Royal warrant holder: Reeves must do more for small firms

A BUSINESSWOMAN with a Royal Warrant for her skincare brand loved by the Queen and Princess of Wales has urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to ease the burden on small firms.

- Samantha Downes

Deborah Mitchell's Heaven was one of 400 UK firms awarded a Royal Warrant by Camilla in December.

The Queen is believed to like Deborah's work so much that she has become one of her high-profile clients, alongside Princess Kate.

But Ms Mitchell said Ms Reeves needs to help as the rising cost of running a business is making it harder for small firms to remain profitable.

She highlighted the rise in the minimum wage and in employers' National Insurance contributions, while VAT thresholds remain the same.

Ms Mitchell said: "It's becoming increasingly difficult for service-led businesses to stay profitable, with owners working for less for longer working hours.