April 2011 Blog Posts (14)

A number of economists predict the Monetary Policy Committee will raise interest rates in August this year, to curb rising inflation.

In a poll conducted by the BBC, 14 out of 22 economists said they expect the MPC to boost interest rates from historic lows of 0.5% in August, when an inflation report is due out.

Four of the economists predicted there would be a…

Hello guys, I wonder if anyone could help me! I continue to have my own fancy dress business with four retail stores however recently I returned to University to study a Masters in Design & Branding Strategy to further my skills.

My research focuses upon internal branding within SMEs. Franchised operations are of particular interest due to the core need for a replicatable concept and system. Ideally I…

As a Shiatsu practitioner one of the things I enjoy most is introducing people to the treatment for the first time.

Giving 15 minute seated treatments at special events is a great way for people to try Shiatsu, and people are often surprised at how deeply they can relax in that short time, or how much relief they can experience from the neck, shoulder or back pain that prompted them to give it a go. Even if…

With energy prices predicted to rise by 60% over the next decade Surrey’s first 'Open Energy' event will show businesses  how to save money, generate  income and improve their environmental credentials, simply by introducing renewable energy measures.

Last week I watched a program on television about 3 people in their fifties looking for work. The story was a familiar one, I’ve been there. Despite age legislation most people in this situation find themselves struggling to even get past the first hurdle (usually the recruitment agencies)!

So many people in their late forties and fifties are finding themselves in a position where they suddenly have to start…

'Success Before Start Up' - The Antidote to First Year Failure

Yesterday Surrey small businesses were in the spotlight with the start of my new book's prelaunch activity on Amazon.  

The concept behind the book is to try and help non-business people prepare for starting a business, avoid mistakes and succeed.  Nineteen…

Oh boy! There’s so much going on out there in Networkland at the moment, I hardly know where to start... Thank goodness we have a raft of Bank Holidays in store, so I’ll have a chance to catch up with myself.

You may have noticed there’s been no edition of NiS News for the past couple of weeks (no cheering at the back, please :0) I’ve just been too darn busy…

Halifax has announced that it now requires borrowers to provide written proof of how the loan will be repaid before a mortgage offer is made. Until April 6, it only asked borrowers to say that they had a repayment vehicle in place before the mortgage offer.

It is the latest example of banks and building societies tightening their lending criteria amid growing fears that home owners…

Ill health or injury can affect anybody at any time and state support is often insufficient to cover bills, mortgage repayments and maintain individual or family lifestyles.

In January the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) released figures for those eligible for the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

Only 22% of those assessed were deemed suitable for welfare…

Research has found that 22% of homeowners, amounting to 3.5m people, are unaware of how an increase in base rate would affect their monthly mortgage payments.

Despite increasing speculation that the base rate will soon rise, the survey showed that 16% of borrowers on their lender's standard variable rate and 13% of those on a tracker rate do not know what an increase would do to their mortgage…

The application fees charged by lenders for their mortgage products have risen by just over 15% in the last 18 months.

Data reveals the average application fee ( the fee that is paid by the applicant for a given interest rate) has increased by around £100 between September 2009 and March 2011.

Over the period, fixed product application fees rose by £97 on average, an…