In the three months to February 2015 employment rose by 248,000, while unemployment fell by 76,000
The proportion of people aged 16 – 64 in work was 73.4%, the highest since record began in 1971
The total unemployment rate fell to 5.6% and the youth unemployment rate declined to 16.1%
Total pay including bonuses rose by 1.7% compared with a year earlier, while pay excluding bonuses rose by 1.8%.
Commenting on the labour market statistics for April 2015, published today by the ONS,David Kern, Chief Economist at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:
“The latest figures continue to highlight the dynamism and resilience of the UK labour market. Rising employment levels and falling unemployment supports our view that the UK economy will record steady growth in the first quarter, despite the recent disappointing construction and production figures.
“And it is very welcome news that wage increases are now higher than inflation and are boosting living standards.
“However, challenges remain – we must address the youth unemployment rate. Although it continues to fall, it is still more than three times the national average.”
David Bharier, BCC Business Insight Manager said:
“The BCC’s Quarterly Economic Survey* shows a steady level of growth in employment levels since the 2008-09 recession, despite slight slowdowns in recent quarters.
“However, a majority of firms from both the manufacturing and services sectors struggle to find the right staff, with 69% and 65% reporting recruitment difficulties in the last three months, respectively.”
Join us to find out how your business can benefit from this exciting new tech
About this Event We are excited to announce our next step in making Norfolk the best connected rural county in the UK, as we officially launch our Norfolk and Suffolk Innovation Network, the largest public sector low-power wide-area network (LoRaWAN) deployment in the UK.
Norfolk businesses are already seeing the benefits from our industry-leading new sensor network which we’ll be officially launching on Tuesday 15 September.
Join us to hear from Norfolk County Council leader Cllr Andrew Proctor and our top technical experts to find out how we’re already helping businesses grow using this innovative tech, and how you can sign up and benefit from it, too.
This event will take place online, with a joining link updated here closer to the time.
If you have any questions, you can contact our innovation team by emailing in@norfolk.gov.uk
As mentioned in last week’s news article, those businesses who imported from the EU and made a Simplified Declaration, or have yet to make any declaration at all, you need to be ready to make your full declaration at the 175 days later point. Be careful: If you’re receiving, or have already received goods from the EU, and are not doing full declarations, you are potentially accumulating duty debt and could be subject to HMRC penalties. Filing a Customs Declaration is a legally binding act between the UK Trader and the UK Customs authorities. Unless you are buying under DDP terms (Delivered Duty Paid), as the importer you have the right to choose your customs agent, and also the obligation to report information to HMRC accurately and correctly. Here at Norfolk ChamberCustoms, we have the resource and expertise to support you with your Import and Export Declarations. We have Capacity. On the 25th of June, the Norfolk Chamber’s International Team presented an hour long Webinar, titled “Maximising your international Trade”. Follow this link ,to discover how the Norfolk Chamber can help you with your business’ International needs, and meet the International team that will be looking after you. Also, find attached the ChamberCustoms brochure, which gives you more detail of the Customs Declarations service available to you now.
The term ‘apprenticeship’ will be protected in law, the government has just announced. It is hoped that this will strengthen their reputation and ensure apprenticeships are recognised as a career path equal to higher education.
With over 2.2 million apprenticeships created since 2010 the government will also enshrine in law its commitment to create 3 million apprenticeships by 2020.
With apprenticeships giving hope and opportunity to more young people, and helping all types and sizes of businesses grow in communities across Norfolk, the Skills Minister will legally protect the term ‘apprenticeship’ through the Enterprise Bill. This will give government the power to take action when the term is misused to promote low quality courses.
To ensure that more young people can benefit the minister has also announced that public bodies will now be set targets to take on more apprentices. Schools, hospitals, prisons and police forces will all be creating opportunities for young people to get on.
Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber said: ‘Many businesses have come to recognise the value of apprentices and schools are starting to promote them as a real alternative to University. However, there remains a perception from many parents that apprenticeships are second best. In Norfolk there are some fantastic opportunities for young people with fast growing companies and it is a positive move that the government also recognise how important they are to the local economy’
Aims to update and requalify existing first aiders to the required level of skill and knowledge in first aid, in accordance with the requirements of the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981.
Successful delegates will be awarded a certificate of competence accredited by Qualsafe Awards who are recognised by Ofqual. It is valid for three years.
Course Venue
Open courses are held regularly at our training venues in Norwich, Norfolk and Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. Alternatively, courses can be arranged at your own site anywhere in the UK (subject to suitability).
Syllabus
Introduction to first aid
Incident management and safety
The unconscious patient
Major illness: diabetes, heart attack, stroke
Fractures and dislocations
Head Injuries
Eye Injuries
Simple record keeping & first aid equipment
The legal framework for first and in the workplace
Basic life support
Use of AED
Control of bleeding and shock
Major Illness: epilepsy, allergic reactions
Burns and scolds
Poisons and harmful substances
Basic casualty handling
Knowledge and skills assessments
“2nd course with Norvic and still very good training – excellent”
“Would definitely recommend Norvic Training”
“I have been doing First Aid for 33 years and it was the best course I have been on.”
In this free lunchtime seminar on finance, investment firm executive, UEA lecturer and Anglia Capital Group director Andrea Finegan will address some of the key issues about raising money, such as:
What do different investors look for in a business?
What does a great pitch look like?
What can you do now to prepare for later investment?
Andrea will be available after her presentations for any of your questions about financing the growth of your business or business idea.
Developed in conjunction with Norwich Business School and a host of industry professionals, the Bitesize Business Seminars are ideal for businesses and researchers who are keen to engage but do not have time to attend long training courses.
Each session is focused on a specialist subject and provides the opportunity to gain insights and knowledge from industry experts.
Others titles in the series are:
Leadership & Management- 03 March
Starting a Business- 10 March
Marketing- 05 May
Intellectual Property – 19 May
All sessions are free of charge and benefit from free on-site parking and Wi-Fi.
Growth: 63% of firms surveyed confident in their growth prospects over next 12 months
Restarting: 53% already operating at pre-pandemic capacity; 80% expect to be by October
Barriers: 38% cited further lockdowns as a barrier to re-opening, while 37% cited ongoing social distancing measures
Finance: 44% believe access to finance will help overcome the remaining barriers to fully restarting operations
UK small businesses are increasingly confident in their ability to grow and power the economic recovery, although many still have fears about the ongoing impact of Covid restrictions. This comes according to new data published today by the British Chambers of Commerce in partnership with Funding Circle, the UK’s largest small business loan platform.
The survey of more than 1,000 firms, almost all SMEs, reveals the majority (63%) are emerging from lockdown with either concrete plans or intentions to grow their business over the next 12 months. The manufacturing sector (68%) is particularly optimistic, while nearly six-in-ten (58%) of the hardest hit business-to-consumer (B2C) firms such as hospitality, catering and retail still anticipate growth.
Although the UK economy is yet to fully reopen, many businesses have demonstrated their resilience and are already carrying out their vital role as engines of economic growth. More than half (53%) said they had already restarted or returned to pre-pandemic levels in April, with a further 27% expecting to reach this milestone by October. By the end of the year, 91% of businesses expect to have fully restarted, with only 1% not expecting to restart for the foreseeable future.
For many, the biggest barriers to reopening are Covid-related, such as the risk of further lockdowns (cited by 38% of respondents) or social distancing requirements (cited by 37%). Concerns around reduced customer demand (33%), inflation pressure (18%) and recruitment difficulties (14%) are also weighing on UK businesses.
Access to finance will be key in helping SMEs to unlock their full growth potential, with nearly half (44%) believing it will help overcome the remaining barriers they face.
Commenting on the findings, Claire Walker, Co-executive Director of the BCC, said: “The ability of businesses to bounce back from the devastation caused by Covid is a huge testament to their resilience. Although, the financial support put in place by the government to help many through the last 12 months will have played a crucial role.
“The government must now clarify the future of safety measures, such as social distancing, and set out a clear package of support that would be available should further restrictions be imposed on businesses this year, or in the years to come.
“Firms will feel more confident and will be more willing to invest in jobs and in developing their business, if government can give assurances that a safety net of financial support will be provided should there be a need for restrictions which reduce or stop commercial activity in order to protect public health.
“There is cautious optimism growing among firms that as the economy now gradually unlocks, they will be able to push on and return to growth. But the shadow of Covid is very long; many firms still feel uncertain about what the future holds. Having access to finance to help them weather this continuing uncertainty may well prove vital.”
Lisa Jacobs, Europe Managing Director at Funding Circle, added: “While the road to recovery won’t be straightforward, it is great to see SMEs are looking towards the future with such optimism. From our conversations with customers, it’s clear their appetite to invest in their businesses is as high as ever. We’re ready to continue helping them access the finance they need to overcome the remaining hurdles they face, and achieve their growth ambitions.”
You’re invited to join us for our five-part Insight Day webinar series, that continues on Thursday 1st October.
Running a business isn’t always easy at the best of times, and in the current climate it can be harder than ever. That’s why, after its success during lockdown, we’re bringing Insight Day back. This time, with a series of webinars that will help to support and assist with a variety of essential topics when it comes to digitally marketing your business.
The second topic that will be covered is ‘Creative Advertising’, and in this session we will show you how to employ it within your business. We’ll look at the stages of a creative process, and you will learn how to understand the needs of your target market and how to build an audience. We will help you to identify the most effective media formats for concepts and present a practical roadmap to support your creativity. Most importantly, we will cover the ways in which you can measure your campaigns and use the results for future advertisements.
We’ll be running two sessions on the day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. You can choose your preferred time upon registration.
Town Deal Board members were delighted to hear today’s Government announcements, that King’s Lynn’s Town Deal Board had been allocated the maximum amount of £25 million to press ahead with a range of projects. Graham Purkins, Chief Technical Officer of Merxin, and Chair of the Town Deal Board, said: “We are delighted to receive notification that our King’s Lynn’s Town Investment Plan submission has been successful. “The collaborative working between the Town Deal Board and borough council in conjunction with valuable and constructive engagement with the local community enabled us to submit a strong proposal through which we have secured the maximum possible amount of funding. This is a significant achievement, and I would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work and commitment that has made it possible. “Last year we received a smaller amount through the Accelerated Towns Deal Funding which has enabled us to start improvements to our town centre and the initiation of a new School of Nursing in partnership with the QE hospital and the College of West Anglia. We are already making a difference. “Receiving the Towns Fund money will now enable us to start the process of delivering the broader range of projects identified in our plan and help us all work towards a brighter and more prosperous future for King’s Lynn.” The projects are split into four general themes: – economic productivity through urban regeneration, planning and land use; skills and enterprise; and infrastructure and connectivity.
Michael Baldwin, President of West Norfolk Chamber Council and member of the Town Deal Board said: “This is very welcome news for King’s Lynn, we are looking forward to working with the Town Deal Board and the wider business community to deliver some fantastic improvements to King’s Lynn that will help boost the local economy.”
Cllr Stuart Dark MBE, Leader of the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk and borough’s lead representative on the Town Deal Board, added: “This announcement is really great news for the town, as it brings significant external investment to a range of priority projects that combine to deliver major improvement. All the projects submitted in the bid were developed through consultation with the public and engagement with stakeholders and local businesses through the Town Deal Board we established as part of the required process. “I am delighted that central government has recognised the need for this funding in King’s Lynn and can see, through the strength of our bid and board, the clear benefit that can be realised here. “We are awaiting the exact details of the next steps but are so pleased the exciting work of bringing the projects to fruition with partners, in consultation with stakeholders and the wider community, can now begin to start in earnest. Commenting on today’s announcement from the government’s Towns Fund, James Wild MP, said: “I’m delighted to have helped secure this major investment to boost skills, improve the town centre, promote our strong Shakespeare links and heritage, and support new and growing businesses. “With funding already secured for a new School of Nursing Studies, North West Norfolk is really benefitting from the government’s commitment to spread opportunity and level up. “I now look forward to helping deliver these ambitious plans as part of the Towns Fund board and making Lynn an even better place to live, work, and visit.” Further details about the Town Investment Plan and Town Deal Fund projects can be viewed at www.visionkingslynn.co.uk
There are now 4 more trading cards to co.nnect with, as the remaining members of Team Norfolk Chambers joins our mission to connect, support and give voice to every business in Norfolk.
Team Norfolk Chambers is here and ready to help support you and your business with a range of skills such as making business connections, promoting what you do and how you do it, giving you access to exclusive discounts, helping you make change, and crafting bespoke business support specifically for you.
Now there are 4 more members of the Team to get to know. Introducing Charlotte Upcraft, Paul Vincent, Nova Fairbank and Chris Sargisson. As with the other members of Team Norfolk Chambers, each have their own trading card with a moniker that highlights the key skills they can offer Norfolk businesses.
