Latest blogs for Specialisms

Super Tax Reliefs: Claim both patent box and R&D relief? The answer to this question is yes and the combination of the two reliefs can be very valuable! We have a number of clients who are undertaking ongoing research and have already registered a patent on their earlier research. They are able to receive the…

P/E Ratios: Mind the Gap! If your business exit plan is a trade sale, then you will be interested in taking advantage of differential Price Earnings (P/E) ratios.  A P/E ratio is the multiple of future maintainable earnings (profits) used to value a business. The P/E ratio appropriate for valuing your tech business will depend…

Academy reporting – Accounts Return The Education Funding Agency (EFA) has now published the 2012/13 Academy Accounts Return with a revised submission date of 31 January 2014. Audited financial statements still require submission to the EFA by 31 December 2013. The accounts return is used to support a number of Treasury and departmental requirements, including…

10% Tax Rate: Loophole closed for serial liquidators. The 2015 Autumn Statement, recently published as the Finance Bill 2016, introduces a new targeted anti-avoidance tax rule to stop contractors regularly liquidating their company then starting a new company, to extract profits at a personal tax rate of just under 10% rather than the usual effective rate of 25%+:…

Exporting is GREAT Campaign: Bid for real export contracts. As 2015 draws to a close the Government have launched a new 5 year campaign with the objective of creating 100,000 new exporters. https://www.exportingisgreat.gov.uk This new website platform lists real export contract opportunities that are currently out to tender, inviting SME’s to register an interest. Blog entry by:…

Green Finance: Santander now lending on energy efficient CapEx. Santander, through their partners Macquarie Equipment Finance, have recently announced that they will lend on the following energy efficient asset purchases: Batteries/storage Biomass Boilers Boilers (condensing/gas) Building Management Systems CHP systems Energy Efficient Lighting (LED) Gas turbines Heating/ventilation air conditioning systems Metering Power factor correction Roof ventilation Solar…

Property Investors: Chancellor announces further tax changes. In his Autumn Statement George Osborne has announced two significant further tax changes for residential property investors: Firstly, Stamp Duty Land Tax rates will be increased by3% on purchases of residential properties, such as buy to let properties and second homes. This measure takes effect from 1 April…

IR35: CIOT and HMRC both suggesting changes required. The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) has suggested a new approach to tackle those who are ignoring or manipulating IR35 rules so they can avoid tax payments to HMRC. HMRC have recently suggested transferring the IR35 compliance obligation from the worker and his/her personal service company (PSC) to…

Export Insurance: Mitigating export risk. Whilst commercial banks and insurers will be your first source of support, if you can’t get export insurance from the private market, UK Export Finance may be able to help.  UK Export Finance is the UK’s export credit agency and is the operating name of the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD)…

Manufacturing: Record numbers undertaking apprenticeships. Provisional statistics released show that more people than ever are doing an apprenticeship, with a strong growth in the number of higher apprenticeships. According to the figures, more than 872,000 people were employed on government-funded apprenticeships during the 2014-15 academic year, with almost 30,000 people working towards gaining the higher…