services has launched the Small Business Cash Access funding facility, aimed specifically at start-ups and small and micro businesses with a turnover of £300,000 per annum or less.

Be the Boss is a UK Government funded scheme to help Service leavers looking to start their own business or become self-employed. It provides Service leavers with grants and loans to start or grow a business.

Common sense has prevailed and the Government has agreed to change their plans and to keep pasties, pies and sausage rolls that are baked in bakeries and shops zero rated.

An £82.5m scheme is being launched today to give 18 - 24 year old entrepreneurs finance and support.

Most of us find ourselves sponsoring family members, friends and work colleagues occasionally either for charity walks, marathons, or children in need events for example, or indeed you may make regular donations to your chosen charity. Whatever donations you do make it may be possible to make them under the Gift Aid scheme. Not only can this enable the charity to claim back even more money from HMRC, but as donor, you may get some additional tax relief too.

Milestone Capital is pleased to announce the sale of Cadum International to L'ORÉAL, the world's largest beauty group, generating c.6x its original €17.5 million investment.

There has been a sharp reaction in the British press to the so-called 'Granny Tax' changes announced in the Budget on 21 March 2012. There are also rumours that the State Pension is to be transferred to the PAYE system next year. We are grateful to local accountancy firm, Charlton Baker Ltd for their comments.

In July 2010 the chief executives of some of the largest banks and the British Bankers’ Association (BBA) set up a Business Finance Taskforce to consider what more could be done to help the UK return to sustainable growth. The initiative followed publication of the government's green paper, 'Financing a private sector recovery' in July 2010.

So what is the Business Growth Fund and how can it help you and your business?

Following the Chancellor’s budget we blogged about the proposed changes to VAT on take-away pies and pasties. 

We will be meeting with a Bank Of England representative this Thursday to discuss the economy in general and to hear how the Bank and the banking sector can help business communities in Wiltshire. This is of course a great opportunity to put points forward for debate and we would be delighted to hear from you if you have any specific points or questions in this area. For example is it now easier to obtain funding for your business ?

Our Xero Service is growing and we have more clients taking on the Xero Software Package.

This is last in our series of VAT articles following the recent budget and as the title suggests it deals with a change to VAT Rules for Hairdressers.

The answer almost certainly is George Osborne.