Comment: HMRC guidance step in the right direction for property AML
Commenting on HMRC guidance to estate and lettings agencies on their obligations regarding money laundering issues, Martin Cheek managing director at AML...
October 19th, 2020
AML experts SmartSearch comment on FinCEN leak – ‘A betrayal that cannot go unpunished’
Responding to the FinCEN files revelations, John Dobson CEO at AML experts SmartSearch said: “This is nothing short of a betrayal for all those thousands of...
September 21st, 2020
FCA must flex its muscle as threat of financial crime rises – SmartSearch
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has confirmed that so far in 2020 no criminal prosecutions under the current anti-money laundering legislation have been...
September 17th, 2020
SmartSearch named one of UK’s top tech firms for second year running
Pioneering anti-money-laundering firm SmartSearch has been named in the Sunday Times Sage ‘Tech Track 100’ for a second successive year. The list,...
September 7th, 2020
EQ launches Mortgage Services
EQ Credit Services, part of the international technology-led services and payments specialist EQ (Equiniti Group plc), is pleased to announce the launch of...
September 3rd, 2020
Just Appoints Emma Gervasio To Assist With Virtual Enforcement
Emma Gervasio has been appointed by Just to assist in the final developments of its virtual enforcement solution. Emma has previously worked with Her...
August 21st, 2020
AML specialist SmartSearch breaks into US market
Leading UK anti-money-laundering (AML) firm SmartSearch is today launching operations in the USA. Expansion into the US market follows a period of sustained...
July 15th, 2020
Just expands its board of directors with another senior appointment with extensive experience of debt market integration
Just, the enforcement market integrator, has appointed Victoria Oliver as its Director of Client Development to assist in the delivery of its strategy to...
July 6th, 2020
Industry’s first-ever virtual enforcement solution launched. Could this be the future of enforcement?
Just has spent its time during lockdown engaging with a broad range of stakeholders across the industry to design, build and launch the industry’s first-ever...
July 1st, 2020
Scott and Mears Credit Services appoint Zakia Khalid as In-House Legal Counsel
The long established and highly regarded debt collection company, Scott and Mears Credit Services Limited who is based in Southend-On-Sea is delighted to...
June 23rd, 2020
Two thirds of business owners over 55 plan to ‘never stop’ working
Legal retirement age is just a number for most business owners and entrepreneurs, particularly those closest to it, according to new research from Hitachi...
June 19th, 2020
Only 50% of employees received appraisals since lockdown started
A survey of 1,000 employees commissioned by StaffCircle, in conjunction with OnePoll, revealed that only half of employees appraisals took place since lockdown...
June 16th, 2020
Jobs figures should set alarm bells ringing
Scotland’s unemployment rate is now the highest among all the UK nations, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics. Unemployment...
June 16th, 2020
Increased debt advice funding will be welcome news for many hard-pressed households
“The announcement of an extra £14.2m of debt advice funding via the FCA levy, together with an additional £20.6m of central government funding and £3m...
June 9th, 2020
Extra £38m for debt support in England in the wake of coronavirus
An additional £37.8 million to fund the provision of debt advice and other support for people suffering money difficulties in the wake of the coronavirus...
June 9th, 2020
Thailand Country Report published by Atradius
Trade credit insurer Atradius has published a new country report on Thailand. The new report forecasts a sharp economic slowdown for Thailand in 2020 with GDP...
June 8th, 2020
Hanley Economic BS adds to senior leadership team and strengthens its board
Hanley Economic Building Society has made two additions to its senior leadership team and moved to strengthen its board. The society has appointed Jenny Jones...
June 3rd, 2020
OECD GDP falls by 1.8% in the first quarter of 2020
Following the introduction of COVID-19 containment measures across the world, real gross domestic product (GDP) in the OECD area fell by 1.8% in the first...
