Month: January 2024

Train drivers will keep striking to “raise the profile” of their dispute after half a decade without a pay rise, the Aslef union has warned, before another week of rolling strikes across England.
Aslef’s general secretary, Mick Whelan, has said he believes that the government will make renewed efforts to see train companies use controversial new anti-strike laws, despite the union forcing a climbdown this time round.
An overtime ban will begin to disrupt services from Monday, before trains are halted for 24 hours at national train operators around England in rolling strikes from Tuesday.
Drivers will strike at Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Thameslink and South Western Railway on Tuesday 30 January; at Northern Trains and TPE on Wednesday 31 January; at LNER, Greater Anglia and C2C on Friday 2 February; at West Midlands Trains, Avanti West Coast and East Midlands Railway on Saturday 3 February; and at Great Western, CrossCountry and Chiltern on Monday 5 February.
No trains at all are likely to run at most operators on their respective strike days, with other services likely to be much busier where they provide alternative routes for passengers.
The set of strikes was expected to be the first test of the minimum service levels legislation, designed to allow train operators to run 40% of the normal timetable. Only LNER, one of the three operators directly run by the Department for Transport, planned to use the new powers to demand that drivers break the strike. An immediate escalation by Aslef, which called five additional days of strikes at LNER, prompted a climbdown.
Rail industry bosses as well as unions had made clear their reservations in consultations and select committee hearings ahead of the strike laws being introduced, which could also be applied in health, education and firefighters disputes. Labour has said it will immediately repeal the laws if elected.
Speaking before the latest industrial action, Whelan said: “We made the point that it was unworkable, we believed it was terribly unsafe. We made the point, which was borne out by the government’s own impact assessment, that it would lead to more strife. Rather than trying to resolve the situation, they tried to introduce forced labour into the country, to our eternal shame.
“First time they’ve tried it, they’ve backed off. I’m of the view they’ll try it again. Nobody can tell us how to safely do it.”
Separately, the Public and Commercial Services Union said on Saturday it would use the Human Rights Act to challenge the minimum service law. The announcement was made by the PCS general secretary, Mark Serwotka, at a rally to mark the 40th anniversary of the ban on trade unions at the GCHQ headquarters.
After the threatened extended rail strikes on the London-Newcastle-Edinburgh mainline, and potential for more elsewhere, the more localised 24-hour disruption of rolling walkouts may be a relief for passengers. However, given the lack of progress in more than 18 months of strikes, what does Whelan hope to achieve?
“Well, there are two choices in life – to do something or do nothing. And we don’t actually have the choice to do nothing,” he said.
“I’ve got drivers who in February [will] have gone five years without a pay deal – half a decade. People who put their lives at risk during a pandemic, to get other key workers to work and move food and medicine around the country.”
The strikes would, Whelan said, “keep raising the profile of our dispute until somebody comes to the table to resolve it with us. I’d happily go back into talks tomorrow to find a way forward – even though we’ve been crapped on from a great height twice before when we’ve gone into long-term talks.
“We’ve gone in in good faith, and at the end the Rail Delivery Group and the government behaved dishonourably and deceitfully. Still, we have to find a way to resolve it.”
An overtime ban starting on Monday will apply at all of the companies throughout the strike period. It is likely to cause additional disruption for operators such as TransPennine Express that rely on rest day working.
The RDG has advised passengers to check before they travel, while those who have to travel should expect disruption, plan ahead and check when their first and last train will depart.
A spokesperson for the RDG said: “There are no winners from these strikes that will unfortunately cause disruption for our customers. We believe rail can have a bright future, but right now taxpayers are contributing an extra £54m a week to keep services running post-Covid.
“Aslef’s leadership need to recognise the financial challenge facing rail. Drivers have been made an offer which would take base salaries to nearly £65,000 for a four-day week before overtime – that is well above the national average and significantly more than many of our customers that have no option to work from home are paid.”
A DfT spokesperson said: “The transport secretary and rail minister have already facilitated talks that led to this fair and reasonable offer from industry – Aslef bosses should put it to their members so we can resolve the dispute, which has already happened with the RMT, TSSA and Unite unions.
