SME Skills Crunch: A new Open University report warns that employers in UK “HE cold spots” are turning down work because they can’t recruit locally, with shortages hitting digital/AI (50%), creative (35%) and professional services (35%), while housing affordability and transport also block hiring. Cybersecurity Pressure: Kaseya’s SaaS Security Report says unmanaged guest accounts and weak MFA leave small and mid-sized firms exposed, with attackers increasingly targeting identities and OAuth integrations rather than just network perimeters. Tax Enforcement: HMRC has named two Warrington “deliberate tax defaulters”, including a convenience store and a consultant, after penalties for failing to pay large sums of tax. Local Growth Funding: Invest NI says its support secured £764m of investment in 2025–26 and helped create 4,301 jobs, mostly in skilled roles, with SMEs taking the majority of backing. Business Support: The University of Portsmouth’s Business Connect programme is offering low-cost/no-cost marketing help, including free workshops to help firms understand customers and build practical plans. Hospitality Cash Boost: Uber Eats is relaunching its Restaurant of the Year Awards with a £100,000 prize plus extra cash for runners-up, aiming to drive demand for small UK eateries. Supply Chain/Costs: The EU’s €3 tax on low-value parcels (including from the UK) starts today, raising the charge from France’s previous €2 version and affecting cross-border e-commerce. Expansion via Acquisition: Farmer Autocare has bought Hunters of Linlithgow, adding another site to its Scotland rollout after joining Kerr’s Tyres Group. AI Branding Debate: One small brewery is putting a “NO AI USED” logo on cans, pushing back against generative AI “slop” as costs squeeze small makers.