Business News Round Up (20/04/2026)
Business insolvencies rose by 7% in March
Latest figures from the Insolvency Service have shown that the number of business insolvencies in England and Wales increased by 7% in March 2026 when compared to the previous month. and were on similar levels to March 2025. March’s increase suggests that oil price spikes and renewed inflation concerns linked to escalating conflict in the Middle East risk have added further pressure to companies already struggling with elevated costs and complexity, with new tax pressures also set to compound the pressure. The data showed that there were 2,022 business insolvencies. The insolvencies consisted of 299 compulsory liquidations, 1,468 creditors’ voluntary liquidations (CVLs), 235 administrations and 20 company voluntary arrangements (CVAs). There were no receivership appointments. In March 2026, CVLs accounted for 73% of all company insolvencies. The number of CVLs was similar to February 2026 but was 6% lower compared to the same month last year (March 2025).
Britain to ‘flirt’ with recession as Iran oil shock rattles SMEs
Britain’s small and medium-sized businesses are bracing for one of the most punishing periods since the pandemic, as the fallout from the Middle East oil shock threatens to push the UK economy to the brink of a technical recession within weeks. The Item Club, the influential economic forecasting group, now expects the UK to “flirt” with recession through the second and third quarters of the year, with GDP growth halving to just 0.7% in 2026, down from 1.4% last year. Growth in 2027 is pencilled in at a “still-below-par” 0.9%, a grim backdrop for owner-managed businesses already contending with tighter margins and nervous customers. The trigger is the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes. The International Energy Agency has described the disruption as the largest supply shock in the global oil market’s history.
https://bmmagazine.co.uk/news/uk-recession-warning-iran-oil-shock-sme-impact-2026
Rule change triggers sponsor licence warning to employers
Scottish businesses employing foreign workers are being urged to ensure they do not risk their sponsor licences by overlooking new legal obligations. As part of UK government measures introduced last month (March 2026), employers must make sure that sponsored staff understand their full employment rights. And they must be able to evidence that these rights – including those around the national minimum wage levels, working hours and statutory leave – have been fully explained to workers. It is also now a mandatory requirement for all licensed sponsors to read all parts of the sponsor guidance and to remain aware of its content, including any changes made to it. Immigration lawyer Gurjit Pall, a partner at Lindsays, is advising employers navigating the latest changes and said: “This is a significant undertaking. Employers should expect increasing levels of scrutiny around complying with the terms of their licence.”
Women leaving tech by choice, not necessity, research finds
The UK tech sector is losing women as they hit their stride, according to new UK-wide independent research commissioned by Akamai. The research reveals women are leaving tech roles at a pivotal point in their careers, taking years of expertise and experience with them. However, the study reveals better pay, work-life balance and hybrid working would encourage a return. The new research, based on 1,500 women across the UK — 1,000 of which have left a tech role and 500 who have returned to a tech role after a career break — reveals that 55% of women leave tech roles or tech companies within five years of being in the industry, and nearly nine in ten (87%) leave within ten years. Company culture plays a key role in women leaving the sector, with lack of a sense of belonging (52%) and lack of gender diversity in leadership (40%) ranking highest.
https://www.digit.fyi/women-leaving-tech-by-choice-not-necessity-research-finds