IT lags behind tea and biscuits in small business priorities

Few small firms will make IT cost cuts a priority during the recession, but other areas may suffer

Coffee is a priority for small businesses

UK small businesses are less likely to cut back on IT spending during the recession than on travel costs, advertising or staff bonuses – but they would reduce IT budgets in preference to missing out on tea and biscuits, according to research.

The survey of 536 small business managers by YouGov, on behalf of electricity supplier Opus Energy, suggests that only three per cent of firms will prioritise IT as an area to cut costs during the downturn.

Top of the list of areas to rein in were travel (19 per cent of respondents), advertising (18 per cent), staff bonuses (17 per cent) and staff entertainment (nine per cent).

The least likely areas to face cuts were biscuits, at one per cent of those surveyed, and tea and coffee, which would be reduced by hardly any firms at all.