May 26th, 2020
‘GDP@Risk’ from coronavirus ranges from $3.3 trillion to $82 trillion over the next five years
The GDP@Risk over the next five years from the coronavirus pandemic could range from an optimistic loss of $3.3 trillion (0.65 per cent of five-year GDP) under...
May 20th, 2020
Covid-19 cash flow – 6 key dates for businesses over the next 12 months
As lockdown measures begin to ease – some businesses have started up again already, and others will follow suit over the next few weeks – Mark Neath,...
May 18th, 2020
One in three closed Scottish businesses fear they’re shut for good
A third of Scottish business owners who shut down operations during the coronavirus outbreak fear their firm may never re-open, according to a major new survey...
May 13th, 2020
How to spot tell-tale signs of money laundering within your business
Money laundering is a big issue in the business world and accounts for two to five per cent of global GDP, with nearly £1.6 trillion illegally laundered...
May 5th, 2020
Extinction Event: March Retail Sales Figures Confirm Worst Predictions for High Street
Shoppers may never return to the High Street after lockdown, warns the home delivery expert ParcelHero, as March ONS retail sales results show e-commerce sales...
April 27th, 2020
Finding calm in the chaos – how to futureproof your sales model
As we adjust to our new normal, business owners are immerging with a new sense of determination. Entrepreneurial spirit is flourishing, and resilient...
April 23rd, 2020
Queries around remote onboarding for new hires reach an all-time high
Remote onboarding, video interviews, and contract hires were the top three queries received by global recruiter Robert Walters in Q1. Whilst video interviews...
April 22nd, 2020
Borrowing could hit £300 billion this year as costs of coronavirus continue to rise
Since the start of the coronavirus crisis, it has been clear that it will have a huge economic and fiscal impact. It was right that the Government put public...
April 21st, 2020
StepChange welcomes FCA forbearance guidance on motor finance and payday loans
StepChange Debt charity welcomes the Financial Conduct Authority’s draft new guidance on how coronavirus-related forbearance for affected customers should be...
April 17th, 2020
The Nottingham keeps branches open and triples charitable donations
As the impact of Coronavirus is felt across the UK, Nottingham Building Society has provided information on how it’s supporting members and doing the right...
April 14th, 2020
Significant fall in mortgage product numbers as COVID-19 hits lenders
Mortgage insurer, AmTrust’s, latest Mortgage Loan to Value (LTV) Tracker has today revealed a significant drop in the number of products available to...
April 9th, 2020
What we really need is a centralised fiscal response and a single EU debt instrument issue
One of the reasons the market is “cheering” any hint of a potential end to the lockdown is the hope of limiting the damage to the real economy caused by...
April 9th, 2020
EU to retaliate: last thing we need now is the EU-US trade war
Yesterday, the European Commission announced the European Union will impose tariffs on US exports of lighters, furniture coatings and playing cards. “The EU...
April 7th, 2020
OECD updates G20 summit on outlook for global economy
Increasingly stringent containment measures needed to slow the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) will necessarily lead to significant short-term declines in...
March 27th, 2020
Small businesses facing mental health crisis as Coronavirus piles on the woes
UK small business’ previous positivity about their future performance is being overshadowed by stress, anxiety and sleepless nights over access to finance...
March 26th, 2020
Coronavirus lockdown: 10 steps SMEs can take to still be in be in business this time next year
The small business champion ParcelHero says the new Government lockdown doesn’t have to spell the end for SME businesses. It has issued a ten-step guide to...
March 24th, 2020
Just suspends enforcement due to coronavirus epidemic
Since my last letter to stakeholders the government have announced further measures to combat the spread of the virus, namely the decision to close schools, to...
March 23rd, 2020
Five tips for businesses to maximise efficiency during crisis
Whenever there’s a crisis, as humans, we tend to lose control just a little bit. But when it comes to business, leaders must work to minimise the disruption...
March 19th, 2020
Self-isolation: How to handle your mental health when dealing with COVID-19
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread at a rapid pace, people of the UK are strongly advised to self-isolate between seven and fourteen days when...
