Business news 29 July 2025
A record number of firms are in financial distress. Goods exports hit record low. Retail hit by higher costs. Steel, tariffs, food inflation, markets, insolvencies & more business news that we thought would interest our members.
James Salmon, Operations Director.
🚨 A record number of firms are in financial distress
A record number of companies are in “critical financial distress,” with the latest Red Flag Alert from Begbies Traynor showing that 49,309 firms on the brink.
This marks a 21.4% increase on a year ago. A report from the corporate restructuring specialist said: “Consumer-facing industries continued to experience some of the most extreme rises in critical financial distress,” highlighting a 41.7% spike among bars and restaurants and a 17.8% increase in general retail. Ric Traynor, executive chairman of Begbies Traynor, said: “The sharp rise in critical distress underscores just how tough the economic environment is for UK businesses, and it’s abundantly clear that tens of thousands of firms are struggling to stay afloat.”
All 22 sectors surveyed reported a rise in “critical” financial distress over the previous 12 months. Those experiencing “significant” financial distress rose by almost 11% year-on-year to 666,876 businesses. On a quarter-by-quarter basis, this marked a 15% increase on Q1.
This is a stark reminder of just how tough the UK trading environment has become. With over 49,000 firms now in “critical” financial distress—a 21.4% year-on-year increase—it’s clear that many businesses are hanging by a thread. Consumer-facing sectors such as bars, restaurants, and retailers are being hit particularly hard, with critical distress surging by over 40% in hospitality and nearly 18% in general retail.
At the Credit Protection Association (CPA), we’ve been supporting UK businesses through challenging times since 1914, and we know that prevention is better than cure. In this climate, cash-flow is king—and late payments can tip a struggling business into crisis.
That’s why CPA membership offers more than just debt collection. It’s a complete credit management package to help you:
✅ Identify risk early – with Creditcare credit reports and continuous monitoring of your customers.
✅ Prevent bad debts – by knowing who you’re trading with before it’s too late.
✅ Chase overdue payments diplomatically – our Overdue Account Recovery service gets results while protecting your customer relationships.
✅ Escalate only when needed – with access to our expert debt collection team if a firmer approach is required.
All this under a fixed annual subscription.
If you’re seeing signs of strain in your customer base—or feeling the squeeze yourself—now is the time to act.
📞 Call Peter Uwins on 020 8846 0000 or 📩 Email nsm@cpa.co.uk to learn how CPA can help you protect your business.
The Credit Protection Association – Prompting Punctual Payments
Efficient, Effective, Economical, Ethical.
🚢 Goods exports hit record low
Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows that the proportion of UK exports made up of goods has fallen to a record low of 40.8%. Analysis shows that goods accounted for around two-thirds of British exports in 2000, with it also found that the value of goods exports has been falling by 5.4% a year since 2023. Meanwhile, services exports have risen to a record of 59.2%, having jumped by 7.3% in the year to May. Overall, trade volumes increased by 1% between 2019 and 2024. This falls short of the 8% increase in trade seen across the G7 and the EU.
🙄 Trump: Starmer is a ‘tax cutter’
US President Donald Trump has advised Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to “cut taxes” and adopt a tougher stance on immigration if he wants to win the next election. President Trump, who criticised inheritance tax raids on farmers and emphasised the importance of low taxes and a strong economy, said he thinks Sir Keir will be a “tax cutter.”
🏭 Steel industry calls for tariff cuts
Ministers have called for an end to tariffs on steel exported from the UK to the US, with a 25% charge still in place despite a deal to cut it to 0% being agreed in May. Gareth Stace, director general at UK Steel, said: “There has been nearly three months of uncertainty for business, of whether we should export our steel or delay a little bit.” He has urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump to “settle the zero-tariff deal once and for all,” adding: “UK steelmakers are losing contracts with their most critical clients in the US, and every passing day without a deal puts more jobs at risk.”
🛍️Retail hit by higher costs
Retail sales have fallen for the tenth consecutive month, according to Confederation of British Industry (CBI) figures. The CBI’s gauge of how retail sales compared with a year earlier came in at -34 for July. Although this marks and improvement on the -46 recorded in June, it continues a trend that has seen negative readings since October 2024. This came as retailers pushed up prices, having been hit by an increase in costs through hikes in National Insurance contributions, business rates and the minimum wage. The CBI has urged ministers to “seek to build shorter-term confidence” in the Government’s economic plans and deliver a Budget “that acknowledges the burden firms are facing.”