“With passenger revenues not having recovered since the pandemic, the taxpayer has had to prop up the railways with £12bn in the past year alone – these strikes will not change the need for urgent workplace reforms that Aslef continue to block.”
Read more:
Train strikes to continue as drivers ‘raise profile’ for pay rise

More than 3 million BT customers could receive up to £400 each as a class action lawsuit begins seeking £1.3bn in compensation over claims the telecoms group allegedly overcharged for landline services.
The legal action has been brought by Justin Le Patourel, a former executive of the watchdog Ofcom, and alleges that BT used its dominant position in the market to charge “excessive” amounts for about 3 million landline customers, many of them elderly and low-income households.
Le Patourel launched the claim three years ago after looking into an Ofcom investigation into BT in 2017.
Ofcom’s investigation, which looked at BT’s practices from 2015, found that people who only had a landline telephone were “getting poor value for money in a market that is not serving them well enough”.
BT cut landline prices the following year for 1 million mostly elderly customers by £7 a month but did not offer them compensation for overcharging in the past.
Le Patourel, who formed Collective Action on Land Lines (Call) to gather customers in a class action against BT, estimates that affected customers could get £300 to £400 in compensation depending on the length of their contracts.
“We believe BT has been systematically overcharging millions of customers over many years, and those customers could be owed hundreds of pounds each,” Le Patourel said. “Time really is of the essence. More than 40% of our claimants are aged over 70, and more than 150 of them are dying every day. It really is vital that BT should refund every one of them as soon as possible.”
The class action automatically includes all affected customers – including those who are now deceased, after BT gave consent to an amendment to the claim – unless they actively choose to opt out.
Le Patourel claims that more than 500,000 landline-only customers have already died.
A spokesperson for BT said: “This claim relates to a technical landline pricing issue which was resolved by Ofcom in 2017. We do not accept that our pricing was anti-competitive back then, and as such are committed to robustly defending our position at trial. We take our responsibilities to customers very seriously and are dedicated to keeping our customers connected, while helping those who need it most.”
However, when Le Patourel took his case to the Competition Appeal Tribunal in 2021 seeking permission to take BT to trial, the three-member tribunal was unanimous in ruling that the claim showed more than enough merit to be pursued.
“We conclude that there is a real prospect of success for this claim,” the tribunal concluded in its 42-page ruling at the time.
Speaking about the case, Tom Davey, Director and Co-Founder at litigation finance broker Factor Risk Management, said:”Hot on the heels of Mr Bates vs The Post Office, we are once again seeing ordinary people having to rely on the Courts, rather than regulators, to bring about the correction of injustices.
“The lack of effective regulation means that claimants have to litigate in order to bring about change and hold large corporates to account. Opt-out claims such as this are a cost-efficient way to bring about access to justice for individuals who’d have no hope otherwise for their claim to be heard.
“As the first stand-alone opt-out claim to proceed to trial, litigation funders and the wider legal industry will be watching the case keenly. The outcome will be instructive to the direction of the class action regime going forward, which is of particular importance in the context of other claims brought by consumers where breaches of competition law are alleged.
“The involvement of the CMA is not unusual, however it does come at a time when the government has expressed its wish to undo the controversial PACCAR judgment in light of public interest in the Post Office scandal. It certainly seems that the plight of consumers has risen up the political agenda this election year.”
Read more:
Over 3 millions BT customers could get up to £400 as ‘overcharging’ lawsuit begins

Carving a niche marketplace within a sector
Crafted to be the perfect Tequila base for Margarita cocktails and mixing. Neurita’s range of naturally flavoured Tequila are fruit infused, removing the need to add sugary triple sec syrup into Margaritas. So the UK’s #1 trending cocktail, Margaritas, are therefore simpler to make and lower in sugar.
Founder, Lucy Smith chats to Business Matters and shares her journey …
What made you start your business – did you want to rock the status quo or was it a gap in the marketplace that you could fill?
I have always loved Margaritas and through my work as a brand consultant on food and beverage brands have always followed market trends. I understood that Tequila was having a regeneration in other markets but when I looked at the UK Tequila category found it very traditional, and stoic in tone, contrasting the uplifting fun Margarita moments I drink Tequila in. I wanted to shake up what it meant to be a serious Tequila brand.