March 16th, 2020
What Lessons Can Business Learn From The Six Nations Rugby Tournament?
People in businesses can be roughly divided into two types – those who are very process driven and those who rely on their judgement. If you have a team made...
March 13th, 2020
Half of employers not geared up for remote ‘smart’ working, amid coronavirus fears
48% of businesses in the UK are not in any way set-up to be able to accommodate workers who may need to self-isolate – should they display any symptoms of a...
March 12th, 2020
SmartSearch rises in FT list of fast-growing European firms
Yorkshire-based anti-money-laundering (AML) firm SmartSearch has moved up more than 300 places in the Financial Times’ annual list of the fastest-growing...
March 5th, 2020
Ex-TDX director appointed by Just
Nick Georgiades who joined the Just parent company Arum in 2019 has been appointed as the Managing Director of its subsidiary, six months after its launch in...
March 3rd, 2020
Spread of Coronavirus reveals vulnerabilities and excessive risk in the global economy
Right now, we are seeing some very worrying trends in global financial markets, and I am truly concerned about where we are heading. The spread of coronavirus...
March 2nd, 2020
UK Research: Unsecured Borrowers Favour Banks and Brands Amid Brexit Limbo
Against a backdrop of political and economic uncertainty, UK borrowers turned to established and familiar lenders in 2019, according to a new research report*...
February 26th, 2020
Access to Banking Standard summary report published by the Lending Standards Board
The Access to Banking Standard aims to help minimise the impact of bank branch closures on customers and local communities. It is designed to ensure that...
February 24th, 2020
VAT Support Group is launched with MoJ guidance inbound
VAT Support Group is launched to help High Court enforcement businesses and creditors deal with the forthcoming Ministry of Justice (MoJ) guidance on charging...
February 13th, 2020
Second charge mortgage new business volumes up by 19% in 2019
Commenting on the full year 2019 new business figures for the second charge mortgage market, Fiona Hoyle, Head of Consumer and Mortgage Finance at the Finance...
February 13th, 2020
Salary growth in charity finance sector halves since 2018
Growth in average salaries for finance professionals within the UK charity sector dipped from 6 per cent in 2018 to 3.24 per cent in 2019. At the same time,...
February 7th, 2020
Hope Capital completes complex £4m deal on country house
Hope Capital has started the year with a bang with a complex £4million deal. Hope Capital completed the £4 million loan on a magnificent multi-million pound...
February 6th, 2020
Five top tips for business owners who want to save money and improve their green credentials
For business owners, managing your energy consumption is no longer just about keeping tabs on your outgoings – it’s a prerequisite for doing business....
February 5th, 2020
The failing high street: top four lessons for small businesses
Profit warnings have become commonplace in the national media, with once-booming businesses such as Mothercare, Beales and Patisserie Valerie revealing that...
February 3rd, 2020
Top Tech Trends in Contact Centres
The contact centre industry is rapidly changing thanks to technological innovations, changes in employee working habits and expanding customer expectations...
January 8th, 2020
Finance market needs to take immediate action as UK Government enshrines 5th Money Laundering Directive into UK law
The government has introduced the Fifth EU Money Laundering Directive (5MLD) into UK law as of last Friday 20th December. It was introduced as part of ‘The...
December 30th, 2019
5MLD: SmartSearch’s guide to Top 5 changes for business
With new European regulations set to be implemented in the New Year, anti-money-laundering specialists SmartSearch have produced a guide to the top five...
December 17th, 2019
Brits ready to see the light on retina recognition
More than six in ten Brits (62%)* would be happy to try retina recognition identification, according to new research from Equifax, the business and consumer...
December 16th, 2019
Five top tips on surviving the office Christmas party
Christmas is a time we tend to indulge. It’s not uncommon for many of us to eat a little too much, slack off the gym and have a few more tipples than usual....
December 12th, 2019
The future of FS – 2020 predictions from Software AG
Laura Crozier, Senior Director, Industry Solutions, Financial Services at Software AG, has put together some of her thoughts, exploring the role of integration...
December 10th, 2019
The FLA’s Priorities for 2020 – an agenda for the incoming Government
The Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) has identified three improvements that the incoming Government must adopt to transform customer protection in the...
December 9th, 2019
Is My Export Business Ready For Brexit?
Brexit is going to pose challenges for anyone who deals with members of the EU. Read more to find out if your export business is ready. A lot of our clients...
December 9th, 2019
Leeds-based financial recruiter launches specialist credit control division
Leeds-headquartered financial search and selection consultancy Woodrow Mercer Finance has launched a new division specialising in the recruitment of credit...
December 4th, 2019
Premium products defy UK export slide
British-made luxury goods, sports and leisure equipment and homeware exports grew consistently during the first three quarters of 2019, outstripping the...
December 3rd, 2019
Twelve days of Christmas returns, what will Knowledge Bank give to you?
The UK’s largest criteria search system Knowledge Bank will next week, and for the second year running, launch its hugely popular ‘12 Days of Christmas’...
November 29th, 2019
Top Tips for Enforcing your CCJ
Customer on-boarding – think ahead! Make sure you have enough information when opening your customer accounts. i.e. details of any property they own, where...
November 15th, 2019
October sees shake-up in brokers’ criteria searches
New figures from criteria search specialist Knowledge Bank show a shake-up in the most common criteria searches performed by brokers in October. Changes were...
November 14th, 2019
UK adults reach ‘boiling point’ 156 times a year on average
A new study by CABA, the charity supporting the wellbeing of chartered accountants and their families, has found that in the UK, adults reach ‘boiling...
November 13th, 2019
Landlords to desert the industry if ‘Right to Buy’ becomes law
So, we may have a general election to navigate in the coming months – and one group who will be watching the opinion polls closer than most will be...
November 12th, 2019
Mothercare to call in administrators
As yet another famous retail giant looks set to disappear from our High Street, Dr Gordon Fletcher, retail expert at the University of Salford Business School,...
November 5th, 2019
Fleet Mortgages launch revamped website
Fleet Mortgages, the buy-to-let specialist lender, has today launched a revamped and redesigned website including a range of new features and content...
November 1st, 2019
Late payment crisis threatens small business growth
Nearly two thirds of small businesses (62%) experience late payment issues and it is the larger ventures that are being hit the hardest – according to new...
October 31st, 2019
Has the construction industry been affected by Brexit’s “creeping paralysis”?
The value of all construction contract awards in September 2019 was £4.7 billion based on a three-month rolling average, which is a decrease of 2.5% on...
October 25th, 2019
Women shunning weddings in favour of home ownership
British women appear to have fallen out of love with getting married – with just four per cent choosing to spend money on a wedding rather than a house...
October 24th, 2019
StepChange welcomes Google’s crackdown on exploitative debt service ads
Following a campaign by StepChange Debt Charity which drew attention to the misleading advertisers impersonating reputable debt charities, Google has today...
October 24th, 2019
Businesses urged to capitalise on exceptional lending rates for asset finance
Lenders battling for the custom of Brexit-wary SMEs are offering some amazingly competitive deals, a leading financial broker has said. Karina Gallagher says...
October 16th, 2019
Consumer car finance market falls by 2% in August
New figures released today by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that new business volumes in the point of sale (POS) consumer new car finance...
October 10th, 2019
Third of British businesses concerned about Brexit supply chain impact, R3 research finds
One third (33%) of UK businesses are concerned about the potential impact Brexit will have on their suppliers and customers, according to new research from R3,...
October 8th, 2019
Comment – This time is different
Feels familiar, doesn’t it? Seven months down the line and approaching another Brexit deadline with little to show for the delay. But while politics might...
