British business confidence fell to its lowest level since April 2025 in September as higher global energy prices and uncertainty linked to the Iran war weighed on expectations. Lloyds Bank’s monthly business confidence index dropped 12 points to +41%, below its 12-month average of +47%. Optimism about the wider economy fell 18 points to +31%, while firms’ own trading outlook declined 8 points to +50%. The share of companies planning to raise prices over the next 12 months edged higher. The findings were based on an Ipsos survey of 1,200 British businesses with annual sales of at least £250,000, conducted from September 2 to September 16.