What are your brand values?
Neurita is a premium Tequila brand, authenticity, realness, inclusiveness is core to who we are and what we do. We are also here for Margarita moments so ‘fun’ would be a core personality trait that filters across to our values, we’re Tequila after all. Why do you need to be stone faced and serious to be a serious player?
Do your values define your decision making process?
Yes they do, from the manner in the way we communicate to our consumers to the agencies and suppliers we use. I’ve worked in the industry for close to 20 years and understand that authenticity and ‘realness’ is key to building long last relationships. Also that you can’t be all work and no play.
Is team culture integral to your business?
Yes, great team culture is core to the success of any brand. There is a number of people working on Neurita whom all uphold our values. Everyone working on the business I’d be happy to have a Marg with at the end of the week. That’s from shareholders to suppliers. We’re all in this together.
How do you go the extra mile to show your team you appreciate them?
Marg O’Clock is our shrine moment at the end of the week, the put down your tools and have a Marg moment. This is something we encourage in the team, it’s a celebration of what we’ve achieved together.
In terms of your messaging do you think you talk directly to your consumers in a clear fashion?
Yes, Neurita is very single minded that we are ‘Tequila crafted for Margaritas’. Single minded messaging is key to any brand when launching to avoid confusion but also utilize marketing budgets.
What’s your take on inflation and interest rates – are you going to pass that on to your customers or let your margins take a hit and reward customer loyalty in these tougher times?
At this stage no, we are instead reviewing how to reduce internal costs / cut out any waste. Every cost and raw material is increasing to be honest. We’ve bought raw materials in bulk to avoid short term increases and currency flux. I believe that as business it’s our responsibility to put our loyal consumers first.
How often do you assess the data you pull in and address your KPIs and why?
Everyday we’re reviewing, but also on a monthly basis we have a review of sales, consumer feedback, media, demand planning, our budgets and our overall strategy. Given the shifting nature of FMCG at the moment, our strategy is evolving on a monthly basis which we can do as we’re smaller and flexible. This is a great competitive advantage for us vs bigger players.
Is tech playing a much larger part in your day-to-day running of your company?
Absolutely, there are many platforms through our suppliers we’re using to help with the day to day. From accounting software, media tracking to flexibility in newer banking technologies. We also work remotely as a team (all scattered around different cities and countries).
What is your attitude to your competitors?
I think if your proposition is built on solid consumer insight it shouldn’t matter what your competitors are doing. You need to be aware of whom they are, their products innovation & sales promotions etc, but just because a competitor jumps it doesn’t mean you should too.
Do you have any advice for anyone starting out in business?
2 minds are better than 1, 3 minds are even better. One of the core reasons we have had success so early and are building at the rate we are is due to the team we have. We all have different views on things, challenge each other but also bring different skillsets to the team. This is key. You have good and bad days and weeks, a team also helps keep you going.
It can be a lonely and pressured place to be as the lead decision maker of the business. What do you do to relax, recharge and hone your focus?
I am big believer in writing down goals, both in business and in personal life. If you’re ever having a downer or feeling stressed it can be great to review and see how far you’ve come. A few Margs at the end of the week also helps!!
Do you believe in the 12 week work method or do you make much longer planning strategies? 
I believe in having longer term goals 1,3,5,10 years. While they are goals, they need to have flexibility in how you achieve them. Again, this is both within business and personal life . If anything the last few years has taught us is how uncertain the world can be and those that are resilient and flexible are the ones who will make it.
What is your company’s eco strategy?
This is very important to us. We were very eco conscious when launching Neurita, looking to use only recyclable or reusable materials. We import our Tequila in bulk to the UK and bottle it locally so we’re not ‘shipping glass and air’ for example. It’s something we continue to review in a ‘ eco value up waste out’ manner.
What three things do you hope to have in place within the next 12 months?

