Local Support, International Reach
Reacting to the latest labour market data from the ONS, Patrick Milnes, Head of Policy for People and Work at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “With unemployment at 5%, the expectation is that it will rise this year as business uncertainty grows amid the UK’s political unrest and the Iran War. Our latest forecast expects it to increase to 5.5%. “A further drop in...
Read moreDecisive action is needed to tackle the ‘hidden threat’ of crime against businesses damaging growth, according to a new report from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). Theft, fraud, scams and cyber-attacks are increasingly affecting firms of all sizes and across all sectors. BCC research carried out last Autumn...
Read moreThe UK’s leading business organisations have signed a joint letter pledging to take a stand against antisemitism, committing to concrete action to support Jewish employees and foster inclusive workplaces. The initiative, co-ordinated by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), brings together a...
Read moreResponding to the latest GDP data published by the Office for National Statistics this morning, Stuart Morrison, Research Manager at the British Chambers of Commerce said: “Growth of 0.6% in Q1, shows the initial optimism we heard from our members at the start of the year was well grounded....
Read moreThe British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has warned that changes to UK steel quotas and tariffs could add millions of pounds to manufacturers’ costs. In a letter to the Business Secretary, Peter Kyle, the BCC said the proposed regime risks creating ‘real financial and logistics problems’ for downstream industries....
Read moreResponding to today’s King’s Speech, Shevaun Haviland CBE, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “Today’s King’s Speech had some positives for business with action to tackle late payments, simplify trade with the EU and strengthen apprenticeships. “These steps can make a real difference to cashflow and confidence...
Read morePlease be advised that, when submitting documentation via eCert, applications created prior to 1st May 2026 MUST NOT be reused or copied. All submissions must be completed as NEW applications. Additionally, please note that Box 6 (Certificates of Origin) and Box 8 (EUR1 forms) are no longer divided into...
Read moreThe BCC is calling on the Government to grab the chance to fix the UK’s broken business rates system in its legislative agenda for the King’s Speech. It is raising the alarm as anxiety about business rates rose to 41% in its Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) for Q1 2026....
Read moreResponding to the latest Bank of England interest rate decision, David Bharier, Head of Research at the British Chambers of Commerce said: “Holding the interest rate at 3.75% was the sensible call given the current geopolitical situation. The MPC is right to emphasise that monetary policy can not address...
Read moreNew data from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has revealed a 20% drop in export activity to the Middle East as conflict escalated in March. The findings are based on the number of certificates of origin issued by Chambers of Commerce. These are a key customs document required,...
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