London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

1 in 3 UK small firm owners say COVID rules harm more than help society

1 in 3 UK small firm owners say COVID rules harm more than help society

Small businesses are pessimistic about prospects for the UK economy.

Nearly one in three small business owners in the U.K. say that government coronavirus restrictions are more harmful than helpful to society, as they struggle with the economic fallout from the pandemic.

A majority of directors at small firms (54 percent) support the government’s decision to impose strict lockdown measures, but a large slice of entrepreneurs, 30 percent, think it was the wrong approach, according to a poll of more than 1,000 small and medium-sized business owners carried out for POLITICO last week.

More than half of the small companies polled said they would open their doors tomorrow if the government were to suddenly relax lockdown rules.

The respondents were generally not upbeat about the outlook for the U.K. economy, despite the relatively fast rollout of vaccines compared to other European countries. Forty-three percent said they were pessimistic about the outlook for the U.K. economy over the next 12 months, compared to 36 percent who felt optimistic, according to the poll carried out by business intelligence firm Redfield & Wilton Strategies.


It follows a call by the Federation of Small Businesses in late December for the government to roll out a suite of measures aimed at small companies. The letter to the chancellor asked that measures to combat the economic damage from the pandemic be extended, but also asked for new steps like cash grants and additional tax relief for small business owners.

The FSB’s own study, carried out on 11 January, showed their Small Business Index’s confidence measure had dropped to a level second only to March 2020, the worst point in the study’s 10-year history.

The poll for POLITICO suggested business owners are more optimistic about the prospects for their own business, though. They were close to evenly split on the outlook for their revenue in the year ahead between growing (35 percent), shrinking (32 percent) and staying the same (33 percent). Almost half still think the worst is yet to come in the battle against the virus.

Views on the financial aid dished out by the government to support businesses are also split. Nearly seven in 10 firms think that there’s been enough to help them survive the crisis, but a third, 33 percent, think the government hasn’t made enough resources available.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Prison Officer Sentenced for Inappropriate Conduct with Inmate
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
×