Listing in our ‘must have’ bars and restaurants (this is mapped out)
Make Neurita Margaritas the at home cocktail in the UK of summer 2024
Listing in a major retailer

Read more:
Secrets of Success: Lucy Smith, founder Neurita Tequila

Upping the ante on family fun and interior style
It’s time to show the world that you can take to the floor, and make a mess without compromising the style and care of your home. That was Susie Stubbs’ mission when she set up Totter + Tumble. Today her team remain solid on that wish to create the best in class products for growing families, while helping to maintain a sense of personal style and pride in the home.
Susie takes some time out of her day to chat to Business Matters …
What made you start your business – did you want to rock the status quo or was it a gap in the marketplace that you could fill?
After completing a home renovation, I just couldn’t face placing down our garish, puzzle piece playmat. Not only did it overwhelm our new, stylish space, but the individual pieces were low quality and  frustrating to put together. I knew there could be a high quality, better solution, which inspired me to create it.
What is your USP?
Our playmats are designed with the busy family home in mind. They aren’t just for babies. They are for babies, for toddlers, older children and for adults. Our thick, memory foam mats are created with interior trends in mind too, so that they complement your well-considered home interiors. But most of all, they are a multi-functional and supportive floor covering. For tummy time, lego building or yoga, Totter + Tumble has it covered.
What are your brand values?
We believe that your home should feel like home, especially as your family grows. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice your personal style, in order to support, comfort and keep your children safe! That’s why we created Totter & Tumble – For them, for you, and for all the things that make your house your home.
Do your values define your decision making process?
Absolutely! Our founding principles of simple, stylish, support and safe will always be forefront of our decision-making.
At Totter + Tumble we want to be proud of what we create- be it our playmats, the brand or the business in general. We recognise that for a busy family they want to focus their time and energy on their children, and not their playmat. So we created that. We talk to our customers as proud customers ourselves, with honesty and integrity . By not focusing on the sales but instead on the product, the brand and our people, means that we, as a team, are intent  on growing a great business and one we are proud to be part of.
Is team culture integral to your business at Totter + Tumble?
We are a remote team of 7 at the moment, so being aligned on principles as well as the strategy is imperative. We don’t get those coffee break chats you do in an office, though regular whole team meetings, working across shared inboxes and project planners helps keep us all united. With such a small team, we have single people wholly responsible for areas they’d otherwise have whole teams to support, so everyone’s input makes a huge difference to the overall output. It makes it really exciting and rewarding, but at the same time, work has to work for them. Our business is all about recognising that parenting is demanding, so as a team of parents we too support each other too both professionally and personally. If one person is struggling, you can put a bet on everyone else jumping in to help regardless of expertise. The initiative to get stuck in and help out is one of our top criteria when recruiting.
What do you do to go the extra mile to to show your team you appreciate them?
We have a combination of ways to support our team, both in the structure of how we work and in the little extras. Totter + Tumble has always had a remote and flexible working policy: Our team is valued on the work they do, not the hours they are present for, which gives each person ownership for their area as well as the ability to create their own schedule that enables them to work well and live well. Encouragement to go to those school shows or take exercise without feeling guilt or pressure is so important to us and makes for a happier and more productive team. And of course, birthday gifts, team meet ups, and Christmas celebrations all help too!
What’s your take on inflation and interest rates – are you going to pass that on to your customers or let your margins take a hit and reward customer loyalty in these tougher times?
The beauty of founder-led businesses is that we generally do everything with the customer in mind, including pricing. Whilst adapting and being flexible is a real strength of smaller businesses, having the cash flow to negotiate tougher economic times is rarer. Our biggest inflation came at the end of 2020 when shipping costs increased 10 fold and our raw materials went up an extraordinary amount too. We took the hit for as long as we could, but without an end in sight and without wanting to compromise our product, we put our prices up in 2022  to share the costs out for a more sustainable and secure future. As purchasers we have the power to use our money wisely, to purchase good value products and services from companies that earn our trust. Any brand not thinking about the customer is in for a rockier time.
How often do you assess the data you pull in and address your KPIs and why?
Probably not as often as you may think. We are really fortunate that our Totter + Tumblers are incredible brand champions, and families keep growing, so we are able to focus on building the brand, and not analysing the data for sales at every opportunity. That being said, we have great tools at our disposal such as shopify, Klaviyo (email marketing), Meta and google, that tell us a lot, but really it is our socials that we are really tuned in to – that is where we hear first hand from our customers and see what is really going on. Data tells us a lot about has happened,  but by being tuned in to the customer, you get a far better analysis of what is happening now.
