Begbies Traynor Group

Key players in construction gathered for an important debate, sponsored by The Save Construction Initiative and Begbies Traynor Group and hosted by Watson Farley & Williams, exploring what can be done to tackle the industry’s mounting insolvency crisis and to disrupt the payment culture at the heart of it. 

Independent schools across the UK are under growing financial strain. Spiralling costs, revenue pressures, and unsupportive policy changes are all accelerating a trend of school closures. The burdens are structural: operating costs are rising, pupil intakes are falling, revenues are constrained, and governance frameworks are often ill-equipped to navigate rapid financial change.

After much consultation with industry professionals and other stakeholders, in late 2024 the Home Office released detailed guidance relating to the new corporate criminal offence of failure to prevent fraud (“FTPF”), which forms part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 ("ECCTA").

UK SMEs face a difficult and volatile year ahead. Companies must navigate a weakening macroeconomic environment, fragile fiscal policy, and heightened uncertainty over global trade. Although US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on most tariffs

Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” – the culmination of his efforts to restructure the US economy and global trade – sparked a sharp global market sell-off that engulfed global equity markets and Bitcoin, as bonds rallied, in a fast-escalating trade war crisis.

Begbies Traynor Group has appointed Nick West as Partner to advise businesses across Shropshire and Mid-Wales, enhancing its insolvency services in the Midlands.

Shifting fiscal, tariff and geopolitical environments have introduced a range of uncertainties, which has blunted momentum for mid-market M&A activity in the UK. Fiscal tightening, weak productivity and policy uncertainty risk stalling deal flow, as risk-off sentiment, margin pressure, and tighter financing hit SMEs hardest.

The aviation industry is braced for the impact of global tariffs. The scope of plausible outcomes range in severity, with differing deleterious consequences on supply chain resilience, delivery delays, increased manufacturing and maintenance costs, lease rates, and ticket prices.

The UK’s tourism and travel industry are set for another record-breaking year for inbound visitors, but the headline figures mask a more complex picture below the surface, despite the well publicised concerns about VAT for tourists.

The UK’s trade outlook continues to be shaped by persistent challenges with its three largest partners – the EU, US, and China – while domestic economic constraints limit the government’s ability to support exporters.

The UK’s care home market is undergoing substantial evolution, presenting opportunities for investors amid growing demand and complex structural headwinds. While an ageing population intensifies pressure on the NHS with rising waiting lists and increased prevalence of chronic health conditions, it also drives significant investment appeal in the care sector.

Begbies Traynor Group has appointed Michael Hall as Director in its Exeter office to enhance and expand its insolvency, rescue and restructuring services for businesses across Devon and Cornwall. Michael brings more than two decades of experience as a financial services professional to the leading business recovery, financial advisory and property services consultancy. 

The UK construction sector is grappling with persistent headwinds. Growth in construction business activity has softened to the slowest pace since June 2024, according to the S&P Global UK Construction PMI. Headline construction PMI fell to a six-month low of 53.3 in December.

The UK’s annual trade deficit narrowed by £14bn to £25.1bn in 2024, according to the latest ONS data. However, this masks a growing divergence between services and goods trade. Services exports remain a bright spot, while goods exports continue to decline, deepening the UK’s two-speed economy.

UK retailers are bracing for the cascading impact of recent Budget measures as rising wage cost pressures and weakening consumer confidence threaten to erode profits, squeeze margins and risk both store closures and possible insolvencies.