02/09/2026
UK businesses are starting September with another difficult mix of pressures.
Government borrowing costs have reached their highest level since 1998, the British Chambers of Commerce expects the economy to contract in Q3, and renewed US-Iran tensions have pushed oil and European gas prices sharply higher.
Meanwhile:
• Mortgage approvals have fallen to 56,100
• Smaller manufacturers are seeing weaker orders
• Retailers are warning against further business rates increases
• European gas storage is only around 65% full
• Brent crude is trading close to $95 a barrel
For businesses selling goods or services on credit, these pressures matter because rising costs and weaker demand can quickly change customer payment behaviour.
Good credit control is not simply about chasing overdue invoices. It is about spotting changes in risk early, maintaining payment discipline and protecting cashflow before problems become bad debt.
Read today’s full UK Business News Today briefing for the latest SME, market and insolvency developments:
https://cpa.co.uk/uk-business-news-today-2-september-2026-economy-markets-insolvencies/
CPA helps businesses improve payment performance, monitor customer risk and recover overdue invoices ethically while preserving commercial relationships.
economy