Is tech playing a much larger part in your day-to-day running of your company?
We use some great platforms to stay connected and wolf collaboratively with each other, such as Monday.com and Front. Shopify, Klaviyo and fulfilment software allows us to deliver a great customer experience post purchase too. As an ecommerce company, social media is key to connecting with our customers at every stage of their journey with us. From creating an AR filter so they can ‘try before they buy’ to engaging with them in their key milestone memories.
What is your attitude to your competitors?
We are confident in what we offer so we don’t feel there is harm in competition at all, but it has been painful to see imitators pop up since we launched in 2018. It is frustrating when there is so much space for businesses with an authentic and original offering.
Do you have any advice for anyone starting out in business?
My top three would be don’t rush, don’t compromise, and hire people better than you, before you need them.
It can be a lonely and pressured place to be as the lead decision maker of the business. What do you do to relax, recharge and hone your focus?
I’d love to say I have a handle on this, but it is very much a work in progress. In parenting it is known as  the ‘mental load’ especially as a mother or primary care giver, but running your own business as a parent doubles this – and it is 24/7.  I’ve had to be really reflective and strict to carve the time out, but it took years and having a great team with me to take any meaningful steps.
Do you believe in the 12 week work method or do you make much longer planning strategies?
We don’t have fixed strategies of any length, but rather have a commitment to our ultimate goals and shorter term initiatives that help us keep moving towards them. Being nimble has served us well, especially in the last few years.
What is your company’s eco strategy?
We are so aware of how damaging green washing can be and we will always strive to be more eco-friendly. For us sustainability starts with products designed with function foremost, with quality materials chosen for their features, made safely and intentionally with those who they are aimed for. That way we should consume less, have value laden items that last longer and avoid landfill. We spent a year before we found our incredible factory in South Korea who operate to the highest standards, and therefore our playmat reduces the number of products you’ll need, can be reused and, eventually, recycled.
What three things do you hope to have in place within the next 12 months?
We’ve only just started out in the US, so getting to know our American Totter + Tumbler’s in that market is key for us. And of course, we have some beautiful designs on the way to help more families free the floor!
Read more:
Secrets of Success: Susie Stubbs, Founder of Totter + Tumble

Asda is converting more of its superstore petrol forecourts to card-only, unmanned operations with staff being redeployed into its stores.
The supermarket chain has 300 forecourts attached to superstores with half of those already unmanned.
Another 82 are to go cash-free, with 14 already having been converted since December last year, according to the supermarket.
It said all of its workers at the sites would be redeployed by this summer.
Only forecourts adjacent to Asda superstores will be affected, the supermarket chain added.
An Asda spokesperson said the changes were being made as more than nine in 10 payments made at superstore forecourts were made via card or contactless device.
It added: “The colleagues who worked on these sites are moving into the store so they can better serve our customers”.
The supermarket said conversions had begun in December, with the changeover expected to complete “later in 2024”.
There have been calls for the Prime Minister to replicate new legislation in Ireland that will force businesses to accept cash.
Supermarkets, pharmacies and corner shops will have to accept physical cash under rules signed off by politicians in Ireland on Tuesday.
Other types of shops and retailers are exempt, with the rules expected to come into effect later this year.
There are indications that cash use is on the rise, with the British Retail Consortium (BRC) reporting recently that cash purchases had grown in 2022 for the first time in 10 years.
It said shoppers were keeping a close eye on their budgets while prices rise, echoing a report by banks showing a slight rebound.
Cash was used in 19% of transactions in 2022, according to the BRC, up from 15% the previous year.
Read more:
Asda to go cashless at more supermarket forecourts

The Port of Dover and ferry companies have warned of “serious and lasting negative impacts” if the EU’s new border IT system is implemented this autumn.
It said if the current plans go ahead “communities, businesses and authorities” would suffer.
Under the delayed Entry Exit System, people entering the EU will have to register fingerprints, a photo and passport details.
