Starting a business involves many decisions, but one of the most important is selecting the right sector. The most successful start-ups tend to occur where three factors align: the skills of the business owner, the amount of funding available, and the level of demand for the service or product being offered. When these elements are […]
Author Archives: Hardings
Income tax is often viewed as a permanent feature of the UK tax system, but historically it began as a temporary wartime measure. Its origins lie at the end of the eighteenth century, when the British government faced the enormous cost of financing the war against Napoleonic France. The first modern income tax was introduced […]
The continuing conflict involving Iran has raised concerns about its potential impact on the global economy. While the fighting is taking place thousands of miles from the UK, events in the Middle East often have significant economic consequences around the world. If the conflict continues for an extended period, it could place renewed pressure on […]
Artificial intelligence has moved from a future concept to a present day business issue, and over the past week it has been one of the most talked about topics among UK companies. What is driving this surge of interest is not just innovation, but a growing fear of being left behind. Many businesses now see […]
The Chancellor’s Spring Statement, presented to Parliament 3 March 2026, was packed with political content that has no real impact for UK taxpayers, business owners or employees. The substance of her presentation was a summary of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) Economic and fiscal outlook released on the same date. Our summary that follows […]
1 March 2026 – Due date for Corporation Tax due for the year ended 31 May 2025. 2 March 2026 – Self-Assessment tax for 2024-25 paid after this date will incur a 5% surcharge unless liabilities are cleared by 1 April 2026, or an agreement has been reached with HMRC under their time to pay […]
If you are self-employed, it is important to understand which car and travel costs can be claimed. You can claim allowable business expenses for car, van, or travel costs, which reduce your taxable profit. Typical allowable costs include: Vehicle insurance Repairs and servicing Fuel Parking Hire charges Vehicle tax and licence fees Breakdown cover Train, […]
The Additional State Pension is only available to those who reached the state pension age before 6 April 2016 and are receiving the Old State Pension. The Additional State Pension is an extra amount of money paid on top of the basic Old State Pension. The Old State Pension is designed to provide individuals of […]
If you have not yet checked whether you need to use Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax, you should do so urgently. HMRC has issued a timely reminder that for many self-employed and landlords the way to report tax to HMRC will change significantly from 6 April 2026. MTD for Income Tax is a […]