How the Budget is affecting business

For our first Business Leaders Forum of 2025, we will be taking a look at how the Budget is affecting businesses as we move into a new year.

Speakers from a wide range of sectors will be sharing their opinions and views on how the Budget, announced by the Chancellor at the end of October 2024, will impact businesses over the next 12 months.

Billed as a tough budget for business, both the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce (TVCC) and the British Chambers of Commerce stated that the increase in employer National Insurance Contributions will place a further cost burden on business. This, coupled with a 6.7% increase in the National Living Wage, means many firms will find it more challenging to invest and recruit in the short-term.

Chamber CEO Paul Britton said “Time will tell whether this budget has built confidence or added to the anxiety that was already there. There is a lot to shake down in terms of the details on incentives, new costs and threshold changes for NICS but businesses will feel they are carrying the weight heavily of a new plan for renewal. As the engine of growth, exporters are missing from the budget and majority will be medium sized businesses, there was no protection, re-assurance or incentive for them”.

We look forward to hearing from our speakers and delegates for what will be an interesting and engaging round table discussion.

Speakers

Dr Xiangyu Wu – Buckinghamshire New University

Alan Poole, Partner – James Cowper Kreston

Craig Atkins –  1-Fix

Toby Hardwick – INUVI Health

Agenda

09.30 – 10.00 – Arrival, coffee and networking

10.00 – 11.00 – Speaker presentations

11.15 – 11.40 – Round table discussion

11.40 – 12.00 – Networking and event closure

Our quarterly Business Leaders Forums are exclusive events for Inspire, Lead and Business Alliance members and are a perfect platform for engaging and informative discussion on dedicated issues.

Please contact Robert Nienaber to book your space.