Federation of Small Businesses

FSB: Small business confidence slumps as rising costs pile on the pressure

A targeted VAT cut and a National Insurance Contributions (NICs) holiday must be introduced for small firms as small business confidence fell to -9.3 due to the pressure of weak demand and rising costs, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) ‘Voice of Small Business’ Index.

FSB: Proposals to charge for inspections will hit small firms hardest

Proposals to charge small firms for ‘material’ faults found during inspections by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) could damage relationships and may be seen as a way to raise revenue rather than improving compliance, says the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in response to a consultation which closes today.