The BOSS, Autumn 2025

British business owners are key to the growth that the government and country badly need to see its finances improve. At a time of intense speculation about what the Budget may bring, our survey of 500 business owners across the country explores their ambitions, plans and fears for the future.

Read the full report to learn more about their strategies for growth, their plans to cut costs, their staffing challenges and take on potential tax rises. The full report includes a wide range of findings from the survey, including:

• Business owners’ biggest barriers to growth
• International expansion plans
• Plans for redundancies and hiring freezes
• Responses to the last Budget
• Relocation and business exit plans
• Regional variations in cost-cutting strategies

Budget worries

The BOSS also finds significant concern about the forthcoming Budget, with more than four in ten saying they’re concerned about the impact of the Autumn 2025 Budget on their business. We also find many business owners reconsidering their future in the UK as a result of the personal tax burden:

• 42% say they would consider leaving the UK if the government introduces a wealth tax
• 40% would consider relocating if it restricted IHT reliefs on gifting assets
• 42% would consider moving their business abroad if CGT rates increase

Read our analysis on why such threats should not be ignored, even if business owners ultimately stay put. We explore the connections between individual owners’ wealth and their businesses’ fortunes – and why there’s no such thing as a purely personal tax.

To find out more and explore the in-depth findings from business owners across Britain, fill in the form and download the report today.