Tackling the rise in Employers’ National Insurance: what businesses need to know

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Tackling the rise in Employers’ National Insurance: what businesses need to know
In this episode of The Streets Sessions, host James Pinchbeck is joined by Michael Greene, Partner at Streets, and Anita Wynne, Managing Director of BestStart Human Resources. Together they unpack one of the most talked-about measures from the Autumn Budget 2024 — the rise in employers’ National Insurance contributions.
With the changes now in effect many businesses are beginning to feel the financial strain, facing increased staffing and payroll costs. So, what can employers do to mitigate the impact?

LeoVegas Group boosts UK presence with new office in Leeds

April Lara
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LeoVegas Group boosts UK presence with new office in Leeds

LeoVegas Group is strengthening its UK operations by opening a new office in Leeds, which will support its brands, including BetMGM and LeoVegas. The office, currently being refurbished, is located in a central Grade A building and will play a crucial role in the company’s recruitment strategy.

This new addition marks the group’s second UK location, complementing its existing headquarters in Newcastle, which has been operational since 2018. The Leeds office will focus on attracting key talent, with several senior roles already being recruited, including Senior UK Sports Director and Senior Finance Business Partner.

Severfield to reduce workforce by 6% amid cost-cutting efforts

April Lara
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Severfield to reduce workforce by 6% amid cost-cutting efforts

Severfield has announced plans to reduce its workforce by 6% in response to ongoing trading pressures in the UK and Europe. The company, which employs approximately 1,800 staff, will cut over 100 jobs as part of a broader strategy to address delays in project deliveries and tighter pricing.

Along with the redundancies, Severfield will also implement a freeze on new hires and focus heavily on managing cashflow. The company has also reduced its planned capital expenditure and is working to accelerate tax refunds from HMRC. This comes as part of its efforts to mitigate the impact of the current economic challenges.

Severfield confirmed its bridge remedial works programme is on track, with costs remaining at £20 million. For the fiscal year ending 29 March 2025, the company reported net debt of £44 million, with an expected underlying pre-tax profit range of £18 million to £20 million.

The company’s order book in the UK and Europe is valued at £440 million, with £327 million of that scheduled for delivery within the next 12 months. Severfield’s CEO, Alan Dunsmore, is set to step down on 30 June after leading the company for over seven years.

South Yorkshire leadership and coaching business expands as demand soars

Michael Fisher
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South Yorkshire leadership and coaching business expands as demand soars
Moving business mountains is the name of the game for Heath Gunn, founder of South Yorkshire-based business and leadership coaching company Move that Mountain. After a year of successful growth, the business is expanding and moving to new premises as well as launching a new Leadership Academy. Currently based at AMP Technology Centre, the business requires more space to accommodate increased capacity for regular workshops as part of the Leadership Academy and will move to BizSpace in Broadmarsh Business Park, Rotherham at the end of April. This will provide a workshop delivery space for 10 people and the business has set an ambitious target to host over 150 people in its next financial year. This follows a successful year in which the collective improvement to the bottom line of Move that Mountain clients reached a staggering £1.2 million. As smaller charities often don’t have access to coaching or consulting services due to budget constraints or lack of specialist coaches, Move that Mountain has been able to support that gap with charity clients benefiting from reductions of £32.5k in cause-driven rates. Founder Heath Gunn comments, “It is so rewarding to see the business thriving in this way and to be helping our charity clients with such great financial benefits. We are passionate about helping businesses to reconnect with their core values and mission, helping them to bring back the excitement and passion first felt when launching the business. With so many organisations now looking for business and leadership coaching in South Yorkshire, we hope to bring our services to a broader range of clients moving forward.” For more information visit www.movethatmountain.co.uk

