The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement is two steps forward, one massive leap back with changes to the VAT flat rate.

The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement is two steps forward, one massive leap back with changes to the VAT flat rate.

The papers have been awash with analysis of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, the state of the economy, the impact of Brexit and how the JAMs are going to suffer more for longer. The Federation of Small Businesses said its impact for SMEs would be “modest and medium term”. For me, there are three things which…

What you need to know: The TAXING issue of Christmas Party Budgets and Bonuses

What you need to know: The TAXING issue of Christmas Party Budgets and Bonuses

THE OFFICE — Season 2 — Pictured: (l-r) Rainn Wilson as Dwight Shrutte, Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly, Steve Carell as Michael Scott, B.J. Novak as Ryan Howard, John Krasinsky as Jim Halpert — Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank It’s Christmas time, so goodwill to all men, women, employees, staff, contractors..….that is unless you’re…

Corporate Fraud – make no mistake, you are a target, don’t become a victim.

Corporate Fraud – make no mistake, you are a target, don’t become a victim.

“My business won’t be affected by fraud, It’s too small to be a target.”  “We know our customers and it’s always been ok so far.” “We try to be aware but we know we don’t do enough to protect ourselves, so far we’ve been lucky.” These are the kind of statements many businesses come up…

Post Brexit currency fluctuation and how to hedge against it – do you have a plan for your business?

Post Brexit currency fluctuation and how to hedge against it – do you have a plan for your business?

The Brexiteers didn’t have a plan, the former PM David Cameron didn’t have a plan – so it’s hardly any wonder that many SMEs don’t have a plan for a Brexit-vote landscape… Well, we need one now and we need it fast. A lot of my clients who run SME’s are suffering the immediate impact…

Under pressure! – the fight for women’s equality continues

Under pressure! – the fight for women’s equality continues

Women’s equality and our place in the workforce has never been a hotter topic, and with good reason. Over in the US, Hillary Clinton’s bid for president (and Donald Trump’s incendiary comments) have made equal opportunities and women’s issues a key electoral issue, while in Australia’s Queensland, a university cake sale highlighting pay inequality hit…

Nine Budget Boosters for Small Business & Entrepreneurs

It’s safe to say this month’s budget was rather overshadowed by Ian Duncan Smith’s spectacular resignation and subsequent government retraction over proposed disability cuts. However, there was some seriously interesting stuff in it for small businesses that I think got rather overlooked. Bear in mind that Osborne’s budget (and everything most politicians do right now)…

HMRC under fire…and we need to keep the heat on high

It’s fair to say HMRC have had a pretty bad start to the year. Google-gate coincided with the end of the tax year underlining their eye-wateringly low effective tax rate of 3%, while millions of normal taxpayers looked on in disbelief with nothing short of envy, frustration and anger. The unfairness of it all is…