Women working in equivalent full-time roles earn 22% less than men according to new research.

Independence, improved job satisfaction and a better work-life balance - these are the key drivers for self-employed people according to new research.

Matt Hancock, minister for the Cabinet Office, has unveiled a new target to get more small businesses working on central Government contracts.

Our round-up of other small business stories making the headlines this week...

The Institute of Directors (IoD) has described recent employment and wage statistics as a "new stage of the recovery", with the headline rate of unemployment steady at 5.6%, the number of people in work falling slightly and wages growing at a rate of 2.4%.

Although the latest Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG Report on Jobs shows permanent placements rose again in July (albeit at a slower pace), skills shortages continue to blight many UK sectors.

New market research by consultants Citrus HR suggests UK employment laws could be damaging small business and preventing them from taking on more staff.

Poor professional advice has meant one in six small and micro-businesses in the UK has lost money in the last year, according to new research by Direct Line for Business.

Our round-up of other small business stories making the headlines this week...

Research by employment law consultancy Peninsula suggests just how hard many small-business owners and managers find it to fully switch off while on holiday.