The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is inviting businesses to share their views on how intellectual property (IP) helps them scale and grow.
In a modern global economy, innovation, creativity, design, and brand recognition are increasingly important to business success. All these elements are underpinned by IP rights, such as copyright, trademarks, patents, and designs.
The IPO wants to support businesses to manage their IP rights effectively. It is conducting a review of UK's IP-backed finance ecosystem and IP insurance landscape. The new survey forms part of this review.
The survey covers a broad range of topics. Responses will help the IPO:
- better understand how businesses may raise external finance - including leveraging their IP assets to secure funding;
- explore awareness, perception and use of IP litigation insurance products among businesses; and
- better understand how to support businesses most effectively in managing their IP assets. The IPO wants to hear from businesses of all sizes, and from a wide range of sectors, which hold IP - whether an individual entrepreneur, start-up, established firm, or large corporate. The survey closes on 2 February 2024. See: [IP and Business Growth Survey - Intellectual Property Office - Citizen Space](https://ipoconsultations.citizenspace.com/ipo/ip-and-business-growth-survey/#IPandBSWeb)
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that all key auto-enrolment pension thresholds will remain unchanged for 2026/27.
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) reports that more than 6.36 million people have already submitted their Self Assessment tax return for the 2024/25 tax year. However, they say around 5.65 million taxpayers still need to file, with the statutory deadline of 31 January 2026 now close.