Energy costs remain a significant overhead for many UK businesses. Although wholesale prices have eased from the exceptional highs seen in recent years, uncertainty in global energy markets means prices can still fluctuate sharply. For many small businesses, reducing energy consumption remains one of the simplest ways to improve
More...Many successful businesses eventually reach a point where additional finance is needed. Whether the objective is purchasing equipment, expanding premises, recruiting staff or improving cash flow, access to funding can often determine how quickly a business can grow. Unfortunately, many applications are rejected, not because the business
More...After someone dies, the beneficiaries may find that the way an estate has been distributed does not reflect their wishes or the family’s circumstances. A Deed of Variation can allow beneficiaries to change how inherited assets are passed on and, in some cases, can help reduce the amount of tax payable. It is important to note that any
More...Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a tax that may apply when you buy land or property in England or Northern Ireland. It is important to check whether SDLT applies before completing a purchase, as the tax can represent a significant additional cost. SDLT can apply when you buy a freehold property, a new or existing leasehold property, a
More...Cash basis accounting is a simplified method used by sole traders and other unincorporated businesses to work out income and expenses for self-assessment in a straightforward manner. The cash basis is the default method for calculating income and expenses for self-employed individuals and partnerships when completing their Income Tax
More...The £1,000 property allowance is a helpful for individuals with small amounts of property income. The allowance provides a tax exemption of up to £1,000 a year against gross property income, meaning some landlords may not need to report their income to HMRC. The allowance applies to income from land or property, such as renting out a
More...Employers can usually provide bicycles and cycling equipment to employees as a tax-free benefit. The Cycle to Work scheme can help employees save tax and National Insurance on the cost of providing cycling equipment while encouraging more sustainable travel. Under the scheme, employers can lend or hire bicycles and cyclists’ safety
More...What happens if you discover a mistake on your tax return? The good news is that errors can usually be corrected, but it is important to take action as soon as possible to avoid paying the wrong amount of tax or missing out on a possible refund. If you realise that you have made an error after submitting your self-assessment tax return,
More...1 September 2026 - Due date for corporation tax due for the year ended 30 November 2025. 19 September 2026 - PAYE and NIC deductions due for month ended 5 September 2026. (If you pay your tax electronically the due date is 22 September 2026) 19 September 2026 - Filing deadline for the CIS300 monthly return for the month ended 5
More...Employees who use their own vehicle for business journeys may receive Mileage Allowance Payments (MAPs) from their employer. These payments can be made tax-free up to HMRC’s approved amount, calculated by multiplying business miles travelled by the relevant rate per mile. Effective since 6 April 2026, the approved mileage rate for cars
More...Some self-employed individuals experience significant fluctuations in their profits from one year to the next. When this happens, HMRC’s averaging relief may help to regularise tax payments by levelling profits across more than one tax year. However, the relief is only available to limited groups of taxpayers. Farmers and market
More...UK taxpayers with income from overseas may not always be aware of the tax rules that apply. Foreign income is defined as any income from outside England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are classed as foreign. Different rules may apply if you’re eligible for Foreign Income and Gains
More...The new Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Healey has confirmed, in a video message, that the next UK Budget will take place on Wednesday, 28 October 2026. Details of all the Budget announcements will be made on a special section of the GOV.UK website which will be updated following completion of the Chancellor’s first Budget speech in
More...If you pay for replacing or repairing small tools you need for your job, you may be able to claim tax relief from HMRC. Eligible tools include items such as scissors, small hand tools and electric drills that are essential for carrying out your work and are not provided by your employer. You may also be able to claim tax relief for the
More...After submitting your self-assessment return it is important to keep your records used to prepare the return. HMRC may ask to check your return, so it is important to keep the supporting documents and information used to complete your tax return. There are no specific rules on how records must be stored. You can keep them on paper,
More...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...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...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...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...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...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...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...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...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...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 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...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...If you are starting to employ staff or engaging subcontractors for construction work, you will generally need to register as an employer with HMRC. This obligation extends even to individuals who are the sole director of their own limited company, in other words, you must register even if you are only employing yourself. It is important
More...As a self-employed individual, whether a sole trader or partner, you must keep accurate records of your business income and expenses to back up your self-assessment tax return. You should also keep your personal income details up to date. Nominated partners will also need to keep partnership records. You can also choose an accounting
