The introduction of identity verification is one of the key changes to UK company law under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. This landmark legislation gave Companies House new and enhanced powers to help disrupt economic crime and support economic growth. Identity verification will provide more assurance about who is setting up, running, owning and controlling companies in the UK. There will be the same level of assurance whether individuals are verifying their identity directly with Companies House or through an ACSP. Companies House CEO Louise Smyth CBE said: Identity verification will play a key role in improving…

British businesses across the country have been given further stability and certainty with access to new support through a multi-billion-pound increase in government-backed financing as the world enters a new era of global trade. The new package will give UK Export Finance (UKEF) the power to expand financing support for British businesses by £20 billion, with small businesses also able to access loans of up to £2 million through the British Business Bank’s Growth Guarantee Scheme. Thousands of companies are expected to benefit from the move, including those directly affected by tariffs – with iconic British brands like Rolls Royce…

A cutting edge new wireless vehicle recovery system has been unveiled by leading breakdown provider Start Rescue. The Special Protection Over Outer Frame (SPOOF) technology requires no physical attachment to a car to tow it on to a recovery vehicle. Using a “magic” forcefield, the car is wirelessly recovered to protect the vehicle and allow for much quicker roadside recovery. “SPOOF tech will revolutionise breakdown recovery, and that’s no joke,” says Lee Puffett, Managing Director of Start Rescue. Developed by Start Rescue and touchless recovery experts Highway Operations and Experiments, or HOAX for short, the new SPOOF system is being…

Exclusive analysis by the UK’s leading automotive servicing and repair company has revealed the cars which are most likely to wear tyres quickly and need more frequent changes. The data from Kwik Fit, which fits more tyres to the nation’s cars than any other company, reveals which car models are disproportionately likely to need new tyres in every area of Britain. The analysis shows that this varies from area to area, indicating that driving conditions in certain parts of the country seem tougher on some models than others. However, one car tops the list in significantly more locations than any…

Solera cap hpi, the global leader in vehicle lifecycle management, reveals that motorists are driving further in electric vehicles (EVs) every year than drivers of petrol cars. New findings from automotive data experts Solera cap hpi show that in January 2015, the average EV travelled 6,355 miles per year, 2,288 miles less than an average petrol car. A decade later, in January 2025, the average annual mileage of an EV has increased to 8,740 miles per year, 444 miles more than the petrol average. The data reveals that since April 2023, when the average EV annual mileage total was 7,895 miles -…

The Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster is calling on small businesses in Birmingham to help tackle domestic and sexual abuse. PCC Simon Foster is working with companies to make sure they know how to signpost potential victims to support services and how to respond if they suspect a member of their staff is being harmed at home. The PCC also wants businesses to ensure they provide the right physical or online spaces in which to have confidential conversations with staff they might be concerned are at risk of harm. Tackling violence against women and girls is one of the…

Average repair bill reaches new high – one million drivers faced bills over £300 New data reveals worrying news for drivers as the cost of pothole damage is once more on the increase. After welcome falls over the last two years, the last twelve months have seen the nation’s drivers face a total bill of £1.7bn in repairing damage to their cars caused by potholes.1 The level of damage is monitored annually by Kwik Fit, the UK’s leading automotive service and repair company, for its PIT Report (Pothole Impact Tracker). Its latest research has found that the average repair bill…

“There are potentially tens of billions of pounds at stake in this case. Regardless of who wins, the end result is likely to be that consumers will ultimately be worse off.” Comment from Stuart Masson, Editorial Director of The Car Expert on the Supreme Court’s forthcoming hearing on car finance mis-selling, which is due to take place in April 2025. “The Supreme Court case on car finance mis-selling is set to be one of the most significant legal decisions in recent financial history. With the hearing scheduled for early April [2025], attention is escalating rapidly as various interested parties lobby…

A trial project showing how digital technology can revolutionise adult social care has been extended after its success in Wolverhampton. City of Wolverhampton Council is working with West Midlands 5G (WM5G) and neighbouring authorities to show how Technology Enabled Care (TEC) can improve the lives of hundreds of city residents. As part of the project sensor devices and voice activated wireless technologies including fall detectors, smart speakers, smart doorbells and remote monitoring sensors, are being used in people’s homes to support individual care needs. The trial programme is funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) under the…

Bentley Motors has honoured its UK retailer network in the luxury marque’s annual Scorecard Awards, a celebration of the sales, aftersales and marketing achievements of its 17-strong UK retailer network. Crowned Overall Retailer of the Year , Bentley Leeds picked up three awards, with Bentley Belfast also winning the coveted Sales Retailer of the Year trophy. The Scorecard Awards celebrate high performing teams in Bentley’s home market using a distinct set of measures based on sales, profitability, service loyalty and customer experience. The winners all received a prestigious trophy that was handcrafted in Bentley’s wood shop in Crewe, created in…