{
  "id": 1627325,
  "title": "Domestic policies are choking UK businesses",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/domestic-policies-are-choking-uk-businesses",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-18T04:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "City AM",
    "slug": "city-am",
    "url": "https://www.cityam.com/domestic-policies-are-choking-uk-businesses/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Over the past decade, a growing list of domestic policies has created a significant burden on UK businesses, preventing them from growing and investing, according to Shevaun Haviland, director of the British Chamber of Commerce. The country has experienced a string of heatwaves, and businesses have encountered a similar sweltering feeling caused by the constant mounting costs imposed by government decisions. These costs include minimum wage hikes, employer National Insurance contributions, business rates, employment rights, apprenticeship levies, climate levies, IR35 changes, VAT thresholds, and packaging taxes.\n\nThe list of burdens is not limited to a specific political party, as successive governments have contributed to the cost stack. Haviland visited Lancashire to meet with business owners from various sectors, including manufacturing, construction, retail, and hospitality, who all expressed similar concerns. Cost pressures have affected investment and recruitment, leading to fewer apprentices being hired this year compared to last year. Haviland emphasizes the need to address these cost pressures by launching a new Cost Stack Calculator, which helps businesses determine the impact of government policies on their finances.\n\nAccording to the calculator's modeling, for a typical SME with 50 employees and £5m in turnover, the cost stack has increased by more than 70% in the past decade. This information is crucial for businesses as every pound spent on absorbing higher costs means they cannot invest in new machines, recruits, technology, or expansion into new export markets. The latest survey of 4,700 UK businesses shows that only 17% have increased their investment in the past three months, marking the lowest level since the pandemic.\n\nWhile some progress has been made, such as a reduction in business rates for pubs, clubs, and music venues in England, more action is needed to reform business rates for all sectors. Haviland urges policymakers to stop adding to the cost stack and start removing layers that hinder business growth. The upcoming October budget is a critical moment, and the Chamber's message is clear: support businesses by cutting costs and delivering growth. For further information, businesses can visit the British Chamber of Commerce's cost stack calculator at https://www.britishchambers.org.uk/cost-stack-calculator/.",
  "summary": "The last decade of domestic policy decisions has created a towering cost stack that is choking business growth, writes Shevaun Haviland.",
  "key_points": [
    "Over a decade, domestic policies burden UK businesses",
    "Minimum wage hikes, employer contributions, and other costs increase",
    "Cost Stack Calculator helps assess financial impact"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The mounting costs imposed by successive UK governments are stifling business growth, investment, and recruitment, with policymakers now urged to cut costs and deliver growth to reverse this trend.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}