The Chamber Brief: Campaigning to Cut the Cost of Doing Business, Fighting for Business Rates Reform, EU Webinar and more!
“We’d love an apprentice, but the cost is too high!”
For many small businesses, rising costs are no longer just squeezing margins, they are changing the decisions they can make about hiring, investment and growth. Manufacturing firm Bowers & Jones, a proud member of Black Country Chamber, told City A.M. that its factory operating costs have risen from £36 to almost £56 an hour since 2020. The business would like to take on apprentices, but says the rising cost of employing and training a young person has made this increasingly difficult.
This is exactly why we’re campaigning to Cut the Cost of Doing Business. Our Cost Stack Calculator shows that policy-driven costs for a typical SME have risen by more than 70% over the past decade. The impact is real. Businesses are being forced to reconsider investment, recruitment and skills development, even when they want to grow.
Help us put a number on the problem. Please encourage your members to use the Cost Stack Calculator to see how policy-driven costs have changed for their business. The more businesses that take part, the stronger our evidence – and our collective voice – will be when we call on government to make the Autumn Budget a turning point for business growth.
Business rates reform: The fight for a fairer system
The government’s latest business rates review is a welcome step for pubs and hotels, but we are calling for the review to go further. This complex and outdated system affects businesses across every sector, and piecemeal changes risk leaving many firms behind.
This is membership influence in action. Through the Chamber Network, businesses have a collective voice to raise the issues affecting them directly with government. Our research shows that 53% of hospitality firms cited business rates as a concern in Q2, but the challenge extends far beyond hospitality. Businesses need a rates system that gives them the confidence to invest, grow and create jobs in their communities.
Help us keep business rates reform on the agenda. Please do encourage your members to share their experiences of the current system with you. Their evidence strengthens our national advocacy and helps us push government for the comprehensive reform businesses need, not another piecemeal fix.
Trading with the EU: What’s next for your business?
The EU remains one of the UK’s most important trading partners, offering significant opportunities for businesses. However, navigating the evolving UK-EU trading relationship can bring its challenges.
On Tuesday 15 September at 9:00, the Diplomatic Advisory Hub is bringing together experts from government, the BCC and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges for a practical webinar exploring what’s changing, where the opportunities lie and what businesses need to know next.
Whether your members are already exporting to Europe or considering taking their first steps into the EU market, this session will provide valuable insight into the latest developments, practical exporting advice and the opportunity to put questions directly to experienced trade experts.
