A fifth of small businesses in the UK are planning to hire more returning mothers than they did a year ago according to a new survey.

Our round-up of other small business stories making the headlines this week...

Only one worker in 166 has ever read their employment contract and understood its contents, according to new research.

If we had a referendum on the EU right now, most small businesses owners would vote to stay in but it's a close result.

At least £80 billion in economic growth could be unlocked if the Government shifts widespread powers and funding to local areas, council leaders have said.

Nearly half of businesses founded in the UK in 2011 had failed by 2014 - and incompetence and bad management was to blame for 56% of these business failures.

Our round-up of other small business stories making the headlines this week...

Business costs have continued to rise during 2015, driven in part by increased staff costs, according to the latest research from the Forum of Private Business.

The UK's small-and-medium-sized enterprises are taking a global lead when it comes to embracing new software technology - and they are benefiting as a result.

Small business owners are facing "problems of success", such as staff shortages, but remain optimistic according to new research.