Rising business costs hindering growth for over one million SMEs
Britain’s SMEs have recorded the worst business health reading since 2014, as rising business costs, a dip in confidence, lower net business creation and a lack of borrowing are taking their toll, according to the latest research by CYBG in partnership with the Centre for Business and Economics Research (Cebr).
CYBG’s quarterly SME Health Check Index dropped to a score of 42.0 The Index includes measures that can be directly linked to SME performance, as well as components that relate to the wider economy. A score of 100 would indicate maximum improvements across the SME Health Check Index’s eight indicators (business costs, capacity, employment, GDP, lending to SMEs, net business creation, revenue and SME business confidence), down 48 per cent since 2014 and the fifth consecutive quarterly fall The SME Health Check Index fell from 48.4 in the third quarter of 2017 to 42.0 in Q4 2017, suggesting a worsening business and macroeconomic environment since the EU Referendum in June 2016 and the ongoing Brexit negotiations.
David Duffy, CEO of CYBG, said: “SMEs are the lifeblood of the UK, helping to drive growth, create jobs and sustain economic health. But SME confidence appears to be in short supply as many small firms are seeing rising business costs alongside continuing skills shortages.
“Businesses are scaling back their investment and borrowing due to the wider economic uncertainty, contributing to the decline in the Index. The Government’s business rate changes in last November’s budget were appreciated, but in the current environment, SMEs would welcome more incentives to address skills shortages or further tax reductions.”
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