New online research from YouGov’s SME Omnibus survey reveals that nearly half (48%) of senior decision makers in small and medium enterprises (SME) believe Government policies introduced since the 2010 election have been bad for small to medium businesses. However, 26% believe the new policies have been good for businesses, while just over a quarter (26%) disagree, believing on the contrary that the new policies have been good for business.
The ‘Big Society’ will make no difference to their business according to exactly half (50%) of SME senior decision makers questioned. Nearly a third (31%) agrees the ‘Big Society’ would be good for small and medium sized businesses and 15% believe it would be bad.
Senior decision makers were also asked which measures the Government should be concentrating on most to help small and medium sized businesses. The most popular measure for nearly a third of all respondents (31%) was for additional pressure to be placed on banks to make finance more easily available. Creating a competitive tax regime also proved popular with senior decision makers (28%). 15% would choose to lower VAT and 13% wanted the Government to lower personal income tax. 5% of senior decision makers wanted clearer guidelines on employment, whilst 2% said health and safety regulations.
Nearly three in ten senior decision makers in SMEs (29%) believe the Budget, due to be announced tomorrow (March 23rd), will have a negative effect on their business. 7% think it will have a positive effect. However, nearly half of senior decision makers (48%) believe the upcoming budget will not make a difference to their business.
See the survey details and full results
YouGov’s SME Omnibus surveys 500 senior business decision makers in small to medium business enterprises on a monthly basis.
