Small business leaders believe government rules and regulations are making it more difficult for them to counteract the affects of rising costs, a study by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has shown.
In the poll of over 9,000 business owners, nearly 90% said government policy was making already crippling business costs, such as the escalating price of fuel, even worse.
The overall assessment of the government’s performance on small business issues was even more damning – 96% of respondents said they were dissatisfied when asked the question “Are you satisfied that the government is currently taking the right decisions in the interests of small businesses?”
As a result, the FSB is calling on government to help the UK’s 4.5 million small businesses cope with rising costs by using higher than expected North Sea oil tax revenues to reduce fuel duty.
John Wright, the FSB’s national chairman said in a statement: “With the end of a period of relative stability, small business confidence in the government has plummeted in the last couple of years.”
“Employment, tax and fuel policies have left many small firms feeling that their concerns are not being taken seriously enough.”
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