Advocate for Family Businesses

We advocate for responsible and sustainable family business governance and leadership. We provide a unified and strong voice which influences the direction of government policy and shapes the environment family businesses operate in through:

• research and consultations on issues of material importance to family business including governance, tax, succession, ESG, family dynamics, and philanthropy;
• proactive engagement with government and regulators on policy reform in relation to these issues, and responses to government consultations.

Family Business UK has provided a strong, unified voice which has influenced government policy and helped shape the environment in which family firms operate.

Some of our policy achievements include:

• safeguarding the long-term future of the family business model through continuing to secure support from policymakers for the maintenance of Business Property Relief (BPR), putting family businesses on a level playing field with their competitors;
• regularly engaging with the Department for Business and Trade, and successfully calling for the Government to introduce a new Full Expensing scheme to replace the Super Deduction when it ended in March 2023. Announced in the March 2023 Budget, the new scheme provides family businesses with more confidence to make the long-term investment decisions necessary to improve productivity;
• regularly meeting with senior government figures from across the political spectrum, including exclusive roundtable discussions with the Prime Minister and Business Secretary.

The Family Business UK Manifesto

The Family Business UK Manifesto – Taking the Long-Term View which lists “policies to unleash the potential of the UK family business sector” has received support from business leaders from Rigby Group, Samworth Brothers, Wates Group and ARCO, amongst others.

The Manifesto sets out a list of key policy recommendations that can provide the “enormous potential of the family business sector to support economic growth, family businesses, their workforce, and society at large.”

Download The Family Business UK Manifesto 2024

FBUK represents Family Business on the SME Council

Chaired by Small Business Minister, Kevin Hollinrake, the Council will work alongside the PM’s Business Council to tackle the key issues facing smaller firms.

The Council will include Family Business UK, Small Business Britain, and the Federation of Small Businesses.  The Council also includes SMEs themselves, with firms representing all corners of the UK covering sectors including manufacturing, construction, food and drink.

Read more about FBUK’s role on the SME Council.