October 2nd, 2019
Domestic agenda should be built around giving people more control of their lives, argues CPS
‘Take Back Control’ was the slogan that swung Britain behind Leave. But after Brexit, argues Robert Colvile, politicians should make giving back control...
September 27th, 2019
More than half of companies still use paper and spreadsheets to manage supply chain risk
A recent survey by independent survey firm Verdantix of environmental health and safety (EHS), procurement, operations and risk management executives in six...
September 19th, 2019
Two thirds of financial institutions prepared for a no deal-Brexit
Senior leaders within financial institutions have become less optimistic about the prospects for their own sector as the outlook for the domestic economy...
September 16th, 2019
Cifas research reveals false housing benefit claims are the third most prevalent fraud in UK
Recent research carried out by Cifas, the UK’s leading fraud prevention service, has revealed that falsely claiming Single Person Discount is the third most...
September 9th, 2019
SmartSearch named in Sunday Times TechTrack100 annual list of Britain’s fastest-growing tech companies
Leeds Anti-Money Laundering (AML) firm SmartSearch is officially one of the fastest-growing tech companies in Britain after being named in the Sunday Times...
September 6th, 2019
Ultimate Finance announces strategic refocus to invest further in asset-based lending
Specialist asset-based lender, Ultimate Finance, today announces a strategic refocus of its product portfolio as it withdraws from the unsecured loan market to...
September 3rd, 2019
Comment – Is the ECB easing too early?
Euro interest rate markets are pricing in a rate cut by the ECB at its next policy meeting on 12 September. The current Euribor forward curve suggests that the...
September 3rd, 2019
Small businesses set up plans for overseas expansion
Across nine UK regions, more than one in five small business owners (22%) are looking to expand into new markets overseas in order to achieve business growth....
September 3rd, 2019
A Leading Light In A Changing Industry
It’s been a busy few years in the alternative lending sector. FCA supervision of the sector in 2014 has been followed by a renewed focus on a few businesses...
May 3rd, 2018
From career woman to working mum
Mum’s Enterprise Ltd, a company dedicated to facilitating positive change and gender equality across the nation,have today launched their report; ‘FROM...
May 1st, 2018
‘Taking the robot out of the human’
Robotic process automation (RPA) is a hot topic nearly everywhere at the moment, and is also starting to develop within the collections environment. RPA...
April 3rd, 2018
7 Top Tips to Improve Invoice Finance Due Diligence
Underwriting a new Invoice finance deal is said to be the point of greatest risk for the lender. Saying “no” is easy but will not grow your business, and...
March 28th, 2018
Adare SEC celebrates becoming first communications member of the CSA
A leading provider of technology-led, paper-based and electronic communication solutions is the first communications company to become a member of the Credit...
March 18th, 2018
Trio of senior hires at Ardent as growth continues
Liverpool based DCA Ardent Credit Services has made three senior appointments as its long-term growth plan continues to yield results. Ruth Pointon has been...
March 18th, 2018
Christiane Neumueller named Country Manager Germany
Christiane Neumüller has been named as Country Manager Germany of SIA as of 1st January 2018, reporting directly to SIA’s International Division Director...
March 18th, 2018
BBC News – Business
- New government Covid scheme to pay up to half of wages 22 October, 2020
- Transport for Wales rail services to be nationalised 22 October, 2020
- British Airways owner IAG cuts flight numbers again 22 October, 2020
- Asia suffering 'worst recession in living memory' 22 October, 2020
- Rogue website sells 'dodgy wigs' to cancer patients 21 October, 2020
Sky News – Business
- 'We go further': Chancellor unveils three extra support measures for businesses 22 October, 2020
- Cineworld screens advisers for help with £6.1bn debt pile 22 October, 2020
- BA owner IAG blames virus measures for fresh outlook downgrade 22 October, 2020
- Chancellor set to unveil more support for businesses in Tier 2 areas 22 October, 2020
- Facebook launches its own dating app in the UK to rival Tinder and Hinge 21 October, 2020