More...If your personal details or circumstances change, you may need to tell HMRC as this could affect your tax position or entitlement to certain benefits. You should notify HMRC if you get married or form a civil partnership, or if you divorce, separate or stop living with your husband, wife or partner. You should report these changes as
More...It is important to know if HMRC is holding money that belongs to you. For example, if you have paid too much tax to HMRC, you may be able to claim a tax refund (also known as a tax rebate). Overpayments can happen for a number of reasons, including changes in your employment, paying tax using the wrong startegy or not claiming eligible
More...Small businesses have several VAT schemes available that can simplify VAT administration and may help with cash flow. However, as a business grows or its circumstances change, it is important to review whether the VAT scheme being used is still the best for your business. The main VAT special schemes available to small businesses are
More...If you are self-employed, you may be able to claim tax relief on certain business insurance costs as an allowable expense. This means the cost can be deducted when calculating your taxable profits, reducing the amount of tax you may need to pay. The insurance must relate to your business activities and be incurred wholly and exclusively
More...A recent ruling has cleared the path to uncapped financial compensation following a forced resignation. A longstanding social worker had complaints raised over her work by an interim service manager. The ensuing investigation, however, failed to inform her of the specific allegations, their source, or their scope. This covert enquiry had
More...Many employees and business owners have welcomed higher earnings over the past few years. However, for a growing number of taxpayers, a larger salary does not necessarily mean significantly more money in their pocket. The reason is a process known as fiscal drag. Although tax rates have remained broadly unchanged, personal tax
More...The Government has launched a consultation on proposals that could significantly change the way VAT is collected on goods sold through online marketplaces. Although the changes are not yet law, they could affect thousands of UK businesses that use online platforms to reach customers. The consultation forms part of HMRC's continuing
More...If your company makes a trading loss, it may be able to claim relief to reduce its Corporation Tax liability. Trading losses can often be used in different ways, depending on your company’s circumstances. A company may be able to use a trading loss against profits from the same accounting period, carry it back to reduce profits from an
More...Property owners often incur costs for repairs, and understanding which costs can be deducted is important when calculating taxable property income. You can generally claim tax relief for repairs carried out on a property business, provided the cost relates to restoring or maintaining the property rather than improving it. A deduction is
More...Married couples and civil partners are taxed separately for Capital Gains Tax (CGT), meaning each person has their own annual tax position. However, with careful planning, transferring assets between spouses or civil partners can sometimes help reduce their overall tax bill. Where spouses or civil partners are living together, most
More...If your business is VAT registered, you can usually reclaim VAT on many of the goods and services you buy for business purposes. However, many businesses fail to claim everything to which they are entitled and may be able to recover more VAT. You can normally reclaim VAT on business purchases through your VAT return, provided you hold
More...Not every hobby becomes a taxable business, but it is important to be aware when this can happen. This can apply even if you are making some money from your hobby. HMRC looks at a range of factors to decide whether an activity is a genuine trade, including whether there is a business intention behind it or whether it remains a personal
More...Businesses must register for VAT if their taxable turnover exceeds the VAT registration threshold, or if they expect it to exceed the threshold in certain circumstances. The VAT registration threshold is currently £90,000. The threshold applies to the value of taxable supplies made by a business. A business must register for VAT if
More...Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just for large organisations. Many small businesses are now using affordable AI tools to reduce administration, improve customer service and free up valuable time to focus on growing their business. The key is to use AI as a business assistant rather than a replacement for human judgement. One
More...Cyber-crime is no longer a problem faced only by large organisations. Small businesses are increasingly being targeted because criminals often assume they have fewer security measures in place. A successful cyber-attack can disrupt operations, damage customer confidence and result in significant financial losses. Many attacks begin with
More...If you are self-employed, claiming all of your allowable business expenses can reduce your taxable profit and, in turn, the amount of Income Tax you pay. Allowable expenses are costs that are incurred wholly and exclusively for the purposes of your business. Typical business expenses that can be claimed include office costs such as
More...If you have invested in a new commercial building or carried out significant renovation work, you may have overlooked a valuable capital allowance. The Structures and Buildings Allowance (SBA) provides tax relief on qualifying capital expenditure incurred on certain new non-residential structures and buildings. The SBA applies to
More...If you are selling shares or other investments, you may incur Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on any profit, or 'gain', you make. You will need to work out your gain to determine if you need to pay tax, which depends on whether your total gains exceed your CGT allowance for the tax year. You usually pay CGT on total gains above your annual
More...Most individuals can earn interest from their savings without incurring a tax liability thanks to a number of allowances available each tax year (from 6 April to 5 April). These include your Personal Allowance, the starting rate for savings, and the Personal Savings Allowance, with the amount you receive depending on your other
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Kalirai & Co
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Wolverhampton
WV3 9BJ
