Inheritance Tax Gifts Rules Every Family Should Know
Here’s something nobody tells you at dinner parties: that £50,000 you’re planning to gift your daughter for her house deposit could end up costing your estate £20,000 in tax. Not because you did anything wrong, but because you didn’t know the rules. I’ve spent years watching families discover—too late—that generosity comes with paperwork. That the […]
Accounting for Small Companies: The UK Compliance Guide
Last updated: January 2026 | Reading time: 12 minutes Here’s something nobody tells you when you register your first limited company: the paperwork doesn’t end with Companies House. In fact, it’s barely started. I’ve watched countless business owners stumble through their first year of accounting for small companies, only to face penalty notices because they thought […]
The Auto Enrolment Compliance Trap Nobody Warned You About
Here’s something they don’t tell you at those business networking events: auto enrolment smart pension compliance isn’t just another tick-box exercise. Last year, The Pensions Regulator took enforcement action against 157,142 employers. Read that number again. Most business owners think they’ve sorted their workplace pension once they’ve signed up with a provider. Then – usually at the […]
Corporate Tax Return Deadlines in the UK
There’s a peculiar irony in running a business. You spend months building something brilliant—negotiating contracts, landing clients, perfecting your product—only to discover that missing a single date circled in red on some bureaucrat’s calendar can cost you more than your entire marketing budget. I’m talking about corporate tax return deadlines, of course. And if you’re […]
Why Accounting for Small Companies Is Different
Last thing you want to hear: your accountant treating your three-person startup like it’s Tesco. Here’s why the numbers game changes when you’re small. Right, let’s get something straight from the start. When I tell people that accounting for small companies isn’t just a scaled-down version of big business accounting, I get these blank stares. Like I’ve […]
Auto Enrolment Smart Pension Compliance Guide
Here’s something nobody tells you when you start hiring: that first employee isn’t just about payroll and employment contracts. They’re your trigger for a pension minefield that can rack up £10,000 daily fines if you mess it up. Yes, daily. I’ve watched business owners treat auto enrolment like it’s some optional HR tick-box exercise. Then […]
How VAT Accounting Works in the UK
Here’s something nobody tells you when you first start thinking about VAT: the £90,000 threshold isn’t a finish line you’re racing toward. It’s more like a trapdoor that opens beneath you when you least expect it. I’ve watched countless business owners celebrate their first £90k in turnover, only to realise – usually around 3am on […]
Ecommerce Accounts: What Makes It Different?
Here’s something most online sellers don’t realise until it’s too late: running an ecommerce business means your accounting needs are fundamentally different from a traditional shop on the high street. Not just slightly different. Completely different. I’ve watched countless sellers make the mistake of treating their Amazon or Shopify business like any other retail operation. […]
How Outsource Accounting Works (Step-by-Step)
Last updated: December 2025 Here’s something nobody tells you about running a business: your accounting books are probably messier than you think. I’ve seen it countless times. A business owner thinks everything’s fine — until tax season arrives like an unwelcome relative. Or worse, they miss a crucial VAT deadline because their spreadsheet system (the one […]
