Why small businesses struggle

[woodsieboy]

I have just opened the post, and we have the notification of our business rates for 2025/26

The weekly payment has gone from £16 to £46

In the scale of things it is not a huge cash amount, but it has to be found

If we as a small business are facing this increase, imagine what pubs etc must be facing

 

[Mr Plodd]

That's £120 (4 weeks worth) that has to be found from somewhere, be that less profit, or higher costs to your customers. Of course these higher costs will add a little bit to HMRC's VAT take as well.

My council tax has gone from £256 per month to £270. That's for a 3 bed semi on an estate. So that's £140 per year less in my pocket, then there the £200 winter fuel payment we no longer get, plus the increase in energy costs, higher food bills and so on. Oh happy days!

 

[otherclive]

Our Council Tax has gone up to £3100 and thankfully Wiltshire Council has managed to keep just below 5%. But the generous triple lock payments over two years combined with pension increases have pushed me up a tax band.

 

[RogerL]

Our Council Tax has gone up to £3100 and thankfully Wiltshire Council has managed to keep just below 5%. But the generous triple lock payments over two years combined with pension increases have pushed me up a tax band.

If your retirement income is high enough, over £50,000, to be in the higher tax band you may not get much sympathy here.

 

[otherclive]

If your retirement income is high enough, over £50,000, to be in the higher tax band you may not get much sympathy here.

Not looking for sympathy just a plain statement of fact as to how taxes go up in a backhanded way.

 

[Buckman]

That's £120 (4 weeks worth) that has to be found from somewhere, be that less profit, or higher costs to your customers. Of course these higher costs will add a little bit to HMRC's VAT take as well.

My council tax has gone from £256 per month to £270. That's for a 3 bed semi on an estate. So that's £140 per year less in my pocket, then there the £200 winter fuel payment we no longer get, plus the increase in energy costs, higher food bills and so on. Oh happy days!

Don't forget that it is all being done for the working man to put more money into the pockets of that person! Problem is that those pockets now have a big hole.

 

[RogerL]

Not looking for sympathy just a plain statement of fact as to how taxes go up in a backhanded way.

It's the freezing of HMRC personal allowance that's hurting everyone.

 

[otherclive]

It's the freezing of HMRC personal allowance that's hurting everyone.

Not everyone, as there are those that are working few hours or not working etc that do not reach the threshold for basic tax.

 

[Len W]

Our business shop rates have gone from £700 to 1700 per month. Remaining on the high street is becoming nigh on impossible as many customers just can't afford further increases - we've decided not to pass it on. We only employ three people, so not a great loss but it all adds up. We are also having conversations as to what the future looks like and all I can say is it looks bleak. I dislike conversation about recession but it will be eventually be what it looks like, whether we give it a name or not.

 

[Dustydog]

Our Council Tax has gone up to £3100 and thankfully Wiltshire Council has managed to keep just below 5%. But the generous triple lock payments over two years combined with pension increases have pushed me up a tax band.

Steady on Clive , the Occupant of No 11 may be reading this. Your OAP may be means tested soon😉
59% of Wiltshire Council Rates goes on Adult and children’s care. My sister in the West Midlands is far worse off with her rates😢

 

[toad a caravan]

I've been lucky,I was born with nothing and still got most of it

 

[RogerL]

Our business shop rates have gone from £700 to 1700 per month. Remaining on the high street is becoming nigh on impossible as many customers just can't afford further increases - we've decided not to pass it on. We only employ three people, so not a great loss but it all adds up. We are also having conversations as to what the future looks like and all I can say is it looks bleak. I dislike conversation about recession but it will be eventually be what it looks like, whether we give it a name or not.

I don't see how high streets are going to survive - the ease of access to out-of-town retail parks is what virtually everyone wants and at prices most high streets simply can't match.

 

[borderbilly]

I've been lucky,I was born with nothing and still got most of it

Guid auld SSS.

 

[Danddandy]

If your retirement income is high enough, over £50,000, to be in the higher tax band you may not get much sympathy here.

High income tax payer, no income tax payer doesn't matter. . This forum is like being in a pub. . High income; low income; big spenders or not. . We have forum commentators with new 'vans, new cars and others with 20 year old cars and 'vans. . We all have commitments financially. We all could do with a bit more cash. . Long live the pub. Long live the forum. .

 

[toad a caravan]

I agree,is it your shout😁

 

[otherclive]

Steady on Clive , the Occupant of No 11 may be reading this. Your OAP may be means tested soon😉
59% of Wiltshire Council Rates goes on Adult and children’s care. My sister in the West Midlands is far worse off with her rates😢

Methinks you’ve been digesting fake news.The government have categorically ruled out means testing the state pension.

Petition: Stop Means Testing Pensioners and increase the State Pension

We demand the government stop means testing pensioners, that we think is a degrading and humiliating practice. We also think the state pension should be increased. We believe that for too long, our elderly have been portrayed by media as merely burdens on the NHS and the modern welfare state.

petition.parliament.uk

 

[RogerL]

Methinks you’ve been digesting fake news.The government have categorically ruled out means testing the state pension.

Petition: Stop Means Testing Pensioners and increase the State Pension

We demand the government stop means testing pensioners, that we think is a degrading and humiliating practice. We also think the state pension should be increased. We believe that for too long, our elderly have been portrayed by media as merely burdens on the NHS and the modern welfare state.

petition.parliament.uk

Pension credit is means tested - it's the mechanism used to bring those with low pension entitlement up to a living wage level.

 

[Buckman]

I don't see how high streets are going to survive - the ease of access to out-of-town retail parks is what virtually everyone wants and at prices most high streets simply can't match.

The big plus is not exorbitant parking charges to pay if using out of town. Councils are driving people away from high streets with end result businesses close and they lose the council tax so they look elsewhere and then cause even further issues and more closures of businesses.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Let's try and keep specifical political comment out of debates like this.

 

[otherclive]

The big plus is not exorbitant parking charges to pay if using out of town. Councils are driving people away from high streets with end result businesses close and they lose the council tax so they look elsewhere and then cause even further issues and more closures of businesses.

We went into Bath the other evening to a Gordon Buchan presentation ( excellent). The parking charges in the car park are rendered 24/7 and Bath has so many residents only areas, or street parking by meter that it’s a case of “ grin and bear it”. During the day we use the park and ride, or bus/train but neither are really available or can be relied upon evenings.

 

[Buckman]

Today for the 1st time in quite a few years we took a stroll down the High Street in our nearest town. Normally we simply drive down the High Street to sort of out of town supermarket. Quite surprised at the number of empty shops even some that we know opened in the past year.

I think business rates have gone through the roof and soon it will only be charity shops in the High Street as I don't think they pay business rates? There is only one Cashpoint operational in the whole town and parking is very difficult.