People

Yesterday, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt presented his second Autumn Statement, but with a very different tone to the gloomy announcements made this time last year. The Chancellor announced initiatives with a massive focus on pushing growth in the economy. The main question you’ll all no doubt have is… “how does it affect me?”, let’s take a look…

So, why Accountancy? A question that we get asked a lot, so we thought we’d write a blog about it! Read on to see the different reasons why Jack, Christie, Hannah and Lucy chose to go down this Career path and what fuelled their passion to become an Accountant.

We examine how inspiring, encouraging and enabling the dreams of your team drives success in your business.

Creating a diverse work force is an important component of building a successful business. In this blog we examine why this is so and consider strategies to ensure your recruitment policy is inclusive.

Milestone alert for Friend & Grant! We are very excited to announce the opening of our Kings Hill office Monday 9th October 2023.

Have you been put off the idea of taking a holiday or a longer sabbatical due to the demands of your business? In our latest article Mark Friend reflects on his recent sabbatical. Mark highlights the benefits of taking a break from your business and how important this is to business owners to drive growth and future success.

Part 1 of a 2 part series of blogs looking at the challenges of finding great people for your business. We explore how having a clear vision of growth can greatly increase your success in recruitment.

Keep reading to find out what Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s “Back to Work” Budget means for you. Is 2023 a year of opportunity?

On Friday we were presented with a ‘Mini-Budget’ – in light of the new parliamentary changes. PM Truss’ campaign came with promise of bold plans to cut taxes and stimulate growth in the economy, and although a ‘mini’ budget by name, it was not ‘mini’ by nature in respect of the changes ahead.

Are you building your own business or looking to climb the corporate ladder? How many hours should you work? Is a four hour work week possible? If not what is realistic for success?

Research from Mental Health First Aid England has revealed that during the past year 48% of workers did not receive a wellbeing check-in from their employer. In light of this, it’s important to consider whether you could be doing more to support your employees.

With the increase in employer NI costs from 13.8% to 15.05% on 6 April 2022 many employers have been looking carefully at their employment costs. For an employee earning £20,000 a year the employer NI cost is usually £1,640. There is an employment allowance (£5,000 from 6th April 2022) which can be claimed by most employers to set against their employer NI costs. This negates part of the cost, however for employers with say two to three team members it doesn’t take much to fully utilize the allowance, making the cost of each additional employee you take on more expensive with the increase in employer NI.

On 6th April 2022 the employer’s national insurance rate increased to 15.05% from 13.8%. Employer’s NI is an additional tax liability payable by employers on the gross wages of their employees. For a company with 10 employees and an annual payroll bill of £300,000 this is an annual increase in costs to the employer of £3,750.

Payments made into a pension scheme qualify for a very valuable tax relief at your top rate of income tax. Not only will the monies in the pension fund be available to provide you with an annual income for your retirement but the fund itself falls outside your estate for inheritance tax purposes and is usually available to pass to your family on death.

The pandemic has had a dramatic effect on all our lives over the last two years. Businesses have had to adapt quickly to a changing environment. One area that may have been overlooked is the need to review your health and safety compliance.

There was a time when what salary you paid a team member was the only reward a business owner or company director had to think about when remunerating their team. However those days have long gone and most small business owners now have to view the whole package in order to attract and keep their best team members.

Every year we sit with baited breath waiting to see what is in store for businesses and individuals from a tax perspective. Were we in for some surprises? Was there going to be a radical overhaul of the tax system particularly in respect of capital gains tax and inheritance tax?

Given the recent advice from our prime minster about working from home where applicable, many employees will be wondering whether they can make a tax claim for working from home.

Having been in business myself now for almost 30 years I have seen the common traits of those business people who are successful and those who aren’t. It isn’t about having an extraordinary new idea which no one has thought about or tapping into new markets, although this is great if you can. It is more about doing the right things and doing them well.

Salary sacrifice schemes have been around for many years, but they should not be overlooked because when used as part of an overall remuneration package they can save significant amounts of tax and national insurance for employees and employers.

This is a really good question, and the simple answer is that it depends, but in many cases it is not nearly enough!!!! In general it depends on what the business owner wants and how big and complex the business is.

This is the second in a two part series of blogs on wealth creation. In the first blog I looked at how wealth is perceived in society and how you can measure your own wealth. In this blog I will share with you my top ten tips on how to create and maintain your own wealth.

Life cover is never a great subject to talk about but unfortunately you never know when the unexpected may happen. We have all heard of tragic stories of individuals unexpectedly losing their lives, and whilst it is rare it does happen and for many this can leave a huge financial hole for their loved ones.