📈Markets
📈Yesterday, the FTSE 100 closed down 0.43% at 9081.44 and the Euro Stoxx 50 closed down 0.27% at 5337.58. Overnight in the US the S&P 500 rose .02% to 6389.77 and the NASDAQ rose 0.33% to 21178.59.
UK and EU equity markets were digesting the US/ EU trade deal or trade framework with varying degrees of enthusiasm, scepticism and reality check. The French PM Francois Bayrou said it ‘is a sombre day when an alliance of free peoples….resigns itself to submission’. There is a tangible sense that the EU has been held to ransom. Spain’s PM Pedro Sanchez said‘I support this trade agreement but I do so without any enthusiasm’. The 15% tariff on 70% of EU goods entering the US represents a hike from 2.5% to 15% and will likely result in significant market share loss for EU products in the US market. The US gets a 0% tariff on its products entering the EU.
💱This morning on currencies, the pound is currently worth $1.333 and €1.154 .
On Commodities, 🛢️Oil (Brent) is at $69.95 & 💰Gold is at $3317.
📈On the stock markets, the FTSE 100 is currently up 0.15% at 9095 and the Eurostoxx 50 is up 0.55% at 5367.
💼 EU leaders question US trade deal
European leaders have criticised the EU-US trade deal struck by President Donald Trump and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen. French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou suggested that it was a “dark day” for Europe, with the bloc having “resigned itself to submission,” while Hungarian PM Viktor Orban suggested that Mr Trump “ate von der Leyen for breakfast.” Ireland’s Minister of State, Neale Richmond, said the country is “not exactly celebrating” the deal, adding that it is “not a case that this is a good thing but it’s probably the least bad option.” German Chancellor Freidrich Merz said the agreement would “substantially damage” his nation’s finances, but noted that it “succeeded in averting a trade conflict.” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he would support the deal “without any enthusiasm.” The deal places a 15% tariff on EU imports to the US. President Trump had threatened to impose a rate of 30%.
🛒 Food Inflation
The rising price of products such as tea and meat pushed UK food inflation to its highest level in 17 months, as retailers blamed the Labour government’s first budget for driving up costs. The British Retail Consortium said food bills had risen 4% in July compared o 12 months ago, the fastest increase since February 2024. It helped to push overall shop prices up for a second straight month, with the 0.7% annual rise the largest in more than a year.
🎓 12% of graduates are claiming UC
Official figures show that 639,000 graduates, equivalent to 12%, are claiming universal credit in the UK. The data, sourced from the Office for National Statistics’ labour force survey, indicates that while almost 9 in 10 of graduates were employed last year, the economic inactivity rate remains above 10%. Graduates had an unemployment rate of 3% and an economic inactivity rate of 10%, compared to 5.6% and almost 30% respectively for non-graduates. The report also highlights significant salary disparities, with medicine and dentistry graduates earning an average of £37,900, while those in media and communication earn around £25,000. Helen Whately, the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, commented: “Today’s graduates face the triple jeopardy of low-value degrees, a labour market crippled by Labour’s job taxes and competition with AI for entry-level roles.”
🏠 8 in 10 homebuyers face stamp duty
Data from Zoopla reveals that 83% of home buyers are now subject to stamp duty, a significant increase from 49% prior to a change in thresholds in April. The new stamp duty threshold for buyers is now £125,000, while first-time buyers face a reduced threshold of £300,000. This has led more buyers to negotiate a price reduction to compensate for the extra tax. Richard Donnell from Zoopla said: “Many more home buyers are paying stamp duty and want this extra cost reflected in what they pay.” Despite the rise in stamp duty, housing market activity has increased, with buyer demand for new homes up by 11% and sales agreed rising by 8% compared to last year. However, house price growth has slowed, with an average increase of just 1.3% in June. The average house price has reached £268,400, marking a £3,350 increase from last year. Zoopla forecasts a 1% rise in prices over 2025, down from an earlier prediction of 2%.
