News and Insights

Wiltshire based furniture manufacturer Summit 1977 has been bought out of administration, rescuing 53 jobs at the company and securing its future after almost 50 years of trading.

Thames Water’s deepening crisis has become a litmus test for how the UK regulates, finances, and governs its most essential infrastructure. Over the past three decades, private capital has transformed low-risk utilities into overleveraged financial assets – prioritising short-term returns over long-term investment, environmental sustainability, service quality and affordability.

In recent weeks, the UK has concluded three bilateral trade agreements: a symbolic reset with the EU, a narrow tariff reprieve with the US, and a long-negotiated free trade deal with India. Each varies in scope, timing, and economic consequences.

The advance of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare is underway. These rapid technological developments offer significant productivity benefits, but also introduce operational, financial, ethical and legal risks that must be understood before healthcare operators integrate AI across their services and systems.

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").

As insolvency practitioners and advisors, directors often ask us two questions: “Am I liable? And for what?”

Australia’s traffic control industry is currently facing significant financial distress, largely due to the cascading effects of challenges in other sectors, particularly construction and events management. This article explores the interconnected nature of these industries and highlights the growing number of insolvencies within the traffic control sector.

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

The global trade landscape is undergoing profound and lasting change. Heightened geopolitical tensions, rising protectionism, and increasing regulatory complexity are reshaping how businesses operate across borders. For business leaders, stakeholders, and crucially investors, understanding and responding to these developments is essential for protecting value and identifying new opportunities.

The Australian Federal Election is a pivotal event that can significantly influence the direction of the nation’s economy. The policies and priorities of the newly elected government have far-reaching implications for various sectors, including insolvency markets, debt collection practices by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), and the handling of winding up applications.

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.