Check your National Insurance record: Are you missing out on your full State Pension? HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has recently reminded people to check and make sure they are not missing out on valuable State Pension entitlements due to gaps in their National Insurance (NI) record. The issue mainly affects parents, particularly women, who...

Evaluating a business idea: A guide for aspiring entrepreneurs The economy is continuing to grow, according to the latest figures for the April to June quarter. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is estimated to have increased by 0.6% for the quarter. This compares with an increase of 0.7% for the January to March quarter. Two quarters...

New apprenticeship reforms: What they mean for your business The government has announced some reforms to the apprenticeship system in England, which could bring some exciting opportunities for business owners. These reforms, aimed at boosting young people’s access to apprenticeships, come with a new “growth and skills levy” that will replace the existing apprenticeship levy....

Are you National Minimum Wage compliant? As HMRC intensifies its crackdown on National Minimum Wage (NMW) noncompliance, it’s vital to make sure you don’t fall foul of NMW laws. Compliance can have more complexities to it than many assume, and the risks of getting it wrong are significant. HMRC is focusing on SMEs It seems...

Scammers are targeting people’s online tax accounts and attempting to steal sensitive personal data, HMRC officials have warned. It’s been reported by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) that various accountants’ clients have received emails, which are described by HMRC as “a tactic by scammers to direct people to a phishing...

Did you know that your business can benefit from a tax-free allowance if you host a celebratory event for your employees? If not, you may have missed out for this year’s Christmas party. Or if you’re planning a late festive party in January, this may come at just the right time! It’s not just the...

Are you aware of Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR)? You may not have heard of it before, but you probably are familiar with Capital Gains Tax (CGT). BADR is a type of CGT relief. It becomes relevant if you’re selling all or part of your business. It used to go by another name – Entrepreneurs’...

For those of you who employ staff, you’ll be aware of requirements surrounding workplace pensions. Changes could be afoot for pensions, with new proposals to give savers a legal right to require a new employer to pay pension contributions into their existing pension pot. A consultation has been launched by the Government. If later approved,...

Q. The turnover of my business has been no higher than £75,000 over a 12-month period since we started but has now crept up to £92,000. It reached this point on 5 December 2023. What do I need to do about VAT registration? A: Once your total VAT taxable turnover for the last 12 months...