Latest Blogs

We’re delighted to congratulate Paolo Lucci, Corporate Services Senior at Whitings, on achieving the joint highest mark worldwide in the ICAEW’s Fundamental Case Study exam in March 2026. Paolo scored an outstanding 92% in a sitting taken by 1,961 students. This earnt him a place in the ICAEW’s Order of Merit and the Little &…

Here’s What You Need to Do For many sole traders and landlords, 7th August 2026 marked the first quarterly filing deadline under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for IT). If you have missed the deadline, don’t panic. There are steps you can take now to minimise the impact and get back on track.     What was the 7th August…

When did you join the Firm? I started working for Whiting & Partners on 10th July 1986. I completed four weeks work experience in the Wisbech office the previous December. 2 weeks were spent in reception and 2 weeks were spent upstairs working on accounts under the supervision of Christine Dickson. At the end of…

Many self-employed people assume that filing a Self Assessment tax return is all that is needed to keep their tax and National Insurance affairs in order.   However, HMRC has recently identified an issue that may have left around 800,000 self-employed taxpayers with gaps in their National Insurance record, potentially affecting their State Pension entitlement.…

This is a question we often get asked by clients. HMRC expect all taxpayers to pay their taxes on time and robustly ’police’ this system if this does not happen, but are often accused of double standards when the tax is moving in the opposite direction.   There is an online facility to check with…

On 16th July the Environment Secretary announced a new Government Scheme for Farmers – the Farmer Collaboration Fund. When does the Farmer Collaboration Fund Open for Applications? The new £30 million Farmer Collaboration Fund opens for applications on 1st September 2026. Its aim is to help farmers work together to cut ever rising costs, while…

Our Bury office took part in the annual rounders tournament, in support of the Lovewell Blake Community Fund. Our team was made up of Sarah Lockhart-White, Rob Dedman, Robert Smith, Shamus Chaplin, Harry Warner and Dom Freeman.   We were slightly short on players, but not on spirit! We were kindly given some additional players…

The HMRC “Nudge Unit” uses the HMRC AI based Connect computer system to target taxpayers for incorrect compliance in a specific area. The HMRC Connect system uses this data to generate a list of targeted recipient taxpayers to receive these nudge letter mailshots. The content of these letters places the onus on the taxpayer, not…

Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier Opens for Expressions of Interest Defra and the Rural Payments Agency have launched a new process allowing farmers and land managers in England to express an interest in selected Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) opportunities. The scheme aims to support environmental improvements, woodland management, agroforestry, and the protection of historic features…

Earlier this month, Whitings LLP colleagues Stephen Malkin, Peter Brown, Dan Walker, Ben Burtenshaw and Emma Barkes attended Xerocon London 2026. The two-day event, tipped as “Glastonbury for accountants” was packed with innovation and inspiration.   Xerocon offered much more than just software demonstrations. This year’s speaker line-up included Jill Scott MBE, Louis Theroux and…