Partner Article

Tax increases wil hit businesses harder than severe weather

A SNAP poll has revealed that tax increases are having more of an impact on small business than the severe weather did.

The poll conducted by the FSB on 1,300 of its members highlighted that 39% of small businesses said that the rise in fuel duty will have a significant impact on their business.

The FSB is concerned that the unprecedented weather when combined with the high rates in fuel duty will put small businesses on a knife-edge.

John Walker, National Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses, said: “While the Government cannot control the weather, it can reduce the impact record fuel duty rates has on everyone, not just small businesses.

“As small firms recover from the severe weather, the same cannot be said for the tax increases which the Government have said are here to stay.”

The severe weather and heavy snowfall at the tail end of last year caused huge disruption to small firms with a third (30%) claiming that up to 50 per cent of their staff were absent for at least one day.

The impact of the snow cost six in 10 (58%) businesses up to £5,000 and 13 per cent more than this.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .