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We are award winning publishers of membership magazines in Northern Ireland. If you would like to get in touch, then you can do so by visitng our website (www.businessfirstonline.co.uk), send us a Tweet (), or contact us on Facebook.

For many UK nationals planning to live abroad, retirement planning becomes one of the most complex parts of the move. Ho...
06/01/2026

For many UK nationals planning to live abroad, retirement planning becomes one of the most complex parts of the move. Housing, healthcare, and lifestyle choices often feel tangible and immediate, while pensions sit quietly in the background until they suddenly demand attention. The reality is that moving to France, Spain, or Portugal does not remove UK pension rules from your life. Instead, it layers local tax systems and residency considerations on top of them.

This is why many expats look closely at Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) as a way to manage their retirement savings while living overseas. SIPPs offer flexibility, investment control, and the reassurance of remaining within the UK pension framework. For many people, they strike a balance between adaptability and regulatory familiarity.

This article explores how SIPPs work for expats, the benefits and limitations, and the practical “ins and outs” that matter when you plan to live overseas.

This article explores how SIPPs work for expats, the benefits and limitations, and the practical “ins and outs” that matter when you plan to live overseas.

Mount Charles Group, Northern Ireland’s largest independent facilities management company, has invested £2 million over ...
05/01/2026

Mount Charles Group, Northern Ireland’s largest independent facilities management company, has invested £2 million over the last 12 months.

The Mount Charles Group, which employs 3,500 across the island of Ireland, is well on its way to meet the targets of its ambitious five-year growth strategy which includes investing £10 million and creating 2,000 additional jobs by 2030.

The outsourcing and facilities management business said the £2 million cash injection included business improvements and contract investment as well as wide-ranging technological advancements.
Mount Charles Group
Significant expenditure was invested on the Mount Charles Leadership Academy, a CMI (Chartered Management Institute) recognised qualification which was established in March this year with the aim of forming the next generation of leaders within the organisation.

Mount Charles Group, Northern Ireland’s largest independent facilities management company, has invested £2 million over the last 12 months.

The New Year can be an opportunity to reset. For owner-managed businesses in Northern Ireland, taking control of tax and...
05/01/2026

The New Year can be an opportunity to reset. For owner-managed businesses in Northern Ireland, taking control of tax and financial planning now could make the difference between merely surviving the year ahead and emerging from it in a position of strength. Ross Boyd, the founder and director of Belfast-based chartered accountancy firm RBCA shares his expertise with local business owners as 2026 kicks off.

Ross advises, “The New Year is traditionally a time for optimism and so it should be with reducing inflation, reducing interest costs, more clarity on taxes including the pre-Christmas changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) which will benefit many owner-managed businesses in NI. That said, care is still needed. For many business owners in Northern Ireland, 2026 is shaping up to be another year that demands realism, discipline and fiscal agility.

The New Year can be an opportunity to reset

Ireland’s largest rug retailer Kukoon has reported a surge in website traffic and repeat purchasing from first time cust...
01/01/2026

Ireland’s largest rug retailer Kukoon has reported a surge in website traffic and repeat purchasing from first time customers in the aftermath of its groundbreaking Oxfam Gaza Appeal.

Back in the summer Kukoon had pledged to donate 100% of its revenue from a full day’s trading which was expected to generate around £40,000 for the urgent appeal. But as the fundraiser went viral online sales surged to nearly £178,000 with Oxfam now urging other retailers to replicate the appeal.

In the period after the fundraiser Kukoon’s website traffic rose by more than 25%, while the momentum continued beyond the campaign itself, with repeat purchases from first-time customers during the appeal tracking 15–18% above the company’s usual average.

Customer sentiment has remained highly positive. Social media interactions and direct feedback increased by 20% after the campaign, with many shoppers expressing pride in supporting a brand that actively contributes to meaningful causes.

Kukoon has reported a surge in website traffic and repeat purchasing from first time customers in the aftermath of its groundbreaking Oxfam Gaza Appeal.

"But isn't that cheating?"We hear this question at least once a week. Someone walks into the shop, curious about electri...
30/12/2025

"But isn't that cheating?"

We hear this question at least once a week. Someone walks into the shop, curious about electric bikes, and before they've even finished looking, they feel the need to justify their interest. As if wanting motor assistance somehow makes them less of a cyclist.

Let's address this directly: e-bikes aren't cheating. That framing misunderstands what cycling is, what e-bikes do, and why people ride in the first place.

Over the past five years, we've sold electric bikes to hundreds of customers across Northern Ireland. Their stories have convinced us that e-bikes might be the most significant development in cycling since the derailleur gear. Not because they replace effort, but because they make cycling possible for people who'd otherwise be stuck in cars.
The Cheating Myth and Why It Persists
The "cheating" accusation assumes cycling is primarily about suffering. That the point is to struggle, and anything that reduces the struggle diminishes the experience.

Let's address this directly: e-bikes aren't cheating. That framing misunderstands what cycling is, what e-bikes do, and why people ride in the first place.

When we opened our shop on the Ormeau Road in 1986, cycling in Belfast was a different world. The Troubles meant empty s...
30/12/2025

When we opened our shop on the Ormeau Road in 1986, cycling in Belfast was a different world. The Troubles meant empty streets after dark. Infrastructure meant a painted line if you were lucky. And the idea that Belfast might one day be mentioned alongside cities like Bristol or Edinburgh for cycling? That would have seemed laughable.

Nearly four decades later, the picture has changed remarkably. Belfast isn't perfect — we'll get to that — but the progress is genuine, and it's worth acknowledging how far we've come before discussing how far we still need to go.
What's Actually Working
The greenway network has transformed cycling in Belfast. The Comber Greenway, Lagan Towpath, and Connswater Community Greenway have created traffic-free corridors that simply didn't exist a generation ago. These aren't token gestures — they're genuine infrastructure that families, commuters, and leisure cyclists use daily.

When we opened our shop on the Ormeau Road in 1986, cycling in Belfast was a different world.

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About Business Firt

We are an award winning publisher of Northern Ireland’s business to business website. Our mission is to help Northern Ireland companies do business together and better. We bring your brand onto the desktops and mobiles of 15,000 of Northern Ireland’s business decision-makers to help you build your profile, your sales and your profitability.

If you would like to get in touch, then you can do so by visiting our website (www.businessfirstonline.co.uk), send us a Tweet (@bfonline), or contact us on Facebook.