Digital TradeTech Is Cutting Costs and Paperwork for UK Exporters

Two newly released TradeTech reports from PUBLIC, produced in partnership with the UK Government, reveal structured digital trade workflows are already delivering real-world improvements for businesses trading with Australia and New Zealand.

The research forms part of the UK–APAC TradeTech programme, which has been testing digital trade solutions in live SME export transactions. The takeaway is striking: tariffs are no longer the biggest barrier to smooth international trade, outdated processes are.

Across the programme, fragmented paperwork, repeated data entry and manual document handling were identified as major sources of delay and cost. By replacing these processes with structured digital workflows, businesses could significantly streamline operations.

The Results Speak for Themselves

Across real trade corridors, including transactions powered by Boex, the programme recorded measurable gains:

55% reduction in physical document handling

60% faster document preparation

83% faster processing per shipment

£40,535 annual savings for one SME exporter

The case studies behind these results appear in both reports, examining trade flows between the UK and partners in Australia and New Zealand.

From Email Chaos to Digital Trade Records

One standout example involved Boex supporting live trade between UK firm Jointine and partners across the Asia-Pacific region.

Rather than changing regulations or compliance requirements, the improvements came from reorganising how trade data is created, shared and verified.

By replacing email attachments and PDFs with a single shared digital trade record, the platform eliminated repeated data entry, reduced version-control problems and created a clear, auditable record for every party involved in the shipment.

The lesson is simple: efficiency gains come from better structured data, not cutting corners on compliance.

TradeTech Moves from Pilot to Reality

The programme also shows TradeTech has moved beyond experimental trials into genuine commercial use.

Alongside Boex, platforms including Phlo Systems, Trade Harmonizer and Spot Ship were tested across multiple trade corridors.

The consistent outcome:

faster trade execution

fewer administrative headaches for SMEs

more accurate data across supply chains

lower operating costs.

What Happens Next?

As adoption grows, the focus is shifting from legislation to implementation. The reports highlight the need for interoperable digital standards, stronger collaboration between governments and logistics providers, and continued investment in scalable trade infrastructure.

If those pieces fall into place, the UK–APAC corridor could become a blueprint for the future of global trade, one where paperwork no longer slows business down.

https://boex.biz

What can businesses expect to hear about inflation in the autumn budget?

In the last few weeks and months, a steady wave of business leaders has written to the government calling on them to scrap the inflation-linked increase expected. 

With the 2023 autumn budget right around the corner (22nd November), this only becomes more relevant for commercial property owners and tenants.

Anthony Hughes, Managing Director at RVA Surveyors, expressed his concerns for the upcoming autumn budget.

“This is something everyone in the rating industry has been following for a while,” Hughes said, “It could quite easily spell disaster for many. Spending is decreasing for businesses and consumers alike. The knock-on effect being that even with the typical spike in holiday trading, this won’t necessarily equate to keeping businesses afloat. Clarity is needed here, and the government need a strong plan going forward that gives businesses the support they need – not a bill worth more than £1.5 billion looming over their heads.”

Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality said: “The freezing of rates and extended relief could be the ‘lifeline’ needed for the hospitality sector.”

Business rates are often the third or fourth biggest expense for any commercial property owner or tenant. At the beginning of the 2023 revaluation, the average national increase for rateable values (RV) in England and Wales was 7.1%. Now, business rates payers face another increase. One almost as large as the national average increase that came into effect earlier this year; even before the upcoming proposed end date for the Retail Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief.

Unchanged inflation means higher costs for businesses

While inflation estimations saw it fall to around 6% for September, it in fact stagnated at 6.7% before dropping to 4.6% for October. This means that the significant rise in business rates predicted for 2024, will be even higher. This inflation, measured against the Consumer Price Index (CPI), indicates to government by how much they should raise business rates by, in the next financial year.

However, this is an unprecedented inflation. Beset by two factors in particular: multipliers are at the currently highest level since they were introduced (1990), and that RHL relief is currently set to end at the same time. The multiplier determines the amount of pence in the pound you pay against your rateable value. It is this figure that projected increases (calculated by CPI) will be directly impacted by.

RHL was expanded to cover 75% of the rates payable per property (up to £110,000) for 2023/2024. This was part of the business support package introduced in the 2022 autumn budget. While not directly influenced by the inflation-linked rise, it is currently set to end at the same time business rates are supposed to increase. With no backup or next stage yet to be announced. The government have been strangely tight-lipped considering. With nothing forthcoming, it leaves business rates payers wondering just what exactly to expect.

