The government has pledged £500,000 of funding to help facilitate agreements that will allow UK professionals to qualify more easily to provide services in foreign countries.
UK-qualified professionals, such as architects, lawyers or accountants, are often not qualified by their UK qualification to practise abroad. Therefore, anyone wishing to do so usually has to obtain further professional qualifications in foreign countries, which is slow and expensive.
UK regulators and professional bodies will be able to apply for grants of up to £75,000, for each year that the grant is available, to enable them to make deals with their counterparts in other countries that allow for mutual recognition of qualifications.
It is hoped that this funding will make it easier for businesses and professionals to export their services worldwide, reduce trade barriers and open access to new markets.
The Recognition Arrangements Grant will be available until 31 March 2025.
See: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-pledges-500000-to-boost-british-services-exports
Running a business in recent times has been a lesson in resilience. Costs continue to increase and customers are cautious. Cash is proving tight for many businesses and credit control is a core discipline for keeping a business afloat in such times.
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) have reported that 161 pubs closed across the country in the first three months of 2026. It is estimated that this has led to the loss of 2,400 jobs. Scotland has been the most heavily affected, with 41 closures between January and March.