Business

The Chancellor, George Osborne stood up in the House Commons to detail the largest series of public spending cuts seen in decades.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change will find that its resource spending is to be reduced by 18 per cent in real terms over the next four years.

One of the headline statements in the spending review was the anticipated confirmation that the state retirement age for men and women is to be equalised at 65 by November 2018.

It was widely expected that the spending review would focus on welfare funding. One of the areas to be affected by the cuts is employment.

There continues to be considerable publicity surrounding the Government's spending plans. The Conservative party conference heralded changes to the child benefit and we now await further details which we expect will be included in the 20 October announcements.

The legal and taxation regime for limited companies continues to change. The main rate of corporation tax commencing 1 April 2012 is 24%, while the small profits rate is 20%.

Even the strongest relationships can suffer in times of adversity. Good planning is an essential part of creating a successful business partnership. Our guides provide information on important aspects of your partnership, such as setting up a formal agreement and planning for the unexpected. It is essential to seek our advice with regard to partnerships matters.

No matter how much cash there is in the bank or how large its stock is, a firm's most valuable asset is its employees. Taking care of your staff can make the difference between an ordinary business and a truly successful one.

Information technology and the internet are increasingly central to businesses of every size and of every sector, and are set to become even more important in the future.

The actions that are being taken by governments to combat climate change will have a significant impact on businesses over the coming years. As well as helping to safeguard the environment, going 'green' can have several other advantages for a firm.