SMALL businesses in the region lose eight working weeks a year in a bottomless pit of red tape, according to new figures.
The industry survey shows small businesses in the south east dedicate 458 hours a year to paperwork - equivalent to more than 61 working days.
Top offenders are safety regulations, tax rules and Data Protection Act laws. And, in the area of employment alone, 22 new regulations will come into force during this year.
"An alarming finding was the number of people who cited the issue of red tape as a reason why they would not recommend someone to start their own business," says Michael Thewlis of IRS Research, which carried out the survey.
A new service designed to help small businesses keep track of their regulatory requirements has been launched called Red Tape Buster.
Visit www.ukredtapebuster.com for more information.
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