Scaffolding firm reaches a new heights with acquisition and funding boost

Michael Fisher
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Scaffolding firm reaches a new heights with acquisition and funding boost
One of Sheffield’s leading scaffolding companies has secured funding for further growth following its acquisition of a business in Barnsley. Hi-Point Access has raised £250,000 from NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia Debt as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II). The funding will provide additional working capital and enable it to invest in new equipment following its acquisition of Gap Scaffolding Services. Hi-Point, which has doubled its turnover since 2021, employs over 50 staff at its base in Sheffield and serves clients including Sheffield City Council, Sheffield United, the city’s two universities, the Utilita Arena and Wakefield Council’s partner Robertsons Facilities Management. It provides scaffolding hire and mobile elevating platforms, as well as building maintenance and roofing services. Founded in 1992 by brothers Steve and Chris Blantern, it is now run by Steve’s sons Simon and Matthew, his daughter Carly Turley and her husband Garry. The acquisition of Gap Scaffolding Services will expand HI-Point’s presence in Yorkshire. It also provides an exit for Gap’s founder Steve Griffiths, who set up the company in 2003, and secures the jobs of the seven staff, who will continue to operate from the Barnsley site. Carly Turley, Finance Director of Hi-Point Access, said: “It’s great to welcome aboard the experienced team at Gap and to expand our footprint with a base in Barnsley. The funding from Mercia and NPIF II will enable us to make the most of it by providing additional capital to take on new projects and buy new equipment. We look forward to continuing our expansion throughout Yorkshire and beyond.” Andy Tyas of Mercia Debt added: “Hi-Point is an established business that has had a new lease of life under the second generation of family members. Over the past few years, they have expanded the range of services and increased turnover, and the acquisition of Gap is another milestone. We are pleased to provide the funding they need to continue their growth journey.” Lizzy Upton, Senior Investment Manager at British Business Bank, said: “It’s good to see NPIF II backing a thriving, family-run business, that’s expanding across Yorkshire. Hi-Points extensive reach across a number of key venues and institutions makes it integral to our region’s vibrant cultural economy, and its why supporting businesses like this is so important to us.” Harry Bushell of Hentons Corporate Finance in Sheffield advised Hi-Point on the acquisition. Kate Darbyshire of Lloyds Bank introduced Mercia to Hi-Point. The purpose of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the North of England. The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II will increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for the North’s smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and help to break down barriers in access to finance.

Unity Homes and Enterprise invites applications for Chair and Board positions

Michael Fisher
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Unity Homes and Enterprise invites applications for Chair and Board positions

Leeds-based BME housing association Unity Homes and Enterprise is recruiting a new Chair and Board members.

Unity was formed in 1987 with the aim of building a strong BME community housing association to meet the urgent housing needs of black and minority ethnic communities in the city.

The initial focus was on Chapeltown, but this widened to other areas of Leeds including Harehills, Beeston, Holbeck, Chapel Allerton and Pudsey, and more recently to Kirklees.

With a turnover of £6.8 million and an annual investment in new and existing homes of around £6.5 million, Unity currently manages almost 1,400 properties for tenants from all communities and ethnic backgrounds.

In 2000 the association established its not-for-profit subsidiary company, Unity Enterprise, to support local entrepreneurial activity.  It now provides 142 affordable business units for more than 80 diverse businesses across three centres in Leeds.  Collectively, these organisations employ more than 1,200 people. Working alongside housing officers, Unity’s Employment Services team helps unemployed people in hard-to-reach communities to find jobs, access training and education opportunities or work as a community volunteer.

Cedric Boston, Unity Homes and Enterprise Chief Executive, said: “We are seeking a Chair who understands what great Board culture looks like and has the ability to harness and maximise the effectiveness of our Board, to maintain our high standards of governance.

“Previous non-executive board level experience, and experience of chairing are important, but we are open to this being a first full Board Chair role.  An understanding of the housing sector would be beneficial but is not essential.

“We are also wishing to recruit new Board members who share our passion and drive to help people create a better future for themselves and their communities.

“Their readiness to engage, ability to demonstrate that they share our absolute passion for what we do, and commitment to our social purpose are every bit as important as their skill set.”

