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Setting up a business involves complying with a range of legal requirements. Find out which ones apply to you and your new enterprise.

Every business needs to be aware of its obligations under minimum wage and equal pay laws, as well as recent pensions auto-enrolment changes.

What particular regulations do specific types of business (such as a hotel, or a printer, or a taxi firm) need to follow? We explain some of the key legal issues to consider for 200 types of business.

While poor governance can bring serious legal consequences, the law can also protect business owners and managers and help to prevent conflict.

You must comply with legal restrictions on employees' working hours and time off, or risk claims, enforcement action and even prosecution.

The right employment policies are an essential part of effective staff management. Make sure any policy is clear and well communicated to employees.

Whether you want to raise finance, join forces with someone else, buy or sell a business, it pays to be aware of the legal implications.

While sick employees need to be treated fairly, you need to ensure that 'sickness' is not being used as cover for unauthorised absence.

Marketing matters. Marketing drives sales for businesses of all sizes by ensuring that customers think of their brand when they want to buy.

Most pregnant employees are entitled to maternity leave and maternity pay, while new fathers are entitled to paternity leave and paternity pay.

Commercial disputes can prove time-consuming, stressful and expensive, but having robust legal agreements can help to prevent them from occurring.

As well as undermining morale, illegal discrimination can lead to workplace grievances. Employee discrimination is covered by the Equality Act 2010.

Whether your business owns or rents premises, your legal liabilities can be substantial. Commercial property law is complex, but you can avoid common pitfalls.

Home, remote and lone workers are becoming increasingly commonplace. Key issues include communication and how to manage and motivate people remotely.

With information and sound advice, living up to your legal responsibilities to safeguard your employees, customers and visitors need not be difficult or costly.

The right approach to consulting with and providing information to your employees can improve employee motivation and performance.

As information technology continues to evolve, legislation must also change. It affects everything from data protection and online selling to internet policies for employees.

Disciplinary and grievance issues can be a major burden to employers. Putting in place and following the right procedures is essential.

Following the right dismissal and redundancy procedures helps protect your business and minimise the risk of a legal dispute at tribunal.

Intellectual property (IP) isn't solely relevant to larger businesses or those involved in developing innovative new products: all products have IP.

Employment tribunal claims are a worrying prospect for any employer. A tribunal case is a no-win situation – even if the claim is unjustified.

Knowing how and when you plan to sell or relinquish control of your business can help you to make better decisions and achieve the best possible outcome.

From bereavement, wills, inheritance, separation and divorce to selling a house, personal injury and traffic offences, learn more about your personal legal rights.

Small firms worried that staff won't return from furlough

5 October 2021

New research has found that two in five small business owners are concerned that their employees may move on to new jobs now that the furlough scheme has ended.

Research by small business lender iwoca has found that 41% of small business owners polled say they are worried that their employees may not return to work after furlough; one in six think half of their furloughed staff will choose not to return to work; and 9% fear that none of their staff will come back.

Government data suggests that 1.6 million employees were still on furlough when the scheme wrapped up at the end of September. With over 520,000 small businesses still accessing the scheme in September, the findings suggest that almost 50,000 business owners believe that none of their furloughed employees will come back.

Many workers have been tempted to move jobs at this time because of the large number of job vacancies being advertised and others are looking to start their own business. Recent analysis of Companies House data by iwoca showed a 32% increase in the number of new business registrations in the first half of 2021 compared to the same period in 2019.

It means that more than two-thirds (64%) of small businesses will be looking to hire in the next year. Seema Desai, chief operating officer at iwoca, said: "The furlough scheme has been a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of jobs across the UK, but it's concerning how many small business owners who still have people on furlough fear that their staff won't return when the scheme ends.

"Managing staff turnover often requires significant time and effort, and it is likely that many small business owners will have to make this investment in the coming months in order to keep growing their businesses."

On a positive note, new research by Small Business Saturday, in conjunction with American Express, has found that 51% of people in the UK now say they back local independents more than they did before the pandemic. The findings also show that 49% of people feel greater positivity towards small firms.

Small Business Saturday UK returns for its ninth year on 4 December, following record breaking success in 2020 which saw an estimated £1.1 billion spent with small businesses on the day.

"The surge in support for small businesses underlines just how much our independents mean to people," said Michelle Ovens, director of Small Business Saturday UK. "Strong support from the public is critical for small businesses, many of which are heading into an uncertain period … it is really vital that people keep backing small firms throughout the winter months and beyond."

Written by Rachel Miller.

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