Latest Business Support

After being fixed at £85k for the last 8 years, w.e.f 1 December 2025, the FCA are consulting on increasing the Financial Services Compensation Scheme limit to £110k.   This is a very useful Government protection scheme, giving depositors security up to this level on amounts invested with each bank or building society. In the…

Employment Related Securities (‘ERS’) are securities that are acquired in connection with an employment. The ERS legislation aims to tax as employment income any value received by reason of an office or employment on the acquisition, holding or disposal of shares and other securities.   The term securities is broad and includes shares, debentures, loan…

Celebrating (sic) its 20th anniversary, HMRC have just set out the Government’s vision for the future of the UK tax authority: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/exchequer-secretary-to-the-treasury-20-years-of-hmrc-reflections-and-looking-ahead   This keynote speech by James Murray, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, has given us advance warning of what specific modernisation and reform changes to the tax system that we might now…

Are you aware of how the April NIC increases will effect Directors’ salaries?   From 6th April 2025, increases in Class 1 Employer’s National Insurance will come into effect, with the following changes: Employer’s NIC rate increasing from 13.8% to 15%. The secondary threshold, above which employer’s NIC are due, reducing from £9,100 to £5,000.…

The results are in. HMRC have released their 2025 Self Assessment facts and figures.   The 2025 Self Assessment facts and figures are as follows: 12,026,540 Self Assessment Tax Returns were issued to tax payers 10,887,810 expected tax returns were received by 31 January (90.5% of returns expected – down from 94.5% in 2024) an estimated…

Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming ID checks at Companies House. From Autumn 2025, Companies House will implement mandatory ID checks for directors and persons with significant control (PSCs) of UK companies. This initiative aims to enhance corporate transparency and combat fraud, addressing concerns over the misuse of corporate structures for criminal…

If you can’t pay your Self Assessment tax bill that was due for payment on 31st January 2025 and need help, you should contact HMRC as soon as possible.   For Self Assessment, you may be able to set up a payment plan online. This will enable you to pay your Self Assessment tax bill in instalments without…

As we approach another personal tax year end, we turn our thoughts to tax planning opportunities and actions that should be considered before 5 April. The list below is not exhaustive; however, it should provide some food for thought.   Pension Contributions Higher rate and additional rate tax can be saved on pension contributions. However,…

Why Outsource Your Payroll? As employers approach the new tax year, those who do not have the administrative capabilities or expertise to run a payroll function may wish to consider outsourcing. Payroll outsourcing involves the hiring of an external individual, or company, usually in the form of an accountant/bookkeeper, or via a specialist bureau to…

In the world of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), maintaining robust internal controls is crucial. One of the most effective internal control processes is the Segregation of Duties (SOD). This principle involves dividing responsibilities among different individuals to reduce the risk of errors, fraud, and conflicts of interest.   What is Segregation of Duties? Segregation…