Long queues have also been predicted.
Juxtaposed border controls mean French border police check passports as people leave the UK to cross the Channel from Dover, London St Pancras and Folkestone.
There have been warnings for more than a year that this could cause very long queues, because of the extra time registration will take.
In joint written evidence to the European Scrutiny Committee, the Port of Dover, DFDS, Irish Ferries, and P&O Ferries said there was an “existential risk facing critical supply chains, businesses, communities, and the tourism economy of nations on both sides of the Channel from the current lack of appropriate regime for the introduction of the EU Entry Exit System (EES)”.
They said there would be a “severe” impact on Dover’s ferry business because the system “would not be capable of processing current car and coaches volumes”.
Evidence from a range of affected businesses, business groups and councils was published by the committee on Thursday.
Kent and Ashford councils both cautioned that queues for tourists had been “quoted as a reasonable worst case of up to 14 hours”. They did not give a source for that assessment.
Ashford Borough Council’s written evidence said “such queues will create welfare concerns for passengers as well as having a significant effect on the local communities, specifically the towns of Dover, Folkestone and Ashford”.
Tourism organisation Visit Kent told the committee it was concerned the EES would disrupt the local economy.
Eurostar – which has previously warned of the issues EES could pose – also said implementing it would be a “unique challenge”, adding the system was designed for airports rather than constrained city centre terminals.
Getlink, which operates the Channel Tunnel, said the EES would add five to seven minutes to the overall journey time of passengers using the it.
Chair of the European Scrutiny Committee, Sir William Cash, said the evidence put forward “paints an alarming picture of the possible risks surrounding the Entry-Exit System’s implementation.
“Clearly, this policy could have a very serious impact, not only for tourists and travel operators but also for local businesses,” he said.
“I implore decision makers on both sides of the Channel to take note of this evidence. The scheme is due to be implemented in October this year; the clock is ticking, and these issues must be urgently addressed”, Mr Cash added.
The boss of Dover has previously said that the government should press for a solution where registration could be completed away from the port.
A spokesperson for the prime minister said there were “tried and tested contingency plans in place” and that it was working “closely with the French and all the port authorities to ensure that travellers and passengers do not experience any unnecessary delays”.
Read more:
Port of Dover warns EU border system has lasting “negative impacts”

Businesses have historically lacked clarity from regulators regarding the compliant methods of age assurance available to them.
While some brands have had to devote significant time and resources to understand and implement the solutions that best ensure child safety on their platforms, others have taken a more passive approach, opting to wait for additional guidance from the regulators instead of taking proactive measures.
The recent comprehensive update to the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Opinion on age assurance for the Children’s Code is therefore a welcome development. It brings much needed clarity to businesses in relation to the implementation of the Children’s Code, by outlining a risk- and standards-based approach to age assurance. Furthermore, given the ICO’s broad remit focusing on overseeing and enforcing data protection laws in the UK, it helps businesses assess their compliance with obligations under the UK GDPR, as well as with wider regulatory frameworks.
Alignment on age assurance requirements with the critically important Online Safety Act 2023 shows further joined up thinking that will help protect our young people online. This Opinion drives a collaborative approach between regulators, alleviating contradictory requirements.
A Timely Announcement
The developments are particularly important in an environment where Ofcom has revealed that 75% of parents now worry about their children seeing age-inappropriate online content. And where access to smartphones has led to children becoming the biggest perpetrators of sexual abuse against children.
Businesses must know they need to do more when it comes to assessing the age of their users. Enforcing regulation and applied guidance from the ICO will propel this matter to the higher echelons of decision making, ensuring the adoption of age assurance tools more quickly and effectively.
Fit For Purpose Solutions
Naturally businesses will look for solutions that offer minimal friction for their users. The guidance around implementing readily accessible, privacy-preserving forms of age estimation such as email address are therefore pleasing. Not only will the majority of individuals have an email address and be willing to use it for the purposes of age estimation, this will complement biometric-driven age assurance including face and voice.
Verification methods based on ‘hard identifiers’ such as an ID scan are also viable, but can exclude or indirectly discriminate against people who lack the necessary documents or information, such as credit history or passports. Where possible, businesses should also consider offering a choice of age assurance methods, appropriate to the needs of their service and users.
