FSB: Budget won't boost small businesses

Posted by Alex Turner

The recent Budget Statement, while bringing no harm, will not boost the UK's small businesses.

That is according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FBI), which claimed that chancellor George Osborne failed to introduce any measures that will have an impact on the day-to-day running of small firms.

A survey of its members showed that 45 per cent believe the Budget will have no impact, while just 31 per cent are expecting a positive impact.

John Walker, national chairman of FSB, said: "The Budget was pro-business and we are pleased that the government has listened to some of our concerns … but, as the results from the poll show, the Budget has not hurt small businesses, but it won't help them to grow either.

"While we welcome the introduction of Enterprise Zones across parts of the UK, the missing link in the Budget was measures to help all UK businesses to take on staff and grow their business. This could have been done easily through extending the National Insurance Contributions holiday to micro-businesses."