News
Making the most of the Employment Allowance
06/08/2026
The Employment Allowance can help eligible employers reduce their National Insurance costs by up to £10,500 each tax year. The allowance reduces an employer’s Class 1 National Insurance liability and is applied automatically through payroll once a valid claim has been made.
Most businesses can claim, provided they do not carry out more
More...
Take care when painting non-compete clauses with a broad brush
05/08/2026
Protecting hard-won local customer networks is a constant and necessary battle for commercial suppliers. However, a recent High Court judgement has exposed the risks inherent in employing standard ‘boilerplate’ contracts to restrict departing sales staff. The dispute in focus was triggered when a national building supplies merchant sought
More...
Is AI delivering real value for small businesses?
03/08/2026
Artificial intelligence (AI) has dominated business headlines over the past year, with many suggesting it will transform the way companies operate. While there is no doubt that AI has enormous potential, recent research indicates that many small businesses have yet to experience significant commercial benefits.
For some business owners,
More...
Why uncertain times make business planning more important
03/08/2026
Economic conditions remain uncertain and many business owners are understandably cautious about the months ahead. Although there are signs of improvement in some sectors, rising costs, changing customer demand and ongoing economic pressures mean that confidence remains fragile.
When uncertainty increases, it is tempting to postpone
More...
Payroll compliance – what is Full Payment Submission?
30/07/2026
A Full Payment Submission (FPS) is a payroll report that employers must send to HMRC every time they pay employees. Using payroll software, employers use an FPS to report payments made, deductions from pay and National Insurance information, ensuring HMRC has an up-to-date record of their payroll obligations.
This submission should
More...
Have you checked your State Pension forecast recently?
30/07/2026
Your State Pension forecast can help you plan for retirement by showing how much State Pension you could be entitled to, when you can claim it and whether there are ways to increase your entitlement.
The online forecast service https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension allows you to check how much State Pension you could receive, when you
More...
Tax benefits of giving assets to charity
30/07/2026
Most people are aware that cash donations to a charity can qualify for tax relief. However, it is less well known that gifts of land, property and qualifying shares can also provide valuable tax advantages.
If you donate land, property or shares to a UK charity, or sell them to a charity for less than their market value, you may be
More...
Do you need to pay tax on money received from family?
30/07/2026
Receiving money from a family member can be a welcome source of financial support, but many people are unsure whether they need to pay tax on it. In most cases, the person receiving a gift does not pay Income Tax on money given by family. However, the gift could have Inheritance Tax implications for the person making the
More...
Claiming tax relief on professional training
30/07/2026
Keeping your skills and knowledge up to date is important but the cost of professional training can add up. If you are self-employed some training costs may be claimed as allowable business expenses.
Training costs can usually be claimed where the course helps you improve skills or knowledge that you already use in your business. This
More...
Tax-free childcare, are you missing out?
30/07/2026
With childcare costs continuing to rise, many working families could be missing out on valuable support through the Tax-Free Childcare scheme. The scheme helps eligible parents pay for registered childcare by providing a government top-up on their contributions. For every £8 paid into a childcare account, the government adds £2.
Tax-Free
More...
Late payments still threaten small business cash flow
28/07/2026
Late payments remains one of the biggest challenges facing small businesses across the UK. Even companies that are profitable on paper can find themselves under financial pressure if customers fail to pay their invoices on time.
Recent reports suggest that thousands of smaller businesses continue to experience delayed payments, leaving
More...
Rising employment costs are changing business decisions
28/07/2026
Employment costs continue to rise, and many small businesses are feeling the impact. Higher wage bills, increased employment related costs and the expense of recruiting and retaining skilled employees are causing many owners to think more carefully about their growth plans.
Recent business surveys suggest that employment costs have
More...