What do business owners want from the Autumn budget? 5 business owners explain.

Support for businesses taking on their first employee

The transition from solopreneur to successful start-up often comes from building a team, but many businesses can’t get past the first hurdle. “As a small business owner, I’d like this Budget to make taking on your first employee more affordable. There’s a real gap between having more work than you can deliver alone and having the reliable income to hire. Targeted funding and relief on employment costs could give small businesses the confidence to grow,” says Rebecca Berry, an award-winning marketing and communications expert and founder of Berrykin Marketing

“As a founder with two small children, I also want the cost of childcare taken seriously. It directly affects my capacity to win clients, deliver work and grow my business. The Government needs to recognise childcare as an essential part of making that possible!” she adds.

Incentives for home-educating parents.

“As a mum running a business while home educating my two boys, I'd also like more flexibility in how funded childcare hours can be used, including for registered childcare in our own homes,” says Harsimrat Kaur, a full-time Punjabi tutor. “ Sending my children to nursery doesn't help me balance home education and running a business. Having someone support me with the children at home would. I'd also like GCSE exam fees covered for home-educated children. Choosing to home educate shouldn't mean having to pay for our children to sit exams that are free through school, adds Harsimrat, who is also the creator of learning-through-play Punjabi toys and the Founder of Nirmolak Heera. 

Lift the VAT threshold to £100,000 rather than lower it

Will the VAT threshold stay at £90,000? Robert Engeham, Director, Your Company Formations , says it must be lifted.

“At £90,000 the threshold is a ceiling on growth for exactly the businesses rising fastest in our data: plumbing and heating firms up 17% as a share of new companies this year, builders up 13%, taxi operators up 24%. These are companies that stop at £89,000 of turnover on purpose. I also urge that the Chancellor tells us now what dividend tax, Business Asset Disposal Relief and the small profits rate of corporation tax will be until 2029, and then leave them alone,” says Engeham.

Support SMEs to modernise

In a world of AI, the businesses who aren’t using it are getting left behind. A leading business expert urges the Chancellor to address this. “Britain is good at AI research, but we’re not great at getting ordinary businesses to use it. At ClearVC, our Manchester workplace technology business, we see it every day. We help organisations run their buildings smarter: room booking, desk booking, visitor management. I want to see growth funding, technical training and incentives for SMEs to modernise, says Adrian Hancock, founder and chairman of Clear Technology Group, which builds and acquires B2B technology businesses.

Support UK manufacturing 

"The government talks about driving economic growth, but we need a budget that makes it easier for SMEs to actually deliver it. Manufacturing businesses are already juggling rising employment costs, skills shortages and pressure on margins. My biggest concern is that further cost increases will force business owners to delay recruitment, investment and growth plans. I'd like to see meaningful support for workforce development and incentives that encourage SMEs to invest in productivity. We can't expect businesses to create more jobs and drive economic growth if we're continually increasing the cost of doing so,” says Angela Hodgson is the founder of Ignite Improvement, a North West consultancy specialising in building high-performing senior team in manufacturing and engineering SMEs.