Cyber security is becoming an increasingly important concern for businesses of every size, particularly as criminals develop more convincing methods of impersonating suppliers, customers and senior employees. The Government’s announcement on 12 October 2026 of further measures to strengthen Britain’s defences against emerging artificial intelligence risks highlights the growing sophistication of cyber threats, although smaller […]
Author Archives: Hardings
Small businesses considering taking on an apprentice have a new financial incentive to investigate following the introduction, from 1 October 2026, of a £2,000 hiring payment for eligible employers in England that do not pay the apprenticeship levy and recruit an apprentice aged between 16 and 24. The incentive forms part of the Government’s wider […]
When businesses think about recruitment, they can easily concentrate on attracting younger workers. The latest employment figures suggest there may be another group worth considering. Official PAYE statistics for August 2026 show that the number of payrolled employees aged 65 and over increased by 62,000 compared with August 2025. Over the same period, the number […]
Another significant change to payroll is now only six months away. From 6 April 2027, employers will have to report and account for tax on several common benefits in kind through payroll in real time. The first phase covers company cars, car fuel, vans, van fuel and employer-provided medical benefits. At present, many employers deal […]
Most business plans assume that things will broadly go according to plan. Unfortunately, customers, suppliers and the economy do not always cooperate. One useful exercise is therefore to ask what would happen if sales unexpectedly fell by 10%. The answer may be reassuring. Alternatively, it may reveal that the business has far less room for […]
Modern accounting software can give business owners access to financial information almost instantly. That does not necessarily mean they are looking at the right information. A dashboard containing turnover, bank balance and profit can be useful, but these figures may tell only part of the story. Consider a business where sales have increased by 10%. […]
1 October 2026 – Corporation Tax payment is due for companies with an accounting period ending 31 December 2025, unless the company is required to make quarterly instalment payments. 5 October 2026 – Deadline for notifying HMRC of a new liability to Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax for the 2025-26 tax year. This may […]
HMRC has launched an improved online service to make it easier for individuals to register for self-assessment. Anyone who needs to submit a tax return for the first time for the 2025-26 tax year should notify HMRC by 5 October 2026 to avoid a potential penalty. The new service is available through a Personal Tax […]
Making a trading loss whilst not ideal can sometimes generate a tax refund. If you are a self-employed individual or a member of a trading partnerships, a trading loss can potentially be set against other income or capital gains. This can reduce the amount of tax payable and, where tax has already been paid, may […]