Small businesses are receiving vital support from their customer base, with a study from Opinium on behalf of American Express, reporting that more than half (55%) of small businesses reported seeing a rise in new customers purchasing from their business over the past six months.

The risk of small business failure has fallen over the past year as more people turn to SMEs, providing an optimistic outlook for the UK's small business landscape. ONS figures analysed by the London School of Economics (LSE) reveal that just 5.7% of small businesses are at risk of failure, compared to 15% at the beginning of 2021.

Due to external factors affecting the business environment, the FTSE 100 saw the worst week for losses since June 2020 in May. This has caused Brits to change their investment habits, with a study from IW Capital showing that 29% of the population are actively looking for new investment opportunities outside of stocks and shares.

The latest NatWest Sustainable Business Tracker shows that UK small businesses are seeking to reduce their carbon footprint and become eco-friendlier, with a particular emphasis on green energy. 46% of SMEs in the UK have already switched their supplier due to sustainability concerns, with a further 20% looking to reshore at least part of their supply chain to boost sustainability throughout the rest of the year.

Research by the Resolution Foundation found that the government’s plans to level up cities around the UK will cost billions more than originally thought, with the think tank stating that the ‘levelling up’ agenda will require investment that goes ‘far beyond anything currently being contemplated’ by the government. In 2019, a pledge to ‘level up’ the nation was made, providing people, communities and businesses with a fair chance of being equal economically.

IW Capital has announced that a landmark £8.7m will be invested in Rockwater – a leading chain of high-quality lifestyle and hospitality destinations. IW has now invested over £120m in UK SMEs, helping to drive business growth across the country whilst amassing a highly impressive and sector-agnostic portfolio.

The pandemic caused small businesses to re-evaluate their strategies and many businesses realigned their regional and global markets. 77% of SMEs are now planning to take greater advantage of international trade going forward, whilst 64% believe the pandemic has changed how they will conduct business forever.

IW Capital, is proud to announce a £2m investment in Location Live - the UK’s premier locations planning specialist for the Live Marketing sector. This injection of capital will aid the group’s expansion into international markets, whilst focusing on the development of its proprietary digital marketplace and platform LO:LIVE.

With significant obstacles affecting the business world, SMEs are looking to utilise the EIS scheme to continue to progress. Since its inception in 1994, the Enterprise Investment Scheme has raised over £24 billion in funds for almost 33,000 companies.