There are many benefits of working from home from an employee’s point of view. The savings in time and costs of commuting to work are significant. The improvements in family bonds can also provide real dividends - being there for when your children leave for school or being at home for dinner with the family and tucking the children in at night are benefits which many parents find priceless.

Our latest blog looks at the possibility of having a company motorbike and we analyse the good and bad points that need to be considered.

In today’s fast pace business world the need for growth is essential. However doing it on your own is incredibly difficult. Having a strong team around you is key but this can only be created and sustained through strong leadership.

Good leadership principles are there for everyone to take and have been for a long time but even so few leaders fail to implement them. We examine what common errors business owners make and how they can improve their leadership techniques.

Following the announcement by the Prime Minister on the 31 October regarding the new lockdown in England for the commencing 4 November, the CJRS has been extended until December.

Are you eligible to claim the SEISS extension grant? Make sure you know what you can claim for.

With the Job Retention Scheme set to finish by the end of October, what support is there for employers?

There are important changes being introduced in April 2021 to combat companies employing individuals through their own personal services companies. In our blog we highlight the dangers to business owners and how over the years the rules have changed and the net tightened leading to the new off payroll rules which come in to play on 6th April 2021.

Have you ever felt frustrated because despite earning more money your savings never seem to increase? If so then you are not alone as the vast majority of people in the UK experience this same phenomenon. In fact it was first articulated in 1955 by Cyril Northcote Parkinson in an essay in the Economist to describe time.

On Thursday 24th September 2020 the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, made a statement in Parliament where he announced a series of measures to help jobs and businesses.

Businesses are being urged to prepare for the NHS COVID-19 app by downloading QR codes before the public rollout on 24 September.

Looking for a tax efficient company vehicle and for various reasons an electric car is not an option? How about a 4x4 pickup? In our blog we give 4 great reasons why a pickup might not be a silly idea after all.

The application process for the Kickstart Scheme is now live, but do you know what’s involved?

As your business comes to maturity thoughts often move to retirement and if possible extracting value from the sale of your successful business. One option many business owners consider is selling to their management team. For many it just feels right. It also offers a simple and flexible way to leave a business in the safe hands of individuals who fully understand the business.

Looking to give shares away in your company to secure an investor, business partner or lock in an employee? Beware the pitfalls. In this blog we look at why company owners are prepared to sell or giveaway shares in their companies. We look at the problems, the tax issues, some of the solutions and recommendations we would make to ensure that if you do sale or give away part of your company that you secure your financial position.

With the government building a plan for jobs, there are not only changes to apprenticeships but also a new Kickstarter job scheme.

New business grants for small and medium sized businesses to access new technology and other equipment to help adapt, recover and rebuild.

The government has released guidance on how to claim for the Job Retention Bonus – make sure you know what to do!

Being your own boss is risky at the best of times. If anything unexpected happened would your family be protected?

The mastermind principle is a well established business strategy that has been around for many years. Napoleon Hill discussed the mastermind principle in his book “The Law of Success” written way back in 1925. The mastermind principle was the second of 16 principles which Napoleon Hill believes must be followed in order to become successful.

The construction industry scheme is designed to stop tax on invoices raised by the self employed or limited companies (called subcontractors) who provide labour within the construction industry to businesses which are also within the construction industry (called contractors).

On 29 May 2020, the Chancellor announced some changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme that will likely impact a lot of businesses - the "Flexible Furlough Scheme"

The Government launches its test and trace service and has issued related guidance for the public and businesses in England.

Everything has changed. For many businesses the coming months will be a real challenge. With the removal of lockdown and a deep recession many businesses will not survive. If you have been adversely impacted by Covid 19 here is our 10 point plan to not only survive but more importantly thrive.

If you are considering re-opening your business premises as the lockdown provisions start to be lifted you may find there are a lot of changes that need to be made in order to comply with the government guidance.

The Government has announced an improvement to the grants that are currently available for small businesses.

The portal went live on Monday 20th April and has proven fairly easy to use. The big problem has been the calculations, with HMRC changing the rules and issuing new guidance at 5pm on Friday 17th April!

One key lesson many clients will have learnt over the last few weeks is that your team is not only a great asset to your business but can also be a liability.

This is war! Not only are we battling as a nation to preserve real lives, we (as business owners) are battling to preserve our way of life - our businesses. So as a leader here are three key actions you need to take to get your team through this period.

Increased pressure from businesses unable to access the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan (CBILS) funding has led to the government announcing a new loan scheme for those in need of smaller loans.

Zoom is a top-notch online video conferencing service provider for business users which we highly recommend from personal experience.

The word innovation can conjure up images of disruptive developments such as online streaming services or companies like Uber. Fortunately, innovation doesn’t have to happen on a grand scale to make an impact in your business.

