Personal Contract Hire: The Fastest Growing Way to Acquire a New Car Because it's a significant investment, second only to purchasing a home, buying a new car is a big deal for most people, especially if they want to buy it outright. But unlike a home, having paid out a substantial sum, a car reduces in value even as it's driven home! To spread the cost and make the acquisition of a new car [...]
Cyber-Security: A Growing Challenge The whole world is having to face up to a growing threat from cyber-criminals and those who mean to do us harm online, and that means not only being mindful of how we conduct ourselves with the internet, but also how we have to evolve to meet this constantly changing threat. But while cyber-security can be problematic for the individual, the threat increases many-fold when levelled at an organisation [...]
When it Comes to Reviewing a School’s Social Media Policy, OFSTED May Not "Like" What They See Why schools that aren't proactive around regulating social media could put both their pupils and staff at risk In the world of social media, it can sometimes feel like school administrations are fighting a losing battle. Much like Hercules fighting the Hydra, it seems each time a head is chopped off several more grow back. While the [...]
Modular School Buildings Space-Creation For Schools As budgets get ever tighter in both state-funded and independent schools, the question of funding much-needed new school buildings rears its head. With the school-age population increasing, schools can often struggle to provide even basic assets but need more space year on year, so what chance do they have of expanding their capacity by traditional new building? The answer may lie in using modular school buildings. What [...]
Growth Trends Show Businesses are Investing Despite Economic Uncertainty The UK economy grew by 0.5% in the first quarter of the year and only 0.2% in the second, which was below Government expectation and has prompted recessionary fears. But in contrast, the latest figures from the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show how asset finance continues its growth in 2019. Whilst the OECD’s Business Confidence Index has recorded declines in 2019, the [...]
What is Alternative Finance for Business? Google ‘alternative business finance’, and you’ll be greeted with a plethora of adverts and articles promoting a wide range of different types of alternative business funding. But what exactly is alternative finance and how might it be useful for your organisation? The alternative business finance market has developed over the last decade, since the 2008 credit crisis, as many organisations found it increasingly difficult to access funding [...]
Employee Car Ownership: The Ideal Car Scheme? There are two competing forces currently shaping the car benefit landscape. The first is benefit in kind (BiK) taxation, which is making some drivers question the value of choosing a company provided car. The second is the shortage of skilled workers, which is making many employers look for ways to enhance their benefit packages to attract the best talent. From our own research, we have discovered [...]
Company Car Tax: Update On 9th July, the Government published the company car Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax rates that will apply from April 2020 through to April 2023, providing long-awaited clarity for both drivers and decision-makers. The most obvious change brought about by this announcement is that, from April 2020, company cars producing no emissions will not attract any BiK tax liability. The zero percent BiK rate will also apply to cars producing 1-50g/km [...]
Driving for Business: Know the Rules Car use for business isn’t as simple as just popping out to a client’s office or doing your boss a favour and transporting some bits in the boot. There are strict rules in place for personal car use for business and falling foul of them can be costly. Personal car, cash car allowance or company car? If you do a lot of driving for your work, you [...]