A View To The Future
The ICO is being progressive in its approach by referencing techniques such as email address, which adds little or no friction to a user journey, making it both practical and commercially viable for platforms to adopt.
The note from the ICO stating that it will continue its engagement on international standards for age assurance technologies via the International Organisation for Standardisation and IEEE shows that this is a long-term commitment. Something that will be welcomed throughout the industry.
When choosing an age assurance solution, businesses must ensure they partner with an organisation that is not only able to implement the tools they require but one which is genuinely passionate about helping to build a safer online environment.
With it becoming increasingly easy for our young people to access age-restricted content, it has never been more important for regulators to implement and enforce legislation that will safeguard children and society online. Businesses must react quickly and ensure they have the tools and systems in place to ensure they are also doing their part.
Read more:
Providing Business Clarity: How updated Guidance from the ICO on Age Assurance for the Children’s Code will Improve Online Child Safety

Kaye Adams appears to have finally won a ten-year battle with HM Revenue & Customs after the tax authority said it had decided not to appeal after her latest court win.
The ITV presenter has been arguing her case that she is self-employed in the face of clampdown over so-called IR35 rules. Last year she won a third court victory over a disputed £124,000 tax bill.
HMRC said it had decided not to appeal against the First Tier Tribunal’s decision in the case of Atholl House Products, Kaye’s company. “Given this litigation has been ongoing for a number of years and the FTT does not set binding legal precedents, we don’t think it would be proportionate to appeal in this case,” a spokesman said. “We always seek to resolve disputes out of court first and only take action to litigate where this isn’t possible.”
The case centred around the question of whether Adams was a deemed employee of the BBC during the relevant tax years. The tax office had argued that she should be classified as an employee and therefore liable to pay more taxes.
However, the tribunal consistently found that Adams was genuinely self-employed.
The decision is a significant defeat for HMRC, which has been criticised for its aggressive pursuit of Adams.
Adams, who presents Loose Women, previously has said that the stress over the case had been “almost unbearable” at times.
In December Jim Harra, HMRC’s chief executive, came under fire from some MPs on the public accounts select committee, who accused the tax authority of unfair and heavy-handed treatment of workers who tried to challenge it over its interpretation of self-employment rules.
Dave Chaplin, CEO of IR35 Shield, who has been assisting Kaye with her case for six years is perplexed by HMRC’s claim: “The net tax at stake was £70,000 – so if proportionality was an issue, why did HMRC even bother with the first hearing, let alone the second, the third and the fourth? Why did HMRC spend a small fortune on three barristers for the final hearing? HMRC’s reason lacks substance – the reality is, HMRC squarely lost, but cannot admit it.
“HMRC dragged Kaye through litigation for 10 years, and at no point did the courts support HMRC’s view. The reality is HMRC issued Kaye with a large tax bill, which was never due, and was wrong to claim she was a deemed employee.
“Regrettably, as we have seen in almost all media cases, HMRC never capitulates, leaving the taxpayer no option but to pay up or climb aboard the tax tribunal merry-go-round.
“Whilst HMRC claim publicly that they always seek to resolve disputes out of court first and only take action to litigate where this isn’t possible, in IR35 cases, the reality is very different. Resolution tends to mean the taxpayer pays up, with HMRC never backing down.
“It’s no wonder that so many media people accused of paying the wrong amount of tax have paid up – they were fearful of becoming the next Kaye.
“The facts of the case were not complex, or unusual. One blindingly obvious fact was highlighted by the Court of Appeal when it said it would be “myopic” to ignore the fact Kaye was running her own business, and that “the fact that the person providing the work has an established career as a freelance” should be taken into account.”
In its press release, HMRC also referred to the fact that First-tier rulings do not set binding precedents, perhaps seeking to diminish the powerful binding precedents the case set through its course of four hearings.
“The importance of Atholl house cannot be underestimated and has set considerable legal precedents at both the Upper-tier and Court of Appeal, which HMRC’s litigation teams are currently relying on in other cases being litigated. To ignore Atholl House is to deliberately ignore the law.”
