SME Accounting Specialists

News

17/09/2025 More...

Mr. Aslam, a former Metroline employee, applied to another bus company on 13 April 2019, disclosing that he suffered from partial hearing loss, depression, anxiety, insomnia and stress, and was interviewed on 14 May 2019. He disclosed that he had been dismissed by his former employer on the grounds of capability and was actively pursuing

15/09/2025 More...

Working capital is a simple but powerful measure of a business’s financial health. It is the difference between current assets and current liabilities. In other words, it shows what is left when a business’s short-term debts are taken away from its short-term resources such as cash, stock and money owed by customers. If the result is

15/09/2025 More...

Every business has a duty to pay tax, whether that is Corporation Tax, VAT, PAYE, or personal tax liabilities for the owners. While these payments are predictable, many businesses still find themselves short of cash when the due dates arrive. One way to reduce this risk is to create a cash deposit reserve specifically set aside to cover

11/09/2025 More...

Paying Corporation Tax? Always use the correct reference or risk delays and penalties. To pay Corporation Tax via online or telephone bank transfer, you can use either a UK or overseas bank account. UK Bank Accounts You can transfer funds using Faster Payments, CHAPS, or Bacs, either online or by calling your bank. Faster Payments

11/09/2025 More...

Not all goods and services carry a 20% VAT, knowing the right rate can save costly mistakes. When a VAT-registered business issues an invoice to their customer, they must ensure that they charge the correct rate of VAT. Whilst most businesses in the UK charge VAT at the standard rate of 20% there are a number of different VAT rates and

11/09/2025 More...

Using your own car or bike for work travel? You may be able to claim tax relief for business mileage. If you are employed and spend your own money on items needed for your job, you may be eligible to claim tax relief on those expenses. However, you can usually only claim tax relief on items that are exclusively used for work

11/09/2025 More...

Not sure if a business cost is deductible? HMRC’s ‘wholly and exclusively’ rule is the key test. When deciding whether an expense is deductible or not it is important to bear in mind that the expenditure must be incurred wholly and exclusively for the purposes of your trade or employment. This is a difficult starting point as there is

11/09/2025 More...

Thinking of gifting income to a spouse or partner? HMRC’s settlements rules may still tax it as your own. The settlements legislation is contained in s.624 ITTOIA 2005. The legislation seeks to ensure that where a settlor has retained an interest in property in a settlement then the income arising is treated as the settlor’s income for

11/09/2025 More...

Thinking of starting a company at 16? Know the rules, risks and responsibilities before you take the leap. The Companies Act 2006 does not set a minimum age for shareholders, meaning even minors can hold shares unless a company’s articles of association explicitly state otherwise. However, the minimum age for a company director in the UK

11/09/2025 More...

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves has confirmed, in a video message, that the next UK Budget will take place on Wednesday, 26 November 2025. Details of all the Budget announcements will be made on a special section of the GOV.UK website which will be updated following completion of the Chancellor’s speech in November. HM

08/09/2025 More...

1 October 2025 - Due date for Corporation Tax due for the year ended 31 December 2024. 19 October 2025 - PAYE and NIC deductions due for month ended 5 October 2025. (If you pay your tax electronically the due date is 22 October 2025.) 19 October 2025 - Filing deadline for the CIS300 monthly return for the month ended 5 October 2025.

08/09/2025 More...

From 13 October 2025, access to Companies House WebFiling will require GOV.UK One Login. This replaces the older Government Gateway sign-in and is part of the wider move towards a single, more secure login across government services. When you next log into WebFiling after that date, you will be prompted to connect your existing account

08/09/2025 More...

Running a small business comes with plenty to juggle, and while insurance might not be the most thrilling task, it is absolutely essential. There is one policy you are legally required to have: employers' liability insurance (EL). If you employ anyone, EL covers legal and compensation costs if someone falls ill or gets injured at work.

04/09/2025 More...

From 2024, platforms like eBay, Vinted and Airbnb must report seller data to HMRC, so check your tax responsibilities. If you sell goods or services on a digital platform it is important to understand your tax responsibilities. This can apply whether your sales are a part-time income source or your main income. Even casual selling online

04/09/2025 More...

The letters in your tax code indicate whether you are entitled to the annual tax-free personal allowance. These codes are updated each year and help employers calculate how much tax should be deducted from your salary. For the current tax year, the basic personal allowance is £12,570. The tax code corresponding to this amount is 1257L,

04/09/2025 More...

Employers must ensure they are paying staff at least the National Minimum Wage (NMW) or National Living Wage (NLW). The NMW and the NLW are the minimum legal amounts that employers must pay their workers. The latest NMW and NLW rates took effect on 1 April 2025. The current hourly rate for the NLW is £12.21. For those aged 18 to 20, the

04/09/2025 More...

Gift Hold-Over Relief is a form of Capital Gains Tax (CGT) relief that allows you to defer paying CGT when certain assets, such as qualifying shares, are given away or sold for less than their market value, typically to benefit the recipient. Instead of paying tax at the time of the gift, the gain is "held over" and passed on

04/09/2025 More...

Gifting assets can cut inheritance tax, but traps like “gifts with reservation of benefit” may undo the plan. The majority of gifts made during a person's lifetime are not subject to tax at the time they are made. These lifetime transfers are known as "potentially exempt transfers" (PETs). A PET becomes fully exempt

04/09/2025 More...

New rules mean late VAT filings and payments now trigger points, fines and interest charges. The VAT late filing penalties regime changed for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2023. Under the new system, there are now distinct and separate penalties for late filing of VAT returns and for the late payment of VAT

02/09/2025 More...

An extended civil restraint order (ECRO) was issued against a prolific Employment Tribunal (ET) litigant for presenting repeated and baseless claims. A Mr. Khan has been described as a prolific litigant, having issued no fewer than 42 largely unsuccessful tribunal claims since 2017. These various failed claims have typically involved

01/09/2025 More...

Running a small business often feels like walking a financial tightrope. Cash can be flowing in nicely one month, only to dry up the next. With interest rates higher than they were for years and lenders tightening their checks, access to money has become a bigger challenge. That is why focusing on cash flow resilience is so important

01/09/2025 More...

For many small business owners, finding and keeping good staff is one of the biggest headaches. Recruitment is costly, time-consuming and uncertain. That is why focusing on staff retention is one of the smartest moves you can make. People stay where they feel valued. Pay matters, of course, but many small businesses cannot simply compete

28/08/2025 More...

Income Tax applies to earnings, pensions, savings, dividends and more, with different bands across the UK nations. Individuals can be liable to Income Tax at any age. There are special rules to stop parents avoiding tax by putting assets into their children’s names. The tables below shows the tax rates you pay in each band if you have a

28/08/2025 More...

With a £50bn shortfall looming, the Chancellor may need to revisit last year’s Corporation Tax roadmap commitments. As this year’s Autumn Budget approaches, it is an interesting time to revisit the Corporation Tax Roadmap published alongside last year’s Budget on 30 October 2024. The roadmap sets out the government’s plans for

 

Latest News

Newsletter

With our newsletter, you automatically receive our latest news per e-mail and get access to the archive including advanced search options!

» Sign up for the newsletter
» Login

Search Archive