EDITOR’S COMMENT
Small businesses will benefit
from more timely payments
Mission
Statement
At the very heart of the
roofing, cladding and
insulation markets since
1980, RCI champions
best practice, raises
awareness of safety
issues on-site and
promotes business
excellence.
RCI delivers its mixture
of news, views, trends
and product updates
through print, an online
weekly newsletter
and its website…and
in person at its everrelevant
and popular
RCI Show.
New measures to end the
problem of late payments to
small businesses by large
companies were unveiled
by the Small Business Minister,
Kelly Tolhurst, last month, as she
launched a call for evidence, which
is due to close on November 29,
2018.
According to findings, nearly a
quarter of UK businesses have reported
that late payments are a threat to their
survival. Tackling them represents a
huge opportunity for economic growth,
with research from the Federation of
Small Businesses suggesting that it could
add £2.5 billion to the UK economy, and
keep an extra 50,000 businesses open
each year.
The new proposals include:
• The call for evidence to consider the
best way company boards can put in
place responsible payment practices
throughout their supply chain
• Promoting innovative technologies,
such as the latest accounting software,
to help small firms manage their
payments processes, and empowering
trade bodies to highlight the best and
worst practices in payment behaviour.
Speaking about the announcement,
Kelly Tolhurst, Small Business Minister,
said: “Our 5.7 million small businesses
are the backbone of our economy, and
ensuring we remain one of the best
places in Europe to start and grow
a small business is a key part of our
modern Industrial Strategy.
“The new call for evidence will help
us identify the most effective
way possible to tackle this
issue once and for all, and
ensure that small businesses
are on a level playing field with
their larger counterparts.”
Lee Murphy from Pandle, the cloudbased
bookkeeping software, has
drawn up a list of strategies in this
month’s issue, that will help small
businesses and the self-employed
encourage customers to pay up
and on time. Turn to page 26 to
read more information.
Elsewhere, to support businesses in
the run up to the start of the mandatory
Making Tax Digital (MTD) VAT service,
which is due to come in to force on April
1, Adam Bernstein discusses what it will
mean for RCI readers.
On page 24, Adam explains how
businesses registered for VAT with a
taxable turnover above the compulsory
registration threshold of £85,000 should
prepare now in order to keep their VAT
records digitally and file their VAT
returns using compatible software.
Meanwhile, we feature a number
of exclusive articles in the November
issue, including a piece on the future
of Artificial Intelligence and its impact
on the construction industry (page 28);
Dame Judith Hackitt calls for “a tougher
regulatory regime that has real penalties
and sanctions for those that don’t
conform” on page 36; and the Liquid
Roofing and Waterproofing Association
dispels misconceptions about using
liquid waterproofing systems in winter,
and offers advice on safe and effective
application on page 64.
Finally, there’s just a couple of weeks
to go until the RCI Pitched Roofing
Awards, which will be taking place at
the Midland Hotel in Manchester on
November 30. The inaugural awards
have nearly sold out, with only
limited seating available. To book
your place at this must attend event,
visit: www.pitchedroofingawards.
co.uk.
Nichola
Farrugia,
RCI Editor
“Our 5.7 million
small businesses
are the backbone
of our economy”
This Month's Pick of Top Tweets Follow @RCIMAG
We are proud to be media
partners with @rci_show -
the ONLY UK event where
the entire roofing, cladding
& insulation chains comes
together under one roof! For
more details on the show
visit: http://www.rcishow.
co.uk #RCIShow2019
@constructionukm
49% of our surveyed
respondents said they have
never worked with a female
construction manager. Let’s
change that: https://hubs.ly/
H0fkm2b0
@RanstadJobs
Check out the detailing!
Sta“ordshire blue plain and
ornamental fishtail #rooftiles
from @DreadnoughtTile
at @StMarysBushbury.
Shortlisted in the 2018
#PitchedRoofingAwards! @
rcimag. Find out more here:
https://bit.ly/2ELBtwe
@DreadnoughtTile
Diary Dates
BMF ROOFING &
INSULATION FORUM
20 November, 2018
BMF head oœce, Coventry
RCI PITCHED
ROOFING AWARDS
30 November, 2018
Midland Hotel, Manchester
FUTUREBUILD
5-7 March, 2019
ExCeL, London
RCI SHOW
27-28 March, 2019
Ricoh Arena, Coventry
SPRA CONFERENCE
13 June, 2019
Heythrop Park, Oxfordshire
November 2018 www.rcimag.co.uk 05
/www.pitchedroofingawards
/co.uk
/co.uk
/www.rcishow
/
/2ELBtwe
/www.rcimag.co.uk