UKHospitality has projected that the jump in tax bills paid by pubs, restaurants, and hotels alone will be around £234m. If the expected end of RHL and other support goes ahead as currently predicted, they estimate this will add a further £630m to businesses outgoing costs.

HMRC points out benefits of early Self Assessment tax filing

Self Assessment customers can help themselves by filing their tax return early

Self Assessment customers could take advantage of four key benefits when filing their tax return early, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed.

The Self Assessment deadline for the 2022 to 2023 tax year is 31 January 2024. Customers who file early will have more control over their financial affairs and beat the January rush.

The four benefits to filing early are:

Planning: find out what you owe for the 2022 to 2023 tax year as soon as you've filed, which allows for more accurate financial planning.

Budgeting: spread the cost of your tax bill with weekly or monthly payments using HMRC’s Budget Payment Plan.

Refund: Check if you’re due a refund in the HMRC app once you’ve filed.

Help: you can access a range of online guidance and information to help you file your return and get help if you're unable to pay your bill in full by the 31 January deadline. You may be able to set up a Time to Pay plan.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “Customers who file their tax return early get to see exactly what they owe, so as a result they have more time to budget, thus reducing the stress around Self Assessment.

“Given that January is the busiest month for HMRC’s phone lines, I am strongly urging customers to check out the tips on filing their tax return early on GOV.UK and to consider doing so themselves.”

There is lots of help and support available online:

Customers can access the new online tool to check whether they need to do a Self Assessment tax return.

HMRC’s top tips for filing tax returns early can be found on GOV.UK.

Ask HMRC’s digital assistant to find information about Self Assessment. If they cannot help, chat live with an HMRC webchat adviser.

Access webinars and videos about Self Assessment.

However, HMRC customers should be very aware of the risks of falling victim to phishing scams so must never share their HMRC login details with anyone, including any tax agents, should they have one. HMRC scams advice is available on GOV.UK.

However, please be aware that The Self Assessment helpline is temporarily shut down and will be reopening on 4 September 2023. HMRC point out that about two-thirds of all calls can be resolved by customers themselves online on GOV.UK.

Customers can ask for help from HMRC’s digital assistant or chat with a webchat adviser.

Berkshire Allocated £10.876 Million to Boost Economic Growth

The Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is delighted to announce that Berkshire has been allocated £10,876,292 million from the government’s Growing Places Fund. The new funding comes from an overall £500 million distributed to local enterprise partnerships across England to help boost economic growth and unlock barriers to building the infrastructure needed that will enable the creation of jobs and homes. This reinforces the confidence of the Government in the ability of LEPs to foster and promote business growth.

Thames Valley Berkshire LEP will manage the fund for Berkshire. Discussions are already underway with stakeholders to identify how best to use this funding for the region. Funding will be allocated to a range of projects designed to facilitate economic growth, boost job creation and local infrastructure, with the aim of providing a return on investment that can be re-invested locally. Final decisions on which schemes will receive financial support from the Fund will be taken by the Forum. This is a 20-member decision making body that governs the LEP.

Thames Valley LEP is business led and is working in collaboration with the community sector, education, businesses and local authorities across the region to:

• Address infrastructure requirements such as rail, road and other transport links and promote the delivery of housing and other developments
• Improve the communications infrastructure, in particular the availability of superfast broadband services
• Respond to innovative and creative projects which improve employability and close the skills gap to ensure that Berkshire has a ‘work-ready’ workforce

The objective is to ensure Thames Valley Berkshire remains the most enterprising area in the country maintaining it’s competitive edge on the global platform. By promoting employment and skills and ensuring the delivery of the infrastructure required to support economic growth, TVB LEP believes Berkshire is the best place to live, work and an attractive place to do business.

Steve Lamb, Chair of Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (TVB LEP) and senior director at Oracle comments: “This injection of funds will help us to be more innovative, productive and attractive for business as we focus on building the infrastructure and businesses that will sustain the area for the next 30 years.

"The Growing Places Fund will certainly help us to make capital infrastructure investments. We are looking to create a balanced portfolio where housing schemes, transport and other infrastructure projects will all be considered. We will provide a small proportion of the fund to develop innovative and creative projects that stimulate economic growth or promote employment.”

TVB LEP is business led and made up of key leaders across the business, education, the voluntary and community sector and six unitary authority areas of: Bracknell Forest, Reading, Slough, West Berkshire, Windsor, and Maidenhead, and Wokingham. For more details of the membership of TVB LEP please visit the website www.thamesvalleyberkshire.co.uk.

Organisations interested in bidding for funds should contact Deborah Wharton or Richard Tyndall on 01628 796020. You can download a full briefing and FAQs document on Growing Places Fund via the website.