COVID Bounce Back abuse
The Insolvency Service has recently published information confirming that a total of 831 company directors were banned in 2023-24 for Covid support scheme abuse, up more than 80% on the previous year, and that the average length of director
Settling energy disputes
Business owners that are in dispute with their energy suppliers will be interested in the free support on offer from the Energy Ombudsman.
In a recent press release the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero confirmed the
What do we mean by profit?
When most business owners refer to business profits, they are likely to mean the difference between sales and costs, and more concisely, that sales exceed costs.
However, the word “profits” can prove to be a moveable feast as HMRC, banks
To register or not to register
In the recent Spring Budget, the VAT registration threshold was raised to £90,000 (previously £85,000) which means that smaller businesses that did not want to register for VAT, now have an additional £5,000 of turnover they can make each year
We are unpaid tax collectors
Clients often refer to the VAT added to supplier invoices as if it were a cost to their business regardless of their VAT position.
This is true if you are not registered for VAT, you do not have to add VAT to your sales and you cannot recover any
Time to rethink the credit you offer your customers
Most business owners are driven by sales targets and to meet these targets they may be tempted to offer extended payment terms.
For example, if your business grants a customer time to pay – say 60 days – after the services or goods supplied have
Public sector productivity
In a recent announcement by the Treasury, it was announced that plans are afoot to deliver up to £1.8bn of productivity benefits by 2029.
The aim is to improve public sector productivity, including releasing police time for more frontline work.
Companies House rolls-out new powers
The first measures under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCT Act) came into force on Monday 4 March 2024.
Changes introduced include:
greater powers to query information and request supporting evidence;
stronger checks
Crack down on ‘fire and rehire’ practices
The Government has announced action to tackle the use of controversial ‘fire and rehire’ practices. In a press release issued 19 February 2024 they said:
“Action against unscrupulous employers to tackle the use of controversial ‘fire and
A new champion for small businesses appointed
An experienced entrepreneur has taken up a key role to promote the needs of small businesses to government and ensure suppliers seize the benefits of the Procurement Act.
Shirley Cooper OBE, former chair and president of the Chartered Institute of