Image: Fred Duval / Shutterstock.com


10


CONFIDENCE, PEOPLE AND CASHFLOW


While many of the measures may appear technical, their real impact is felt in confidence, people planning and cashflow management. Predictability around tax and reliefs allows business owners to plan investment with greater certainty, particularly at a time when employment costs and operating expenses remain under pressure.


For growing businesses, this stability can support decisions around recruitment, retention and training, alongside investment in productivity-enhancing equipment or systems. Taken together, these choices help businesses grow sustainably rather than overstretching during uncertain conditions.


TURNING POLICY INTO PROGRESS


ARE YOU READY


FOR LANCASHIRE’S BIGGEST BUSINESS CELEBRATION?


FINALISTS ANNOUNCED


19 JANUARY 2026 Awards ceremony:


Thursday 12 March 2026, Winter Gardens Blackpool


redroseawards.co.uk @redroseawards


#RRA26


A CAUTIOUS BUDGET WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH


The Budget may now feel like a distant memory, but in the lead-up to it businesses across Lancashire had braced for impact.


Many expected a raft of tax increases or tightened rules that would reshape their planning. Yet when the chancellor delivered the announcement, the biggest


positives for businesses looking at their next stage of development. Corporation tax remaining unchanged offers valuable stability at a time when consistency is essential. The Annual Investment Allowance continuing at £1m, alongside the introduction of a new 40 per cent first-year allowance, opens up meaningful scope for


Rosebud’s approach is hands-on and long-term,


working closely with Lancashire businesses to build resilience and ensure investment decisions are sustainable rather than reactive


conversation centred not on business measures at all, but on the continued freeze in income tax thresholds.


Seen by many as a stealth tax, it will affect individuals and households more than business operations, creating a muted response from the business community: little to fear, but equally little to spark immediate growth.


STABILITY WITHIN A MIXED BAG


Despite the lack of headline-grabbing incentives, the Budget wasn’t without


companies considering capital investment in plant, machinery, and technology.


There was also recognition of the pressures faced by sectors central to Lancashire’s economy. Adjusted rates for SMEs in retail, hospitality and leisure provide some welcome breathing space after several difficult trading years. Meanwhile, the continuation of the Small Business Rates Relief Scheme for those expanding into a second property gives ambitious SMEs room to grow without the immediate burden of rising costs.


While the Budget was far from transformational, it does present opportunities for businesses prepared to think strategically. Knowing these opportunities exist is one thing; being ready to act on them is another. That’s where Rosebud comes in.


Growth, expansion into new premises, investing in equipment, or reviewing existing finance facilities all require clarity, planning, and the right kind of support.


Rosebud’s approach is hands-on and long-term, working closely with Lancashire businesses to build resilience and ensure investment decisions are sustainable rather than reactive.


CONFIDENCE, SUPPORT AND THE RIGHT PARTNER


We know growth doesn’t happen because of a single Budget line. It happens when businesses have the confidence, stability and support to seize the moment.


If your business is considering its next step – whether scaling into additional premises, upgrading equipment, or assessing your finance strategy – now is a good time to explore your options. Rosebud is here to support the businesses driving Lancashire forward.


The Rosebud team


Find out more at: rosebud@lancashire.gov.uk | rosebudfinance.co.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76