Estama expands UK retail portfolio with Lincolnshire appointment

Michael Fisher
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Estama expands UK retail portfolio with Lincolnshire appointment

Estama, the leading UK property and asset management firm, has been appointed to manage Pescod Square Shopping Centre in Boston, Lincolnshire.

This 95,000 sq ft retail destination, home to 21 occupiers including Next, One Below, Waterstones, and Glo Golf, as well as a 350-space multi-storey car park serves as a central hub for the town.​

The appointment follows Estama’s recent management contracts for Festival Place in Basingstoke and the Swan Shopping Centre in Leatherhead, underscoring the company’s rapid growth in the retail property sector.

Estama now manages over 100 commercial properties across the UK, including more than 25 shopping centres.​

“We are delighted to have been appointed to take on the property management of Pescod Square,” said George Grimes, Director and Head of Property Management at Estama.

“This appointment is an expansion of our existing mandate from the shopping centre’s owner following our continued success and improvement delivered to their other assets already under our stewardship.

“It is fantastic to see the continued trust and belief in Estama from our clients,” he added.

This appointment represents a significant milestone in Estama’s expanding portfolio and reinforces its position as a leader in property and asset management.

The company’s recent transition to Employee Ownership Trust status further emphasises its commitment to long-term growth and stakeholder value.

Egis strengthens UK energy capabilities with Omnia Projects acquisition

April Lara
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Egis strengthens UK energy capabilities with Omnia Projects acquisition

Global infrastructure firm Egis has acquired Yorkshire-based engineering consultancy Omnia Projects, expanding its footprint in the UK’s electricity transmission and distribution (T&D) sector.

Omnia Projects, founded in 2012, specialises in T&D engineering, technical assurance and project management. With a workforce of over 110, the firm has delivered key infrastructure projects for major players, including National Grid, covering the full project lifecycle from feasibility to commissioning.

The acquisition enhances Egis’ expertise in energy infrastructure, particularly in grid connections and substation design. It also broadens the firm’s capabilities in civil and structural engineering, protection and control systems, and project delivery for high-voltage substations, as well as overhead line and cable design.

This move supports Egis’ strategy to offer integrated services in the UK’s transitioning energy market. Omnia Projects will continue to operate independently under its existing leadership while gaining access to Egis’ international resources and investment.

Second data centre proposed in North Lincolnshire with potential for 1,000 jobs

April Lara
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A large-scale data centre project has been proposed for development near Elsham Wolds Industrial Estate in North Lincolnshire, marking the region’s second major tech infrastructure initiative.

The proposal, currently at the pre-application stage with North Lincolnshire Council, outlines a site covering approximately 180 hectares south and east of the existing industrial estate. If fully developed, the project could generate up to 1,000 jobs over a ten-year construction period.

This follows the approval last year of the £2.2 billion Humber Tech Park near South Killingholme, expected to create nearly 400 jobs and position the area as a hub for artificial intelligence and digital services.

The Elsham Wolds development is still in the early planning stages, with no formal planning permission application submitted yet. However, its scale and job creation potential suggest a significant opportunity for businesses involved in infrastructure, construction, and technology sectors across the UK.

Workplace injuries increase, with slips and falls leading the way

April Lara
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Workplace injuries increase, with slips and falls leading the way

The number of non-fatal workplace injuries reported in the UK has risen to 61,663 in 2024, an increase of over 1,000 cases compared to the previous 12-month period, according to data from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The figures come from the RIDDOR reporting system and signal a continued need for employers to strengthen workplace safety protocols.

The most common cause of injury was slips, trips, and falls, which accounted for 31% of all incidents. Handling, lifting, or carrying made up 17% of cases, followed by workers being struck by moving objects at 10%.

The release of the statistics coincides with the World Day for Health and Safety at Work, a global event aimed at promoting safe and healthy workplace practices. For UK employers, the timing highlights the importance of meeting obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, particularly as injury numbers are trending upward.

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