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Small Business Strategy Inquiry 2025 - ACT and Bira call for members to share their voice

20 Jun 2025

The House of Commons Business and Trade Committee has asked the ACT, and its parent company Bira, to help them reach out to small business retailers across the country, for their quick input on... Read more…

Beyond the discount: Restoring integrity to the cycle supply chain

18 Jun 2025

The Association of Cycle Traders believes the time has come for greater accountability throughout our supply chain, writes ACT Director Jonathan Harrison in an article published for BikeBiz.
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Bira welcomes Wales' business rates proposals but calls for key improvements

11 Jun 2025

Bira has welcomed the Welsh Government's consultation on business rate reforms for retail shops, whilst calling for significant improvements to ensure the proposals truly support high street... Read more…

New awards launch to champion Britain's independent high street heroes

9 Jun 2025

Retailers on Britain's high streets are being encouraged to put themselves forward for the first-ever Love Your High Street Awards, designed to celebrate the small businesses that bring... Read more…

"Tectonic shift" in employment law threatens independent retailer viability, warns Bira podcast

6 Jun 2025

Independent retailers are facing a "generational" transformation of employment law that could fundamentally change how small businesses operate, according to the final episode of Bira's first... Read more…

Retailers hope warm weather and bank holidays will boost high street sales

16 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has said that members are hopeful the warm weather, Easter weekend and upcoming bank holidays will provide a much-needed boost to high street sales.
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Economic growth surges to 0.7%, but "April reality check" looms for high street retailers

15 May 2025

UK economy delivers strongest quarterly performance in a year despite forecasts of business downturn.
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Communities come together for Local Bike Shop Day 2025 celebrations

13 May 2025

Local Bike Shop Day 2025 brought a wave of... Read more…

ACT parent company Bira welcomes Bank of England's latest interest rate cut

8 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has welcomed the Bank of England's decision to reduce interest rates from 4.5% to 4.25%, calling it a "much-needed boost" for the retail sector, including for cycling... Read more…

ACT parent company Bira responds to Beales' "Rachel Reeves Closing Down Sale" as iconic store makes final protest

8 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has responded to the news that the 144-year-old Beales department store is staging a "Rachel Reeves Closing Down Sale" in its final weeks of trading, with giant yellow... Read more…

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Changes to Wage Rates, Tax Rules and Business Rates

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News

pension scheme Certain changes have come into effect from the 1st of April and we are just reminding retailers of these important changes.

National Living and Minimum Wage Rates

The National Living Wage is applicable to all workers aged 25 or over.

Workers must be at least 16 (school leaving age) to get the National Minimum Wage.

National Living Wage and Minimum Wage rates from the 1st of April 2019:

  • Employee aged 25 and over (NLW rate): £8.21 per hour
  • Employee aged 21 and over: £7.70 an hour
  • Employee aged 18 to 20: £6.15 an hour
  • Employee under 18: £4.35 an hour
  • Apprentices: £3.90 an hour

If you need any more information about wage rates, including further details on statutory sick pay and holiday entitlement click here.

Making Tax Digital (MTD)

MTD has changed the way that retailers submit their VAT return.

Businesses now need to keep their VAT records digitally and use specific software to submit returns.

Businesses with a taxable turnover above the VAT threshold (£85,000) must:

  • Keep VAT records digitally
  • Use MTD-compatible software to submit their VAT returns

Retailers will need to keep business records digitally from the start of all accounting periods on or after the 1st of April.

Digital records should include for each supply, the time of supply (tax point), the value of the supply (net excluding VAT) and the rate of VAT charged.

Digital records will also need to include your VAT Registration Number and details of any VAT accounting schemes used.

If you are looking for guidance in submitting quarterly tax updates under MTD, click here to access the ACS' guide.

Business Rates Discount

Chancellor Philip Hammond announced that businesses with a rateable value of under £51,000 would receive a 1/3 discount on their rates bills.

Guidance published by MHCLG confirms that the 1/3 discount will be available to eligible businesses for the years 2019/20 and 2020/21. The guidance recognises the inclusion of petrol forecourts and post offices within the definition of businesses that are ‘wholly or mainly being used as shops, restaurants, cafes and drinking establishments'. However, ATMs are not included within the definitions and are subsequently not eligible for the discount.

The business rate relief is automatically allocated by Local Authorities (after any existing mandatory and discretionary reliefs) and included in your rates bill issued early in 2019. If you believe you are eligible for relief but have not received the discount please contact ACS for a template letter to send your local authority via email at steve.dowling@acs.org.uk.

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