Partner Article

Health and safety top of red tape costs

The costliest form of red tape for small and medium sized businesses is health and safety regulations, according to the Forum of Private Business (FPB).

Just under 500 businesses were polled for the survey, Nearly a third of all those questioned felt that health and safety was the area of regulation that cost their business the most. PAYE, tax and National Insurance rules were second with 25%, and maternity and paternity rights came third.

Len Collinson, National Chairman of the FPB, said: “Regulations are the bane of the smaller business owner, costly in administration and a distraction from more profitable activity. Smaller businesses feel the cost of red tape more acutely than their larger competitors as they have fewer resources to deal with it. These results show that health and safety rules are thought of as particularly onerous.”

The FPB announced the results of the research at their first Small Firms’ summit yesterday, where the keynote speaker was Conservative Leader David Cameron. Mr Collinson says it is clear that the owners of smaller businesses have points to make. “The Small Firms’ Summit will allow owner-managers to air their views to like-minded individuals and to those decision-makers who have the ability to lighten the burden.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .