T-Mobile. TalkTalk. Multi-billion-dollar telecommunications companies that wish they had taken their data protection obligations more seriously. I know from experience that many organisations view regulations such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as burdensome red tape; a ‘box-ticking’ exercise that holds them back from doing business. But, Read more…
The surprising answer to this is, YES. It is not often that you will find a professional services firm that suggests can do something yourself, but when it comes to forming a new limited company – you can. There are many services out there which guide you through the process Read more…
All UK employers should make sure they’re up to date with the latest information from HMRC, but there is a lot to go through. Below is a summary of the 29th May update, highlighting the points most important to my clients and other small businesses. Support will be reduced gradually Read more…
A self assessment can seem daunting, but fortunately the process is fairly straightforward for the vast majority. And if you have kept accurate records such as bank statements, receipts and tax forms such as your P60, completing and filing your tax return should be a breeze. Who needs to do self Read more…
If you decide to move to self-employment, you’ll need to choose a legal structure for your new business – in the UK, the vast majority of small businesses are either sole traders or limited companies. So, what are the differences and which should you pick? Sole trader Being a sole Read more…
When a client fails to pay their invoice on time, what should a small business owner do? Many people find this an uncomfortable position to be in, and often will take a “head in the sand” approach and hope that the problem will go away on its own. Sometimes this Read more…
Although it can seem tedious or time-consuming, record keeping is a vital part of any business. Incorrect or incomplete records can have adverse consequences for your business. Understanding how your business is performing and planning for the future is difficult without accurate information, for example.Worse, you may not be complying Read more…
We often hear businesses talking about resilience and disaster recovery in terms of IT. What happens if there’s a flood? Will our phones still work? Is our data backed up in the cloud? Is my website hosted separately to my registrar and DNS provider? This is all very important. But Read more…
Making Tax Digital goes live in a few months. If you have heard the phrase “Making Tax Digital” recently and are wondering what it’s all about, this is a quick summary of the important details. What is Making Tax Digital? Making Tax Digital (MTD) is a UK government initiative which Read more…
Many people know that, if they drive a company car, they are able to claim back 45p per mile (or 25p after the first 10,000 miles) as an expense. But did you know your business can also claim back VAT you spend on fuel? HMRC allow the 45p/25p per mile Read more…