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dr barrie pennington is a lecturer in business studies at Liverpool University.
NeedTOKnow
His company provides small businesses with information on new markets, grants and
legislation. You can contact him at:
btpennington@ukonline.co.uk
COMPILED AND EDITED BY DR BARRIE PENNINGTON
Green is way to black ink
Stay safe online
��THE UK’S SMEs are leading the way in low carbon technologies ��INTERNET CROOKS are constantly on the lookout
according to a study from Vivid Economics. British rms have attracted for their next target and when they nd one, they quickly
43% of the £755 million in private equity investment in European low work through that person’s nances before moving on
carbon small businesses in 2007/8. Conducted on behalf of Shell Oil, the to the next victim. A working adult in Britain could be
report clearly demonstrates that British SMEs are considerably ahead stung for £14,500 on average by attacks on current and
of other European counterparts in achieving targets to reduce CO2 savings accounts and maxing out credit cards if their PC
emissions. Shell is currently accepting applications for its Springboard is not secure. But the Internet is too huge to ignore so
awards which grants up to £40,000 towards green initiatives developed what can you do to protect yourself?
GetSafeOnline.org
by small businesses. To nd out more go to
www.shellspringboard.org. recommends the following measures so that you can still
enjoy the Internet and remain safe:
1. Use strong passwords. Using the same password for all
your accounts makes it easy to remember but it also allows a
hacker access to everything if he can crack it. Opt for different
passwords with a dif cult combination of letters, numbers and
symbols.
2. Suspicious emails are exactly that. The easiest way for a
fraudster to extract nancial information from you is for you to
hand it over willingly. Look out for silly typing errors (hackers
from another country often have trouble with English) and use a
spam lter on your email system.
3. Maintain a healthy cynicism. If a deal looks too good to be
true then it is.
4. Secure your wireless. Many of us have wireless networks at
home but radio waves are public unless you make them secure
Possible VAT windfall?
with encryption (WPA or WPA2 are the best) with a strong
password to control access.
��IT MAY not be often that business people 5. Shop only on secure sites. On an online payment page
say thank you to the European Union but look for the address bar which should start with ‘https’ which
a recent ruling may see just that. Small indicates the site is secure.
businesses claiming overpaid VAT may 6. Use a rewall. This is a piece of software which makes your
get more back than they thought. An EU PC invisible to hackers looking for soft targets. It can halt some
decision has stated that the UK’s three viruses.
year deadline on recovering these sums 7. Use an updated anti-virus. New viruses are almost a
is contrary to European law. As a result, daily occurrence so it is worth paying for a system which is
companies now have until March 2009 automatically updated to protect you from new and existing
to claim back payments as far back as threats.
the 1970s according to Accountancy 8. Take care when downloading.
rm Pierce who advise owner- 9. Take responsibility.
managers to contact their 10.Keep it private. More and more information is being allowed
oawn accountants for onto the Internet willingly through social networking sites and
clari cation. Companies can recruitment agencies.
claim overpayments as far
back as 1 April 1973 for
input tax (VAT charged by
suppliers to a business)
not claimed but due for
periods up to and including
1 May 1997. They can claim
output tax (VAT charged by a
M
O
business to customers) overpaid or
K
.
C
C
over-declared for periods up to 4
T
O
December 1996.
T
T
E
R
S
U
:
S
H
E
S
G
A
I
M
www.businessfranchise.com February 2009
BF100-101_SmallBusiness_Feb08.X.indd 2 7/1/09 13:53:58
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