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Backing Young Britain
Backing Young Britain is a cross-government campaign bringing together business, public sector organisations and the voluntary sector to provide more opportunities for young people. It can help employers to:
For more information visit
www.hmg.gov.uk/backingyoungbritain. |
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Rates Appeal
Small firms have until 31 March to contest the level of business rates they have paid over the past five years. The Forum of Private Business believes around 160,000 small businesses have won backdated reductions in their rates since 1 April 2005, when the current rateable period began. There are two main grounds for appeal:
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Businesses that pay more than neighbouring properties. The Valuation Office Agency
(VOA) website at www.voa.gov.uk will allow businesses to find out what neighbouring firms are paying and whether or not they have appealed.
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Businesses that have suffered a material change in their surroundings since 2005 that has had a detrimental effect on trade. Streets closed off because of
roadworks, a high proportion of empty shops or a change in the size or use of the business premises can all count here.
(Continued in next column)
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(Continued
from previous column)
Firms can take the opportunity to appeal against the business rates that come into effect this April. Rateable values were controversially re-assessed just before the credit crunch sent rents and property values tumbling. |
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CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme
The government will require large public and private sector organisations improve the energy efficiency of their estate from 1 April. The aim of the scheme is to help change behaviour and make organisations more energy efficient – to reduce carbon emissions and save money. The financial savings should be significantly greater than any costs arising from participating, and will make carbon a boardroom issue for many large organisations. See
website. |
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Bad Passwords
That “123456” password you might be tempted to use isn't going to fool anybody – but it's the most popular choice on the Web. Another of the most common is "Password". The astonishing findings come from a data security firm that looked at millions of passwords recently exposed in a security breach. The company analysed the data and compiled the results for a “Consumer Password Worst Practices” report. Of the 32 million passwords involved, the four most common were: 123456, 12345, 123456789 and Password.
For further information visit www.imperva.com. |
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