Charlotte, AKA The Fixer is the project coordinator queen, helping support businesses with projects that can enable them to do better business. Paul, AKA Mr. Finance helps businesses navigate the challenging world of finance and accounting, he has non-stop energy and can help businesses get the financial support they need. Nova, AKA The Guru is the ‘holder of the knowledge’ and can help businesses get the know-how they need to help their business grow. Finally, Chris, AKA The Disruptor enables those businesses whose results need a boost to develop strategy that refocuses on customer experience, digital transformation and developing a workforce with a renewed mindset to help the business gain a bigger part of the market it seeks.
The four join the Membership and International teams, and together Team Norfolk Chambers can help make things happen for businesses like yours. If you need bespoke support for your business – we can provide membership that can be as individual as you are. If you need to increase your customer base – we can connect you to like-minded businesses. If you need to shout about a project/product you have launched – we can amplify your message. If you need exporting advice – we can help you trade globally. If you know what you want to do but don’t know where to start – we can support you by making collaborations.
Each of us have difference skills, but when we co.llaborate we are a unique force for your business.
The Parteo Principle follows the 80/20 rule, where 80% of an effect comes from 20% of the cause. This principle occurs across many areas, business included, where 80% of your income is created by 20% of your customers.
By identifying and categorising our key customer groups we can create profiles to help us implement new practices to boost sales. This can include opening new communication channels, developing new product and service lines, and even changing pricing structures.
There is no right or wrong list of factors to create a Customer Profile, Nivea even use sun-cream usage as a factor (please forgive the pun), and in this webinar we introduce how we do it at Hethel Innovation; a technique we have introduced to businesses through our fully-funded ERDF project, Breakthrough.
What We’ll Cover
In this session we’ll look at:
What is Segmentation?
What is a Customer Profile?
The benefits and criticisms of these techniques.
Why use Customer Profiles.
How to begin the process, and what happens next.
Following the session you should understand how to conduct your own Customer Profile exercise by looking at the similarities of your current customers. With this information you can begin to introduce new practices to boost sales and improve the operations of the organisation.
Who Should Attend?
Early stage organisations looking to identify their early adopters for feedback.
Small businesses wishing to identify their niche.
Large organisations looking to move into new markets, and access new customers.
Those in the public sector looking to create solutions for a specific group of residents.
This webinar will be delivered by Jordan Sharman, part of Hethel Innovation‘s Business Development Team. With a background in Marketing, alongside manufacturing, Jordan works closely with SMEs and Startups in Norfolk and Suffolk to realise their target market and create businesses which provide a value that exceeds the expectations of the customers.
Norfolk Chambers of Commerce is proud to announce that Spire Solicitors will be the sponsors of the Co.mmunicate Hub at B2B this October.
Norfolk’s leading business to business showcase returns on Thursday 14 October 2021 at Norfolk Showground* and Norfolk Chambers are delighted to confirm that Spire Solicitors will be the official sponsors of the Co.mmunicate hub at the show.
The B2B Exhibition is Norfolk’s largest business-to-business exhibition. Free to attend and attracting hundreds of businesses on the day, B2B is a highlight on the Norfolk events calendar.
The Co.mmunicate hub is the place where businesses can talk one-to-one with business specialists to help grow their business. Experts from a range of specialisms will be available for 15-minute slots throughout the day (more information on who and how to book coming soon). The hub is part of Norfolk Chambers of Commerce’s Knowledge Hour, which encourages businesses to allow employees to take 1 hour a week for learning and development.
Matthew Downing, Partner and Head of Corporate and Commercial at Spire Solicitors LLP, said: “Norfolk Chambers does a great job of supporting local businesses throughout the year and this event will be an excellent opportunity for the local business community to finally see each other again after such a long time apart. We are proud to be sponsors of the Co.mmunicate Hub, which incorporates Knowledge Hour and Norfolk Knowledge Hub, and we look forward to seeing you all at our stand on the day.”
For exhibitors and visitors, the event gives the opportunity to meet new potential clients, catch up with existing contacts and have a presence at this prestigious event.
Alongside the Co.mmunicate hub, you can also meet a plethora of businesses in the exhibition, take part in speed networking sessions throughout the day, go to a free workshop or seminar, relax in the Proudly Norfolk food hub and join us for the B2B after party (ticketed event).
Free tickets to the exhibition are now available so that you can gain fast-track entry on the day. Register here
*We are doing everything we can to bring you this event in October by following government COVID guidelines. However, due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic we may have to postpone this event at short notice if circumstances arise that are out of our control.