Construction industry returns: The importance of laying a solid foundation
The construction industry can be complicated in terms of employment with contractors, subcontractors, casual and permanent staff all working together. And when it comes to taking on subcontractors, there is a certain set of rules contractors need to abide by when filling in their tax returns. This is where the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) comes […]
Accountants and bookkeepers – what's the difference?
As we’ve already explored in an earlier article, bookkeepers and accountants are considered essential to business, despite people often not knowing exactly what it is they do – and referring to them as bean counters. It is true that bookkeepers and accountants are intrinsically linked by the very nature of their work dealing with a […]
RTI returns: what you need to know
Much was made of the Government’s shake up of the welfare system when they announced the introduction of Universal Credit. This new benefit grouped a series of payments, such as jobseekers allowance and income support, under one umbrella. But with it came a shake up for the nation’s PAYE systems. As a result, RTI (Real […]
New year ambitions: Growing your business
A new year brings new ambitions, plans and targets – and for many bosses growing profit margins and the reach of their business will be among their aims for the next 12 months. Predicting your cash flow and budget is an important step to help this happen – but what else can be done to […]
Why 'bean counters' are vital to your business
A survey conducted by software firm Xero revealed that people see bookkeepers as “bean counters” and “number crunchers” – potentially adverse descriptions for such a hardworking bunch of professionals! But the same survey also showed those who work with bookkeepers agree they are vital for all businesses. While we do work with numbers and keep […]
Christmas bonuses and HMRC
The festive season is in full swing and some lucky employees can look forward to more than just the office party and dressing up on Christmas Jumper Day. December also marks a time when some companies give their staff Christmas bonuses, as a thank you for all their effort and achievement over the last 12 […]
Tax returns: Don't leave it too late!
They can be convoluted, confusing and take up many hours of your time but tax returns are important – and must be done to a deadline. And the cut off date for this financial year – 31 January 2017 – is quickly looming. With Christmas and the party season on the horizon, employers and employees’ […]
Cloud bookkeeping – what is it?
Technology is constantly developing and with these advances come new words and terms. One of the latest phrases to start peppering conversations is “the cloud” which is now being applied to bookkeeping software. The cloud, in computing terms, is another word for the internet and relates to services that are delivered through the web, such […]
The new minimum wage: what you need to know
Thousands of workers across the UK are set to receive a boost in their October pay packets, after a new minimum wage kicked in. The hike was agreed by the Government in March and is a positive step in the world of payroll, after incidents of workers not receiving the minimum recently making national headlines. […]
Don’t delay when it comes to auto enrolment
The scheme may have been around for several years but small to medium sized firms need to start taking note of auto enrolment as deadlines are looming. All companies across the UK -whether they employ 1 person or 100 – must have enrolled their staff into a pension scheme by November 2017. But many businesses […]
