Lending fell by £4.3 billion, pushing the annual decline to 8.1 per cent - the biggest drop since records began in 1999

HMRC's Business Payment Support Service, which helps businesses spread their tax payments over a more convenient timeframe, will be expanded.

HMRC has indicated that from 1st April 2010 it is expected that the majority of VAT registered businesses will be required to file their VAT returns online. 

Under normal circumstances heating systems have been considered as part of a building and not part of a business's 'plant' and so tax deductions could not be made on improvements or replacements.