Speaking after the decision Kaye Adams said: “Whilst I am extremely pleased that HMRC has decided not to roll the dice on a fifth time lucky shot on my case, I remain utterly horrified at the behaviour of this department. The statement they released to the press, without my knowledge, twenty minutes after informing me of their decision, says they don’t think it would be ‘proportionate’ to appeal in this case.
It was never proportionate.
By the end of my first hearing five years ago, I had burned through more money in legal fees than the tax in dispute. Where was HMRC’s concern over proportionality when they appealed to Upper Tribunal and then appealed again to the Court of Appeal and then again hauled me over the coals in the First Tier Tribunal for a second time?
Not once did they score a victory over me, yet they kept going. And now they have the audacity to suggest, my case does not set legal binding precedent. It is outrageous.
Everyone in the media industry knows IR35 is a mess. Freelancers working for as few as ten days a year for engagers are being forced onto PAYE with no employment rights or benefits, HMRC knows  IR35 is a mess. It knows it has been playing fast and loose with tax payers’ money to push through an interpretation of the law that it has frankly invented and it seems these faceless bureaucrats are accountable to no one.
They have the power to ruin good, honest hard-working people’s lives with no consequences.
It is not just lives they are trashing, HMRC is making a mockery of the legislation. Self- employed status is now determined according to the pressure applied by HMRC and risk management on the part of media companies, not according to the law.
This is a pyrrhic victory for me. I have won my case against HMRC and I have spent on legal fees nearly £300,000, which should have been in my pension. Justice eh!”
Read more:
Loose Women presenter Kaye Adams wins ten-year IR35 tax battle

More than 300 new businesses are being created with the help of Travel Counsellors, the UK’s fastest-growing travel company.
Travel Counsellors provides corporate concierge-style travel services for SMEs, and a highly personal, and enriching experience for premium leisure travellers. The company’s recruitment drive reflects the travel industry’s resilience, as recent research from Travel Counsellors indicates that consumers are looking to travel more in 2024, with holidays their number one spending priority.
Expert travel advisors run their own travel business, empowered by Travel Counsellors’ digitally enabled platform with the supportive network of the global community, and are ideally placed to disrupt the travel market. The business is aiming to attract individuals with a passion for travel who are interested in setting up their own business, from those at the start of their careers, to returners to the industry and others who may be working outside the travel industry and looking for a career switch.
A career with Travel Counsellors offers the unique opportunity for business owners to scale on their own terms with limitless potential, specialising in corporate or leisure travel, or a combination of both. New joiners are also able to work in a myriad of ways as sole traders, teams and family businesses to support new ways of working.
The recruitment drive follows Travel Counsellors’ record performance in 2023 and strong growth trajectory, with £350m of departures already booked for FY24 – up 30% on the equivalent period in FY23. Looking ahead, the company will invest £15m in its proprietary technology platform and will remain focused on providing unparalleled levels of care and expert advice to its customers.
This year, Travel Counsellors reached the milestone of 2,000 independent travel business owners from a range of different backgrounds which encompasses travel industry veterans, former professional athletes, public sector workers and many more.
Matt Harding, Director of Franchise Sales of Travel Counsellors, says: “This is our biggest single recruitment push ever, and we are keen to attract new talent to help take the business to the next level.
“By embracing diversity, providing comprehensive training and fostering mentorship, Travel Counsellors ensures that every business owner, regardless of their professional background, has the resources and support to thrive in the travel industry. We set ourselves apart through a unique recruitment approach centred on relationship building, nurturing and transparency to ensure the right fit for each individual that is looking to join us.”
Travel Counsellors’ Travel Academy programme, accredited by the Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT), ensures that those new business owners who have never worked in the industry before are fully supported before embarking on their entrepreneurial journey. Each Travel Counsellor is paired with a mentor and gains access to an accredited personal business coach. In 2024, the latest partnership with the ITT’s Future You Foundation will see a number of those new to the travel industry win a place on the Academy programme worth £10,000, with a focus on attracting young talent, diversifying the candidate pool for the company and injecting fresh perspectives into the travel industry.
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Leading UK travel company helps create 300 new businesses following record-breaking sales