💰Economists urge UK to tax wealth
A group of the world’s leading economists have urged Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves to use the Budget to prepare Britain for the introduction of a wealth tax that would help address inequality. In a letter signed by experts including José Antonio Ocampo, a former UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, the Prime Minister and Chancellor are warned that “we cannot allow extreme wealth inequality to deepen while millions of people are consigned to struggle for a basic quality of life,” and advised that the UK “can build a tax system fit for the 21st century.” The signatories go on to argue that a “progressive wealth tax is a critical step forward,” suggesting that a “modest” net wealth tax on assets of more than £10m could raise “enormous sums of money.” Campaign group Tax Justice UK, which co-ordinated the letter, estimates that a 1%-2% wealth tax on assets of more than £10m could raise up to £22bn a year while only affecting 0.04% of the population.
🏦Barclays
Barclays beat profit expectations and announced a £1 billion share buyback as market volatility boosted investment banking revenues. Pre-tax profit beat estimates at £2.5 billion in the second quarter, compared with a mean LSEG forecast of £2.23 billion. Group revenues met analyst projections of £7.2 billion
🥖 Greggs
Greggs said profit fell while sales increased in the first half of the year, as it noted challenging market footfall, weather disruption and the phasing of cost headwinds. Total sales rose 7.0% to £1.03 billion from £960.6 million a year ago. Pretax profit fell 14% to £63.5 million from £74.1 million.
💊AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca said its “strong momentum in revenue growth” has continued through the first half of the year as it posted increased earnings. Growth was spurred by its cancer medicines and growth in the US. Total revenue increased 9.5% to $28.05 billion in the first of 2025 from $25.62 billion a year ago. Pretax profit jumped 26% to $6.53 billion from $5.20 billion, while diluted earnings per share surged 31% to $3.44 from $2.63.
✉️ Funky Pigeon
WH Smith has sold its Funky Pigeon brand to Card Factory, as the retailer sheds legacy assets ahead of a pivot towards becoming a pared down travel retailer. The Bristol and Guernsey-based novelty greeting cards line was sold for £24m, with Card Factory looking to integrate its technology into its consumer business.
🚨Latest Insolvencies
Appointment of Administrator – HEYWOOD ROOFTRUSS COMPANY LTD
Appointment of Administrator – G.T.B. COMPONENTS LIMITED
Appointment of Administrator – SECRET6 GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – ADRIEL LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – NM BURGER LOCATION 108 LTD
Appointment of Liquidators – N F TANNER SOLUTIONS LTD
Appointment of Liquidators – NM BURGER HEAD CENTRAL LTD
Appointment of Liquidators – NM BURGER HEAD SUPPLY CHAIN LTD
Appointment of Liquidators – NM BURGER LOCATION 102 LTD
Appointment of Liquidators – NM BURGER HEAD OPS LTD
Appointment of Liquidators – OBSERVIUM INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – NM BURGER HEAD FRANCHISE LTD
Appointment of Liquidators – OBSERVIUM LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – GOUGH HOTELS HOLDINGS LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – NEAT MEAT BURGER CO LTD
Appointment of Liquidators – NM BURGER HEAD IP LTD
Appointment of Liquidators – UNION SQUARE SOFTWARE LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – KOSIAK LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – NC ADVISORY LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – NM BURGER LOCATION 104 LTD
Appointment of Liquidators – NM BURGER HEAD LOCATION LTD
Appointment of Liquidators – NC ADVISORY (UK) LLP
Appointment of Liquidators – DECUMAN LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – HOEFORD BUSINESS PARK LTD
Appointment of Liquidators – GREENSHOOTS FOUNDATION TRUST LIMITED
Winding up Order (Companies) – THE HPIER LIMITED
Winding up Order (Companies) – JC AUTOBREAKERS LTD
Winding up Order (Companies) – SERIOUS CLOTHING LTD
Winding up Order (Companies) – GRACA CONSTRUCTION LTD
Winding up Order (Companies) – PREMIER AIR CONDITIONING LTD
Winding up Order (Companies) – HAMILTON HOMES & DEVELOPMENTS LTD
Winding up Order (Companies) – FER-CO CONSTRUCTIONS LIMITED
Winding up Order (Companies) – THE TARLETON PUBCO LTD
Winding up Order (Companies) – C AND J UTILITY SERVICES LTD
Winding up Order (Companies) – TENAMORE LTD
Winding up Order (Companies) – ACE LOGISTICS LTD
Winding up Order (Companies) – YORKSHIRE MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED
Winding up Order (Companies) – THEENERGYBOX LTD
Winding up Order (Companies) – JACARANDA HEALTHCARE LIMITED
Winding up Order (Companies) – FRESH (AYCLIFFE) LTD
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – BELGRAVIA GROUP LTD
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – FOOTBALL ROAD TRIPS LTD
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – KALIMBRA TRADING LIMITED
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – ROBWOOD CONSTRUCTION LIMITED
Petitions to wind up (Companies) – RW WARRINGTON CRESCENT LIMITED
Appointment of Liquidators – VARIETY LABS LTD
➕Why you should become a member of CPA!