We look at what action business owners can take to ensure their staff stay motivated, productive and mentally healthy during an extended period of working from home.

Recent events are putting considerable strain on businesses which rent leasehold premises so what options do you have? We believe that it is in the tenant and the landlord’s interest to work together to come up with a solution which in the long run will benefit both parties.

We examine the circumstances in which a company director can furlough themselves and take advantage of the government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

The Chancellor has set out a package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to support businesses through this period of disruption. Regrettably for most of the self-employed there is little help.

The Chancellor outlined a package of measures that have never been seen before in order to protect million’s of jobs and incomes in response to the coronavirus crisis. A new Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will be set up to help pay people’s wages.

The Government is pressing ahead with its plan to ban all new non-electric cars from sale by 2035 at the latest, and many UK car buyers are already shifting towards electric and hybrid cars.

Given the recent advice from our prime minster about working from home where applicable, many employees will be wondering whether they can make a tax claim for working from home.

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced in the budget that Statutory Sick Pay is to be paid from the first day of sickness absence, rather than the fourth day, for people who have COVID-19 or have to self-isolate, in line with official guidance.

There is no doubt we are living in unprecedented times. The coronavirus has increased uncertainty to levels that we in the UK have not seen for decades. The first thing to say however is that life goes on and to a large extent we can only deal with what is immediately in front of us....

More and more employers are encouraging their employees to cycle to work rather than drive or use public transport. Luckily the government provide tax incentives, which makes this arrangement attractive to employer and employee, particularly for owner managed businesses where they are often one and the same!

A client recently asked us about benefits in kind for lending employees money? A great question and the answer has led to one very happy employee!

Poor book-keeping alone doesn’t usually bring a business down. Usually the accountant will step in to clean the books up and calculate the company’s tax liabilities with time to spare. But it’s different for construction, primarily due to CIS.

Office space is expensive. Do you really need to have a dedicated desk for each and every employee?

The off-payroll working rules, known as IR35, were introduced in 2000 to ensure that individuals who work like an employee, but through an intermediary such as a company, pays similar taxes to other employees. Important changes are being introduced in April 2020. There has been a lot of press recently (and most of it negative) stating how many businesses are going to be badly impacted by the changes.

Making the Most of Alumni Networks. Whether it’s your University classmates or the colleagues you trained with at your first firm, we all have an alumni network.

We're often asked this question by our fast growing clients. Losing a key team member could have a major impact on your business. One solution we love is the Enterprise Management Incentive Scheme.

Stress related workplace burnout is now recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as an official medical diagnosis. Here are some tips to help to avoid burnout.

Are you really sure that your employees are self -employed? HMRC have a great toolkit to help you. If in doubt we can help

Side hustles are here to stay and they’re a good thing for employers. Employees with side hustles generally are more innovative, proactive and organised, but….

Work life balance and flexible working benefits may be more valued than some of the more expensive employee benefits offered by some businesses.

Claiming tax relief on eye tests is often overlooked by business owners, but can you claim tax relief on your Ray-Ban glasses? We thought it would be helpful to outline the rules.

Whatever you think you are- an early bird or late owl- does the question matter as a business owner? I think it does matter- find out why your performance and that of your team could improve by asking the question and making changes to work routines.

Will your business be prepared if we leave the EU on 31 October without a deal?

Being a boss is easy. Being a leader is more problematical. Here are a few of my favourite leadership tips to help you build a great team.

Everyone needs a holiday to recharge their internal battery and to strengthen those vital family bonds. However getting away from the business is a problem in itself. Here’s some ideas!

As a parent one big headache could be what to do with the kids this summer. If the kids are under 11 the government can help. If they are over 13 how about getting them to come to work for you?

For those business owners seeking success there is nothing more frustrating than finding that key person only for them to leave you. So how do you lock in key members of your team?

The backbone of a high performing business is a resilient workforce. You need to build a team that is highly motivated, high performing and consists of people who look forward to coming to work every day because they feel they are a part of the company and the bigger picture.

Business travel can be a real nuisance and unless you’re driving it should be really productive time. Here are our tips on How to Stay Productive when Travelling

When employees know what they have to do, why, how and when, everything runs smoothly in your business. But if the most common statement uttered in your office is ‘That’s Not My Job’ or ‘It’s Not My Problem’ then the business descends into chaos.

I have a saying; “business would be easy without clients or employees”. Many business owners and managers can easily relate to that statement, when they review exactly what they had to do last week and how much time was spent on staff issues rather than time spent focused on the business.

We are delighted to tell you that we have appointed AHR Consultants as our HR support supplier and partner. Here are some emerging HR trends that all businesses should be aware of.

You know you should delegate but you don’t. Here are 3 ways to overcome the excuses as to why you don’t delegate.