Business News Round Up (03/02/2026)
Demand for start up finance suggest Scotland is a start up hotspot in 2025
The Start Up Loans programme has seen a 15.1% rise in loan volumes in Scotland during 2025 compared to the previous year, making Scotland one of the most entrepreneurial areas of the UK. The average loan size in Scotland was approximately £1,000 higher than the UK average, suggesting that start ups and early-stage businesses needing financing in Scotland were potentially bigger. 43% of the Start Up Loans provided in Scotland during 2025 went to female founders, versus a national average of 39%, which in turn compares to a finding in 2024 that around 14% of SME employers were women-led. The demand for Start Up Loans runs counter to some other findings around business confidence. The British Chambers of Commerce’s latest survey found that confidence among businesses has fallen, with only 46% of responding firms expecting an increase in turnover (compared with 48% in Q3), its lowest level in three years.
Insolvency activity increased in North West during 2025, new R3 report reveals
North West businesses continued to face intense financial pressure throughout 2025, with the region recording some of the highest numbers of insolvency-related activity in the UK, according to a new report from R3, the trade body for restructuring, turnaround and insolvency professionals. The figures for the region show a 1.4% increase in cases rising to 4,880 compared with 2024, when there were 4,814 activities. Only Greater London had more insolvency activity last year with 5,684 cases. In more positive news, the North West saw a 2.4% increase in start ups with numbers increasing from 78,967 in 2024 to 80,848 in 2025. The R3 Annual Business Health Report, compiled using data from Creditsafe, also looks at sector trends across the UK, with the national picture indicating a fragile operating environment for many local businesses.
Business and Trade Committee sets seven priorities for UK economic revival
The House of Commons Business and Trade Committee today announces seven major priorities for the year ahead, following its nationwide consultation with hundreds of businesses, trade unions and consumer groups. The consultation advances the Committee’s new model of select committee engagement which last year heard from over 1,000 witnesses and made eleven reports to Parliament. The priorities represent the issues that matter most to Britain’s economic future, identified through the Committee’s second annual national roadshow, which gathered evidence from hundreds of businesses in seven cities, received 169 written submissions, and culminated in testimony from the Secretary of State. The priorities emerged from an unprecedented engagement programme that saw the Committee break from traditional Westminster working methods.
Visitor economy and student accommodation boost Manchester activity as residential starts dip
Construction activity varied across Manchester and Salford in 2025, according to the latest Deloitte Manchester Regional Crane Survey. It recorded increased new starts across the hotel, student accommodation and education sectors, while the residential and office market saw reduced levels compared to last year. Across the city, new starts dropped to 17 in 2025, while on-site projects under construction sat at 58. The Manchester Crane Survey is part of Deloitte’s Regional Crane Survey series, which monitors construction activity within four UK cities, across a range of sectors including office, residential, hotels, retail and leisure, education and student housing. Across all surveys – Belfast, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester – 53 new construction starts were recorded in 2025 compared to 47 in 2024.