There is undoubtedly so much potential in the UK when it comes to business. Especially small start-ups that want to export around the world.
But the stumbling blocks are there too; high wages, expensive commercial rents, insurance (with IPT on top) a tedious political focus on the EU market, meeting ever-changing compliance rules, overseas copyright/IP theft etc. Plus, the new regulations on accounts and filing at Companies House are on the horizon in 2026. These will require quarterly accounts being posted, more admin, more accountants fees. Also, if small/growing companies have their turnover made public every 3 months, how can they invest and plan long term, without investors getting nervous at one poor quarter, or bigger rivals seeking to home in on their most profitable areas of business? The new rules will make growth that bit harder, more burdensome and at the end of all that some 40% of the proceeds when you sell vanish in CGT or other taxes. Not good is it?
So much failure and decline in the UK is fundamentally about a lack of commercial vision, of joined-up business thinking across the public sector. The public sector should enable small companies, not place roadblocks in front of them or constantly announce reviews, policies and thinktank reports which decry capitalism itself as being inherently evil. The astonishing sight of the Chancellor hanging a portrait of a communist in Number 11 Downing Street is strong, clear signal that capitalism is not wanted, not supported. In the end business profits fund the public sector – not QE or endless govt borrowing. You run out of other people’s money.
OK here’s the word from a Govt quango;
The E-Commerce Trade Commission, led by the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade (CIoE&IT), today unveils its final blueprint to supercharge UK small business exports through digital trade. The new analysis authored on behalf of the Commission by the Social Market Foundation (SMF) shows that targeted reforms and support could help 50% more small businesses export goods around the world, and that this could generate £7 billion more in overseas sales over a decade. (incredibly low ambition in terms of revenue – Ed)
Independent analysis for the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) shows that targeted export support helped nearly 3,000 small businesses start exporting within two years, generating up to £129 million in new revenues. The SMF estimates that if DBT increased the number of small businesses it supports by 50%, an extra £7 billion in export revenues could be unlocked over the next decade.
The additional £7 billion revenue potential builds on 2022 research from Amazon (also authored by the SMF) that showed helping 70,000 extra small firms sell overseas could add £9.3 billion to GDP and create 152,000 new jobs. Timed to launch alongside E-Commerce Export Week (23-27 June), today’s new report sets out ten targeted recommendations for how the Government’s export support could
be improved.
Commission members span platforms (Alibaba, Amazon, eBay, Google, and Shopify), business bodies (the CIoE&IT, FSB, the ICAEW, and the AICES), and the Department for Business and Trade, giving the blueprint political and commercial clout.
Momentum meets demand: what makes this report urgent
Economic growth is at the top of the national agenda. At a moment when UK firms are seeking international opportunities and new markets, the digital trade route is open, but too many entrepreneurs still face regulatory hurdles, platform complexity, and a lack of practical support. The Commission’s recommendations offer a ready-made action plan to reduce friction and widen access.
Over the past year, the Commission, in partnership with the Department for Business and Trade, has consulted widely, holding working group sessions and roundtables, and taking evidence from hundreds of businesses. The result is a focused set of reforms aimed at boosting the UK’s performance in global e-commerce.
10 KEY RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Overhaul export finance with small business-focused products
2. Expand the overseas network of trade advisors and Digital Trade Advisers in the
UK
3. Commission an independent review of export support services
4. Streamline VAT, tariff, and regulatory compliance for those using e-commerce to
export
5. Create bilateral customs-friction mitigation plans
6. Make trade-data interoperable and modernise de minimis thresholds where
partners reciprocate
7. Form a public-private taskforce to tackle online counterfeiting
8. Tighten VAT enforcement via deemed reseller expansion and better data sharing
9. Cut costs in payments and foreign exchange for exporters
10. Launch an independent review of logistics support for online exporters
Comment from Marco Forgione, Director General, CIoE⁢
“This report captures the voice of real businesses up and down the country. The ambition is there, but friction still clips the wings of too many firms. That’s why the Commission focused on practical fixes: logistics, customs, finance, fraud protection, payments – areas where smart policy can remove barriers fast.
“Digital trade is a high-growth route for the UK economy. If we give firms the tools they need, they will do the rest. That’s what this blueprint offers: a credible roadmap to help businesses scale across borders. All the evidence shows that businesses which trade internationally are more resilient, more sustainable, employ more people, are more innovative, and are more profitable.”
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