The end of the financial year is a big moment for any company and having everything organised ahead of time can save you a lot of stress and worry. Too many businesses go into crunch time, desperately working to get everything they need to be done before that year-end. Here, we’re going to look at a year end accounting checklist of accounting tasks you have to complete, so you can get to work on them in advance.
Continue readingValue-added tax (VAT) is charged on most goods in the UK. Some goods are exempt, and others have lower rates added to them, but most are charged at the standard VAT rate of 20%. Many very small businesses don’t need to register for VAT, but once your annual turnover passes the threshold, which is currently £85,000, it’s compulsory. You can also voluntarily register before reaching the threshold, which is useful for some businesses so they can get in the habit of charging VAT. If you’re wondering how does VAT work, take a look at the information below.
Continue readingRegulations which took effect from 1 October 2011 mean that workers supplied to a company, or to any other entity, by an agency will become entitled to receive pay and basic working conditions equivalent to any directly employed employees after a 12 week qualifying period.
Continue readingUnder the Working Time Regulations 1998 (as amended), workers are entitled to paid statutory annual leave of 5.6 weeks (28 days if the employee works five days a week). This basic entitlement is inclusive of bank holidays. This annual leave entitlement is now closer to that of workers in other European countries, where holiday allowance is typically more generous.
Continue readingAre you wondering when is the earliest you can file taxes in 2019? The majority of people in the UK pay income tax through the PAYE system. If you’re employed, a portion of your salary will be taxed, and your tax contributions will usually be deducted from your monthly wage packet.
Continue readingHMRC have introduced a number of VAT schemes over the years designed to reduce the administrative burden on small businesses. One such scheme is the annual accounting scheme. The annual accounting scheme helps small businesses by allowing them to submit only one VAT return annually rather than the normal four. During the year they pay instalments based on an estimated liability for the year with a balancing payment due with the return. The scheme is intended to help with budgeting and cash flow and reduce paperwork.
Continue readingThe Bribery Act 2010 (the Act) applies across the UK and all businesses need to be aware of its requirements. The Act includes a ‘corporate’ offence of ‘failure of commercial organisations to prevent bribery’. The defence against this offence is to ensure that your business has adequate procedures in place to prevent bribery.
Continue readingSome employees will often prefer to use their own personal mobile devices to access company networks/systems. However, this is potentially a security loophole which places the organisation at risk from reputational damage and legal proceedings. Firms need to have a formal policy with regard to the use of personal devices at work.
Continue readingThis factsheet focuses on the current tax position of business motoring, a core consideration of many businesses. The aim is to provide a clear explanation of the tax deductions available on different types of vehicle expenditure in a variety of business scenarios.
Continue readingResearch and development (R&D) by UK companies is being actively encouraged by the government through a range of tax incentives. The government views investment in research and development (‘R&D’) as a key to economic success. It is therefore committed to encouraging more smaller and medium sized (‘SME’) companies to claim R&D tax relief.
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