Firms brace for ‘difficult winter’ as tax burden weighs on activity

Firms face a difficult winter as tax fears hold growth back.

Companies across the private sector are braced for a “difficult” winter as activity is forecast to downturn across UK services due to mounting tax fears, fresh research has indicated.

A leading survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), considered to be one of the UK’s most influential business groups, has suggested that private sector activity would fall in the next three months.

Its weighted balance for expectations in the next three months remained at -20 in October while its output volume figure for the previous three months was also left at a low not recorded at any time over the last two years.

Business volume in the consumer services sector was expected to decline at a faster pace than business and professi