The coronavirus pandemic has left the self-employed sector "undermined and diminished" according to the latest research by freelancer body IPSE.

Around 5.4 million tax payers have less than a month to complete their annual tax return, ahead of the self assessment deadline on 31 January.

Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors are to receive a grant worth up to £9,000 to help them survive the current lockdown.

The latest government data shows that unemployment reached 4.9% in the three months to October, redundancies hit a new high and the number of UK self-employed workers continued to fall.

The organisers of the Small Business Saturday event have estimated that UK shoppers spent £1.1 billion on the day, as shoppers showed support for their local high streets after a tough year.

New research has revealed that shopping online causes frustration, boredom and even anxiety for many people, suggesting that retailers need to raise their game when it comes to customer experience.

As online shopping has increased during the pandemic, so too has the number of shoppers returning items to get a refund.

New figures reveal that almost one fifth of workers in the UK's smallest businesses were still on furlough at the end of September, raising fears that many firms will find it hard to survive once the scheme ends.

Hundreds of small businesses and sole traders are to provide work placements to unemployed young people under the Kickstart programme.

The third SEISS grant for self-employed workers affected by the pandemic is now open for applications; but freelancer body IPSE is warning that new rules may create a "climate of fear".