The Credit Protection Association (CPA) has been assisting thousands of UK businesses to get paid, since 1914. We have supported our members through all sorts of difficult trading environments. With high interest rates and a struggling economy and elevated insolvencies, our services can help your business navigate these difficult waters.
Unlike other credit management and debt collection companies, we offer a range of services to our members that are all included as part of a fixed annual subscription, tailored to your needs.
Under your annual subscription you will have access to our main services:
- Our Creditcare credit reports provide credit ratings and limits along with a host of detailed information on your potential customers to enable you to trade with confidence and set appropriate credit policies for new customers.
- Our monitoring service will alert you to any significant changes in the status of those customers.
- ️Our Overdue account recovery service can be used to chase up payment on any invoices to those customers that have not been paid on time. Unlike other debt collection companies, this service directs your customer to pay direct to you and allows you to maintain your goodwill with them, rather than inserting ourselves into your relationship with you customer and insisting they pay CPA instead. Our Overdue account recovery service resolves over 80% of accounts referred to us.
All of the above services and other complimentary services such address verification, are included in your subscription!
And for the small minority of debts not resolved through our Overdue account recovery service, you can refer the debt to our collections department to escalate the late payment collections process.
CPA eases cash from tardy debtors – Efficiently, Effectively, Economically and Ethically. And we provide credit information so you can monitor and assess your key customers and be warned of any potential risks. CPA has been improving business cash flow for over 100 years, by tackling late payers and campaigning against the late payment culture in the UK.
Unlike other credit management companies, we offer our members a fixed annual subscription regardless of how high the value of their debts maybe!
Rather than to borrowing more money to improve your cashflow, CPA suggests that business owners tackle the problem at its source. If late payments are a strain on your cashflow, then talk to CPA about how we can help you reduce those late payments.
Just ☎️ call Peter Uwins, CPA’s National Sales Manager, on 020 8846 0000 (business hours) or 💻 email nsm@cpa.co.uk today.
When you see your money come in, you will be so glad you used CPA.
️ The Credit Protection Association – Prompting Punctual Payments – Ethical, Effective, Efficient, Economical collections
Do you have a commercial late payer that is causing you grief? Use CPA’s no-win, no-fee, commercial debt recovery service!
If you have a particular business customer who is late paying and causing you sleepless nights, why not offer it to CPA’s collection department for purchase on recourse?
CPA’s collection department will then pursue the debt. We will be liable for any costs incurred and then when we have recovered the debt, we will pay you the net principle debt recovered less our percentage.
Once you have enjoyed that success then you can consider the more cost effective membership which includes our Overdue Account Recovery service and Status/Credit reports as well as a range of other complimentary services.
Just call ☎️ 020 8846 0000 and ask for Godfrey Nelson or Cris Shirley (business hours) or 💻email debtpurchase@cpa.co.uk today.
️ The Credit Protection Association – Prompting Punctual Payments – Ethical, Effective, Efficient, Economical collections.
Get compensated for previous late payments
Have you been paid late by business customers in the last six years?
Maybe you no longer work with them. Under ⚖️ legislation, you are entitled to compensation you for those late payments you have suffered.
You put up with the PAIN – now claim the GAIN!
Claim late payment compensation (LPC) from former business customers who paid you late in the last six years!
CPA (LPC) Recoveries is using our bespoke software and decades of experience to do just that for our clients
Check our compensation calculator to see how much your business could be owed!
Discover NOW the potential value of late payment compensation hidden in your sales ledger!
️ The Credit Protection Association – Prompting Punctual Payments – Ethical, Effective, Efficient, Economical collections.